The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-05-21
NORTH CAROiINA'S CONTRi-
BUTTON.
A Pennsylvania Editor Impressed by
the Tar Heel Room in the Confeder-
ate nuseum at Richmond, Va.


Mt Jewett, Pa, Herald.
On leaving st. Johns church we
visited the Confederate Museum-the
stOrehOtISe of mementOes of the lost
cause. This is one of the most inter
estin@ points i'll the city and well re-
pays one for the hours required in
which to examine the structure and
its contents.
The binding itself is of historical
interest, as it was the White House
OF the Confederacy during the civil
war, and yet contains many articles
oi furniture belonging to the Davis
family. 1t was in this building that
Winnie Davis, the "Daughter of the
Coniederacy," was born. The build
ing has been fireprOOfed by the lay
Ing oi cement floors, and is now de-
voted exclusively to use as il store
house OF mcmentOes.
The first object to attract atten-
ton on nearing the building is sec
ton of the propeller shaft OF the Mer-
rimac, the first irOnclad war vessel
that ever breasted wave, and which
came near proving a great thorn in
the side OF the Northern feet. The
section of shaft is about / 4 inches in
diameter and about 24 inches in
length. 1t ornaments the slope in
front of he building.
On entering the building one is met
by Il grizzled veteran of the Confeder-
crate army, who greets you with a
pleasant word, and proves verita-
bic walking encyclopedia of infOrma-
ton relative to the war. His knOwl-
edge has been CLEANED by personal
service in the field, and winnOwed by
comparison with experiences of men
from both North and South, as the
museum is Il place OF interest to both
armies, and Il common meeting
ground.
Each State Of the Confederacy has
a room OF the building set apart for
its exclusive Use. In that of Missis-
sippi stands q case econtaininga Il num-
Der of articles once belonging to JET
ferson Davis. Among them is the
suit of clothes worn by the Confeder-
ate President at the time of his cap
ture.
On the wall of this room hangs the
battle flag of the Eighteenth Massa-
chusetts Infantry. 1t is Il beautiful
white silken banner. bearing the arms
of the State worked in green and
gold. This flag. captured on the bat
tlefield will, in all probability, short
ly be restored to the men who
marched forth under it's folds to
fight for their country. At another
place, under il life size painting of
Jefferson Davis, is a photograph of
the petit jury empanelled for his trial.
1t is composed of both white and
black men, and is noted as the first
Jury OF mixed color.
In the South Carolina room hangs
the original ordinances of secession
passed by that State, and thus
throughout the building are thous-
ands of different articles ranging from
a portion of the iron sheating of the
Merrimac, showing where ball from
the Monitor had struck that vessel a
telling blow, to the Bible of Mr. Da-
Wis, and the saddle of Morgan, the
gloves, and spurs, of this and that
general, together with the blood
stained battle flags of many regi-
mentS
1t is, however, in the room sacred
to North Carolina that one learns to
some extent the measure of sacrifice
made by the South to the lost cause,
and you stand appalled, as you read
the story of the men of the Tar Heel
State, which is there craven in plain
black and white, and runs thusly:
First at Bethel; Farthest at Get
tysburg; Last at Appomattox."
with voting population OF 49,
900 men North Carolina contributed
12J, 900 soldiers to the Confederacy."
And then, as if to farther empha-
size the stamp of men supplied, the
story continues:
"The Light Brigade at Balaklava
lost 81 per cent. of its men, while a
North Carolina regiment in a single
engagement, sustained a loss of 81
| per cent.
1t is but little we really learn OF
men and women in the every day
walks OF lie. Men 90 forth with Il
smile as cover to frown, and with
bluff and brOw-beat shield their own
fears from their fellow men, while a
woman, meath calm face, smothers
a tempest of wreck and despair and
walks bravely on. Yet deep in the
heart of each lies another life, not the
one lived, but the one longed for. II
there be a material trace OF it on
earth it is to be found registered in
keepsakes-mementoes of other days
slowed away in some holy of hO
lies" from which at times they are
brought forth to be re-embalmed il
tears. To the men and women of the
Southland, the Confederate Museum
exists as the receptacle of their keep
sakes and emblemS of cause most
dear, but lost.