Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-08-25
MADE CONFEDERATE SEALS
Adventures of Herman Baumgarten,
Engraver, Who Has Just Died
in Washington.

has just died in Washington, says the |
New York Sun. He used to say that he |
had made every seal used by the confed |
crate government, and that he was reg
ularly employed for that purpose. 1t was
in the spring of 1861 that, at the solicita-
tion of Senator Benjamin, he joined for
tunes with the confederacy.
81 first went to Montgomery, Ala, which
was then the seat of government" said
Mr.. Baumgarten. Il was armed with
letters of introduction to Alexander H.
Stephens, who Immediately offered me a
good salary, which l declined, agreeing
to do all the work-engraving-a a
price to be set by myself. My offer was
accepted, and | at once set to work en-
craving the great seal.
while at Montgomery practically
completed engraving all the seals for
the several departments of the govern
ment. / secured the services of two ex-
perienced engravers from New Orleans,
but after working two weeks, and earn
ing $500 each, they threw up their jobs
and left. | had only worked six weeks
when l sent for my wife and child, and
l was able to put $4,000 in my wife's
hands when she reached me.
When the seat of government was
moved from Montgomery to Richmond
accompanied the officials, travelling on
the special train. Immediately after
reaching Richmond | set about estab-
fishing plant and soon had quite q
shop. After finishing the seals | set
about preparing to make designs for
stamps and money on wood plates.
Eventually steel plates were obtained
and beautiful specimens of the en-
graver's art were turned out. equaling
the best work of to-day"
Mr.. Baumgarten ran the blockade in
the closing days of the struggle. In the
latter two years of the war the subject
of erecting mints for the coinage of sill
yer and gold was discussed, and Baum
garten was sent to England to make the
necessary arrangements for doing this.
He was furnished with credentials to
persons in England and drafts on the
London fiscal agent of the Confederate
States, amounting to more than e20O0,-
000 with which to purchase machin-
cry.
He went from Richmond to Whining.
ton, where the start TO run the blockade
was to be made. Presenting his creden-
tials to the officer in charge of the port,
he put aboard brockade runner, due to
get out at the first favorable opportu-
nifty.
After waiting an entire day. Mr. Baum
garten approached the captain and
asked the reason for the delay The cap
tain handed him pair of marine glasses
and told him to take look. The glasses
revealed IA Yankee gunboats lying off
the harbor in a semicircle.
DO you think you'd try to get through
that?" asked the captain. We can only
go under the most favorable conditions.
and am ready, rather than be captured,
to blow up the ship and all on board"
The vessel had a cargo of cotton, and
most of the bales were ranged upon the
decks along the rails, fastened together
with chains and forming a bulwark
about the height of mans head, being
a splendid protection against a cannon
shot. Mr.. Baumgarten was led to a spot
Immediately over the forecaste There
the captain, lifting a tarpaulin which
covered the deck, displayed to the aston
|
bushels of coarse gunpowder, which the
captain said was to be used in blowing
everybody to hell if capture seemed in
evitable.'
At midnight the blockade runner
started Bermuda was reached safely
but Mr. Baumgarten had to wait there
for two weeks to get a vessel to Liver
pool, and this delay proved disastrous
to him in financial way.
An uneventful voyage brought him to
Liverpool, and thence to London There
he presented his credentials and drafts
and sought to get down to busi-
ness at once. The fiscal agent, however
was out of funds, and handing him
s2OO in gold as pocket money, di.
rected him to put up at the Queen ho-
tel, where all his expenses would be
paid until news could be received from
| Richmond
, What the fiscal agent next heard from
Richmond was the news of the downfall
[ of the confederacy. This left the fiscaI
} agent and Mr.. Baumgarten in tht
lurch, but Mr. Baumgarten was pro
vided with ticket to Paris. and let
ter of introduction to Mr.. Sidell, ther
/ representing the confederate govern,
ment at the French capital Mr. Sidel
took care of him until the president is
sued the amnesty proclamation, when
} he pulled out for home,
J 81 got here in time" said Mr.. Baum
, garten, ito be arrested on an average
of six times day, and if had arrived
two weeks sooner | suppose | woClt
have been torn to pieces"
For Revenue ONLY.