Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-16
AN INTERESTING SOUVENIR.
3. r. Goodman Receives Cane from the
Youngest Ex. Confederate Solder.

Il. Il. Welch brought home from the
convention of the letter carriers of the
country at Chattanooga u cane which
was sent by him from &. l.. Robertson,
who was the youngest soldier in the
Confederate army, to Mail carrier Il.
r. Goodwin. OF this city. The cane IS
Of special interest from the fact that
il was cut on the battle field of Chat
tanooga and WAS sent by the youngest
soldier OF the Confederate army. MIR
Robertson enlisted when he was Is
and saw four years OF continual ac
tive service. He was in 30 battles
and more than 100 skirmishes. He
was at Chickamauga. Fredericksburg
and the Wilderness. He was wounded
several times. once having his ribs
terribly crushed. He carried one bul-
let in his chest until 1897 when IT
WAS located by means OF the N-ray
ana removed.
MIR. Robertson matured early so that
he was practically Il man when he en-
listed, i'll spite Of his years. He had
been accustomed to take a mans share
OF the work about the farm. He
rapidly developed into a fine soldier
learning the drill more quickly than
his companions and never sinking
any duty whatever. He was the pct Of
his officers and very popular in his
regiment among the men. He was
twice offered promotion but declined
on the ground that he was not
sufficiently well educated.
During the last two years Of his
service he served on staff ana scout
Il n ,t,4..
escaping each time one OF these es-
capes was effected by crawling into
culvert in the night while his guards
We're sleepy and bit careless.
After the war Mr.. Robertson accept
ed the result nhilosophically although
il caused him much sorrow. He en-
tered business with General J. T
Wilder in Chattanooga uLieneral
Wilder'i brigade had been directly
opposed at Chickamauga To- the one To
which Robertson had been attached.
The partnership proved a good one
and the firm prospered in its business
Of wholesale grocers. But business re-
verses followed and Mr.. Robertsons
fortune was swept away 50 that he is
now engaged with as much energy AZ
ever in rebuilding it,
Mr.. WeIch says that when the an
nounCement of the assault on Presi-
dent Mckinley was received in the
convention n hush suddenly fell on the
large audience until one could have
heard a pin drop. The first message
stated that the President had been
killed. The news seemed to strike
everyone dumb. Then came another
telegram, announcing that the rrrsi-
dent had only been wounded. With
one instantaneous impulse. every man
in tn. hall vas on his feet cheering
Ike a mad man. There was no. lead
tr In the demonstration but every
man seemed TO reach his feet ana open
his mouth at the same instant. As
soon as the session was over there
was a mad rush for the newsstand
and every man soon had a paper in
his hand. 1t was more like a
rush OF frantic animals than
anything else for every man wanted
the particulars at the earliest posi-
bic instant
Mr.. Welch says that the feeling in
the South was much the same as here
in the North. 1t was grief and sym
pathy for the President and rage
against the man who had fired the shots
The scenes about the streets were
much the same as in other parts of
the country.