The progress-advertiser. (Lexington, Miss.) 1902-1903, 1903-06-25
A RARE OLD
MYSTIC BUTTON
Made by Confederate Prisoners al
Rock Island, Illinois.
Cap. Ike Harvey Has One Of the
Priceless Buttons.

Hotel, which is sheltering SO many of
the old soldiers who fought and bled
for the Lost Cause, is Lieut.. Col. @.
D. Brooks, Of Francisville, La, men,
ber, during the civil war, of the first
Louisiana Cavalry, which at various
times was under the command OF
Hardee, Johnson and Bragg.
When seen last night, Col. Brooks
was asked about button on the la
pei of his coat. That's badge
which is worn by few" he said. 1T
is small and insignificant and unos-
tentatious in appearance but itmeans
whole lot. 1t was carved from a
shell of lnussel taken from Rock
Island river, near Rock island a., and
was made by one of our men while we
were prisoners at Rock Island, ILL.,
war prisoi ers. There were several
thousand of US held prisoners, and
the idea struck this comrade to form
an association. He was first class
engraver and had tools in shape Of a
pocket knife and a few fine files with
him. Seven Of US, who were close
comrades, entered into the organiza-
tion, and he made every one of the
badges, which were fitted with i'm
provised pins.
"As you will notice, 1.-The little badge,
which no amount of money could pur-
chase from me, is Of small value, in
trinsically. 1t is made as | have
stated, from the shell of a mussel, a
seven-pointed star, the border Of
which represents Is states, the IL
being shown by as many stars. The
7 initial letters of the latin express
ion, ID. E. D. E. P. P. NJ" mark the
seven points of the star. 1t is a Sc
cret legend which has never been d.
vulged to this day, but which every
one of the 7 who entered into the as
sociation recognizes at a glance.
Three of the most prominent men who
were members of this organization,
which was founded while we were in
prison at Rock Island in 1864, were:
S. S. Shipp, Of Yazoo City, Miss; Ike
s. Harvey, of Lexington, Miss; and
Col. Bohan, of Harrisburg, Ky. There
are many others who subsequently
Joined the association, but have for
gotten their names"
The curious little button or badge
bears in the ceuter the my sterious
inscription, &C. z K" standing for a
Latin expression. The lettering is
crudely cut out and filed in with seal
ing wax and India ink. Col. Brooks
holds the badge priceless. Times
Democrat.
Seeing the above in the Times Dem
ocrat, Mr.. S. 5. Shipp of this city, y,who
was a prisoner at the Rock Island
prison, and who was one of the nnys-
terious members Of that organization
of Confederate soldiers, gives the
Herald the following particulars OF
the button and how it came to be in
existence, Mr.. Shipp now having one
Of them, which he prizes very highly,
and which he would not part with at
any price. Of the button Mr.. Shipp
says:
THE mystic button was the badge
of CT K or Seven Confederate
Knights The star has seven points,
and the shield seven angles, A pris-
oner by the name Of 7. S. Cox I,think
from Kentucky, was the first man
who conceived the idea. He was or
derly Of Barrack No. /. He made his
escape, reaching Canada safe. 1t
was organized for the protection
against spies, who were among the
many thousands Of prisoners confined
there, and to curry favor with the
enemy would divuIge any plot agreed
upon to attempt escape, many Of
which were apparently well laid; but
as the Old Scotch Bard said: