The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-31
TIE STORY or A WORD
A Confederate Soldier Gets His Weapo'
Back After Many Years.
GPickens Journal.

Tuesday of this week Dr.. j. u.
Cureton was made happy by the re-
turn of what to him was a long lost
friend-an old sword that ne wore
during the Wal. 1t has a unique
history, and if it could it would re-
late history more windy than we
can hope to portray.
This interesting old relic has
played it's active part in two wars
the Mexican and the civil. 1t be
longed to Col. Dunsvont, who carried
it through the Mexican war. ltthen
came into possession of W. B. Crate,
of Winnsboro, who then gave it to
DR.. Cureton when he became Lieu.
tenant. Shortly after this Dr.: q.
was promoted Captain Of Go. G, Sixth
s. @. Infantry.
During the terrible battle OF Sec
ond Manassas the scabbard Was cut
in twain by q she'll. DR.. Cureton
stopped to pick up the piece of shat
tered scabbard and fell a little be-
hind his company. The unlonists
we're slowly retreating, and one
shrewd Yankee concluded to seerete
himself in q ditch and wait till the
Confederates passed, and, then kill
the commanding officer of the regi
ment, who was Col. Steadman. Just
as he raised bis gun to fire Dr.. Cure
ton turned and almost severed his
head from the body with this same
sword.
The scabbard was pierced by a
minnie bali in the battle of Seven
Pines aud glanced by another, and
the owner still lives to tell the story.
Shortly after this Dr.. Cureton was
taken seriously ill with pneumonIa'
and was furloughed at the home OF
Joseph Hsger in Maryland i" charge
of J. Michael Brice, Ia Of his liz u
tenants. While thus critically i'll,
the Yankees came upon DR.. Cureten
and seeing his critical condition, left
him unmolested. Before their sp
proach however, Mrs Hager raised
one of the planks in the floor and
deposited under the house the inter-
esting relic OF our story to prevent
the Yankees from falling into pos
session Of it.
When they came up they entered
the room into which Dr.. Cureton lay,
and SAW that it would he a good
place for some of their wounded num-
Der. Dr.. was unconscious of what
was going Oh about him, and when
he awoke he. found four or five
wounded Yankees as room mates.
After the close # the wal Dr..
Cureton tried in vain to recover the
lost sword. He was unable aver to
g-t in communication with MI. Ha-
Ger. The reason is clear now, for
Mr.. Hsger moved to Little Rock.
Ark, just after the close Of the war,
carrying the old sword with him, as
we'll as one that belonged to DR..
Brice.
When the Dallas Reunion was held,
Mr.. Hager concluded to attend
While there he met MI. E. B. Mob
ley, of Fairfield, and asked him If he
knew DR.. Brice and Capt. Cureton,
of Fairfield, as he had two swords
belonging to these gentlemen which
be would be glad to restore to them.
When, Mr.. Mobley returned he let
the discovery be known, and the
lieces Of MI. Brlce, who are at Win
tbrop College, began to communi-
cate with Mr.. Hager, with the result
that the swords were returned to
South Carolina, and were ~conspicu-
Gus at q D. A. r. entertainment
given at Winthrop not q great while
agn Seeing a brief account of the
Entertainment IN one Of the papers,
which contained d description of DR..
sword, enabled him to com.
municate with the authorities at |
Winthrop College and recover his
lost relic, which ls now a treas
ure because of it's history.