The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-12-04
STORY OF A NATIONAL
TRIBUNE ADVERTISEMENT
Badge Taken From the Body Of New
York Soldier at SpottsyIyania Returned
to His Aged Mother Nearly 40 Years
alter.
CHE Adams (sIass.J Freeman.)

(Thc Adams 0Iass.) Freeman.)
If you have met and talked with John
Moses. keeper of the Broome County
Farm, you perhaps have noticed gilt
tering '2O-shilling" gold piece dangling
| from his watch cha in. John is tall. a typi-
cal Uncle Sam" man, and when you meet
him the eye is apt to watch his fingers I'M
| consciously twiriing the gold piece on the
chain.
Connected with this is story stranger
than fiction. As told by Keeper Moses, it
| is as follows: -
Away back at the time of the breaking
| ont of the war of the rebellion, Charles III.
Barker, Il son of DIR. John l.. and Mary a.
Barker, and as bright and ambitious a
young man as there was in those days, en-
listed in the SD n. y. He was soon APP
pointed Sergeant, and after serving his
country for three years re-enlisted at the
commencement of the Wilderness cam
paign, winning commission of Lieuten-
ant which, however, he never lived TO re-
ceive. Very frequent correspondence was
kept up with him by friends at home I'M
til the Wilderness battles were being
fought, when news was received that lie
was severely wounded and i'll hospital in
the vicinity of Fredericksburg. A relative
went Immediately to the scene, and al
ilueu Dy cDliTdueS VI inc
company and regiment to which Lieut..
Barker belonged, diligent search re-
vealed no trace of the body or circum-
stances connected with the death. In the
little cemetery at Adams, Mass, a simple
plain marble cross rising from Il chiseled
base. was erected for Lieut. Barker, and
inscribed upon the base were the words:
Lieut. Charles H. Barker, killed May 10.
1864. aged u years. This monument
stood at the head of Il mound in the Bar
ker family plot, but under the ground was
no mortal body.
Year after year rolled on. and the war
became n memory, but no news was heard
of tie missing soldier by any of the fam
lily or friends. All had given up hope of
ever hearing anything about the soldier
boy, with the exception of his old mother.
She prayed each night for some tidings of
her boy, and firmly believed that before
her death some news of him would reach
her. Her great faith was n source of Won
der to those who knew her.
And now comes the strange part of the
story Isaac Gage lived in Hawleyton, a
few miles south of this city, about tie time
the G. A. r.. Post was first formed there.
Shortly afterwards, lie and his wife re-
moved to Virginia and near the old bat
tlegrOund of Spottsylvania. a Southern
woman named Mrs. Ann Perry one day
showed Mrs. Gage badge she had cut
from the coat Of Union soldier pierced
by mimic ball. Mrs. Gage purchased the
badge for a small sum.
mir. and Mrs. Gage did not stay in the
South long, but returned TO Hawleyton.
One day i'm talking over war events with
Keeper Moses, Mr.. Gage mentioned the
fact tina: he had badge cut from the
clothing of Union soldier who was killed
on the battlefield of Spottsylvania. ar
Moses was shown the badge and he ad-
x-iSa1 Mr. CaVa tn aIrartiSa lao finlinu of
the badge in The National Tribune, a sol
diers' paper, published at Washington. A
notice was inserted in the paper mentioned
by Mr.. Moses under the head of Lost and
Found setting forth that Mrs. Gage, of
Hawieyton, n. Y, had in her possession
a badge cut from the clothing of Union
soldier after the battle of Spottsylvania,
inscribed: 'Serg't G. III. Barker, Co b, 9th
n. Y. S. NJ, War 1861 which she would
be glad to restore to friends upon request
and Identification. The following extracts
from letters fittingly close the story:
""ro Mr.. Moses: On the 18th inst. of
the present month l received a notice cut
from a Washington paper of the Sth inst.
containing notice under the Lost and
Found" of the badge containing the names
of brother said by you to be held by a
Mr.. Gage, of Hawleyton, n. Y. imme-
diately wrote to him, but received 10 an
swer. Could you in any way assist me to
recover the badge? 1t would be pre-
cious legacy to my aged mother, who is s.
years old. She has sincerely grieved for
her brave boy, who re-enlisted in the war
and in less than one month thereafter
gave up his life for his country.
(Signed) Mrs. II. +. Odel!, sister Of Lieut.
c. ii. Barker, Tarrytown, n. Y
"'To Mr.. Moses: Concerning the silver
badge, we have a large photo of my
brother with silver badge on his coat
answering exactly to the description in the
paper. The last time that my brother
visited his home he wore a silver badge.
and said that the time might come when
the badge would be a comfort to his peo-
pie. Until the notice in the paper had ap-
peared, we had given up all hope of hear
ing from him. (Sgned) Anna
ii. Barker, sister of Lieut.. Barker, North
Adams, Mass
$50 Mr.. Moses: A letter from my sis
ter few days ago said my mother, Mrs
Barker, was going to send Mr.. Gage a lit
tie memento of her grateful love for the
recovery of the badge. and as ] felt that
we owe quite as much to you, / beg yOu
will accept the incosed gold coin "a $3.50
piece and wear it upon your watch chain,
if you choose, as Il reminder of the event
which, by your thOughtfulness, has caused
great comfort to the heart of my mother.
= (Signed Mrs. Jacob Odell, Tar
rytown, n. ""