Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-10-22
SWORD
Of MANY BATTLES

Captain William Young of Washing
ton, this state, while in this city at
tending the reunion Of the l87th Regi-
ment, P. v, unexpectedly recovered
his sword, long given up for lost,
which he had carried through the bat
ties of the Civil War. The story has
q peculiar interest in that the sword
aside from the part it played in fight
ing the battles of the Rebellion fgur-
ed for many years in the lodge work
of a powerful order which gained
foothold in our town.
When Beaver Lodge, Knights of
Pythias, was instituted Captain
Young, then a resident of this city,
was one Of the charter members. The
lodge was instituted on February 24th.
1862 when the Captain was still a
young man.
The grand lodge of the order, which
forwarded the paraphernalia for the
new lodge Inadvertently omitted the
necessary sword. This was not dis
covered until the very eve of the in
stitutioD Of the lodge. In order that
the lodge might be founded with due
observance Of all its forms and cere-
monies Captain Young suggested that
he send home for his sword and that it
be used in lieu of the sword approved
by the order His suggestion was act
ed upon and the sword of the Rebel
lion was that night initiated into the
mysteries Of the knights of Pythias
and continued to be used for some
years.
In process of time Captain Young
removed from Danville and his con-
nection with the order finally ceased.
As he advanced in life and the battles
in which he had fought were incor-
porated in the pages of written his
tory he unconsciously came to look up
on the sword that was his companion
through all those scenes Of privation
and blOOdshed as a thing of almost
priceless value. He, however, at that
day could scarcely hope to claim it as
his own again. Nearly a generation
had passed since he had handed it
over to the Knights of Pythias and 1t
seemed so improbable that the lodge
had taken any pains to preserve the
old sword after abandoning its use
that he did not think it worth while
to make any inquiries about it.
During Captain Young's recent Wis
it to DanvilIe his former connection
with the knights of Pythias, chart
er member of Beaver lodge, was nat
urally recalled by some of the older
members of the order This suggest.
ed the episode in which his sword
figured on the night the lodge was in
stituted. Luckily some one remem-
bored that the sword still existed and
thought it could be found in an out-of.
the-way place about the lodge rooms.
A search was instituted and the old
ltIIC VI lllC INCbt4AIOll W ttN h4aESCh
forth from its hiding place along with
a lot of other dusty and cast-off par
apheruaha which had served its day
and generation.
On Thursday night Beaver Lodge
passed a resolution ordering that the
sword, which had served the order so
well, should be presented to its former
owner, who was still in Danville.
The sword was presented to the vet
eran on Saturday. Captain Young was
a brave soldier and is an honored sur
vivor of the 181th regiment. He was
badly wounded and fought through
many hard battle. 1t is not strange
therefore that he was overcome with
emotion as he took the old sword in
his hands from which he had been
for so many years
Captain Young and his wife return
ed to their home in Washington on
taking the sword along with
them.