The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-30
A Renaissance.

| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: At the
surrender Of Cumberland Gan. KY, Sept.
o, 1868. by Gen. Frazier to Gen. Shackel-
| ford, of the Ninth Corps, we came into
possession of 1900 prisoners. Six com
panies of infantry. three from the 1911,
Ohio, three from the S6th Ohio and three
companies of cavalry from the 9th Tenn,
We're detailed to guard the prisoners
through to Lexington, Ky. Gen. Frazier
and his staff were not put under guard.
but were allowed to ride through with
their horses along with the command.
was detached to ACCOMPANY the rebel
General and his staff, my company being
one of the guarding defathments with the
prisoners. On FraZier'S staff was an Aid.
| n Lieutenant. by the mamie of Harrison.
In conversation with Lieut.. Harrison he
inquired of me where Twas from. L told
him / belonged in Ohio in Tuscara was
County. noticed that the Lieutenant be-
curious to know the 'cause. Finally
asked him if he had ever been in that sec
ton of the State of Ohib. After a mo-
ment he answered me by saying that he
had, and named people whom | knew,
among the number the Hon. John a.
Bingham. As matter of course | be-
came inguisitive, and this is the story.
as rear as / can remember, he told me:
I'm 1859 left my home at Cadiz. Har-
rison County. Ohio, for the South.
finally drifted into Knoxville. Tenn,
where | engaged as Superintendent of the
schools, and was so engaged when the war
broke out. EspOusng the cause of the
South. i entered the Confederate service.
was commissioned a First Lieutenant. and
as such officer | have served. the last year
or so, as an Aid on Gen. Frazier's staff.
My people reside in Harrison County.
Ohio. an adjoining County to yours: some
at Cadiz None of them know where
am, nor shall they know if in my power
to prevent. ! am imbued with Southern
principles. The South is right and the
North is radically wrong. and the right
will prevail and the South will be victor
iOus, and forever maintain her indepen-
dence. All ask Of you is to not divulge
to my friends or acquaintance my where
abOuts or of your meeting with me. Do
this. Do you promise me?'
After little while, as we We're now
riding in silence. he again spoke, saying:
| Keep this all secret for me. at least.
for 20 years. You can promise that, can
you not? And will You not?' He reached
me his hand. i grasped it and promised.
| At Lexington, KY. we turned over the
prisoners to the authorities there, and l
bade Lieut. Harrison good-hy. ~
Gen. Frazier and his officers were sent
to .JnhnsOns Island. o.. and the troops to
| Camp Chase, .. / never heard of Lieut.
| WIFI MN 1T LEX
ington. ] kept his secret and my promise
till the year 1856, when / asked the late
Judge J. A. Pearse. Colonel of the 9Sth
Ohio. of Cadiz, if he had ever known a
Mr.. Harrison. who had left Cadiz before
the war for the South The Colonel in
formed me that he had known him well,
and also that he had known of his teach
ing mt Knoxville at the breaking out of
the war: but that he had never learned
Of his entering the Confederate service,
and in my relating this "reminiscences was
| his first knowledge of that fact.
Query: What became of the Northern
Confederate Lieut.. Harrison? Did he die
at Johnson's Island? Or was he ex-
changed, and did he return to the South
ern army! Is he living to-day? Who
can answer:-GEo. w. BOWERS. First
Lieutenant. Co. Il. 129th Ohio, and later
Captain. Co. A, 1S5th Ohio, New Phiiadel-
| phia, Ohio.