The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-06
A STRANGE QUEST
Of an Old Confederate Soldier Who Is
Seeking a Yankee "Bunlde."

Among the strange quests that men
have undertaken in an effort to satisfy
an uncomfortable desire to know is
the search which is about to engage
the time and money of Richard Du-
vail, of 4503 Central avenue. Duvall
served with honor in the civil war, and
during the awful struggle was enabled
to assist a comrade in dire peril. After
the war had closed all efforts to find
the comrade proved fruitless, and,
while at intervals word has been re-
ceived that the man is alive and Well
Tor some unaccountable reason MS
whereabouts has remained mystery
Moved with a consuming desire to ind
the man, the old soldier. who IS IN
business in Los Angeles, will spend the
remaining years of his life trying TO
find his long lost "bunkie-"
without any attempt to gain noto-
riety Duvall tells of his desire to see
his old friend and relates some of his
experiences during the bloody strife.
Il entered the confederate army at
the commencement of the war, says
Duvan, "some time in April, 1851, and
was a member of company f, seven
teenth Mississippi infantry; was en-
gagged in the battle of Bull Run, or
Manassas, the battles of Balls Bluff or
LeesbCrg. was all through the York
towr campaign. and saw some hard
service in the battles in the defense OF
Richmond. Owing to physical dlsa-
biIity and exposure 1 was honorabiy
discharged from my regiment and soon
thereafter entered the local FORCES III
defense of the confederate capital.
For some time 1 was in charge of
Castle Thunder hospital, where the po-
! litical prisoners were confined. While
there / had opportunities of lending
aid to the union prisoners and others
who were in sore need of help.
cone case in particular l we'll re-
member, that of man named w. W.
McChestnay. whose home address was
81 South street. New York city. He
belonged to the Masonic order, of
which I was d member He longed
for liberty and fretted so that thought
he would die. By a persistent effort
succeeded in obtaining his release and
sent him north to join his fellows. The
man was a prince of good fellows, and
I esteemed him highly and missed him
much when he was gone from the
gloomy prison. I was in New York
several months after the war and tried
to find Mac but he had gone west
Since that time all efforts to reach
him have failed.
During my stay at Castle Thunder
I made many visits to Libby prison.
On one of these visits met a prisoner
who made himself known to me as
Freemason. He was a tall, fine look
ing man, weak and emaeiated from
hard service. I told him I would try
TO obtain his release, but he said there
was no hope for him, as all efforts had
failed.
My plan was to interview every
officer of the prison with whom I was
arG TAINTED, and after three weeks of
persistent effort the release was Sc
cured and the man was sent home to
his friends. I saw him safely on board
the confederate exchange steamer and
remained with him until he sailed
homeward on the union exchange
steamer. 1 gave him a basket of lunch
and some money, and was richly repaid
with his overlooking gratitude. I have
lost the name and address of this
man, but if he or any of his friends
read these lines I would most earnestly
ask them to communicate with me-
Il have been asked why I am so
anxious to find comrades in the wal
but it is difficult to give an Ineligible
answer. The associations were sacrei
to me, and if they could be resumed,
even for a brief day, my heart would
be glad"
Mr.. Duvau is a southerner with
fund of experience and rare knowledge
of human nature that will doubtless
serve him we'll in the search he is soon
to undertake. He still has many years
of active life before him, and his
friends say he is not easily discour-
aPed-T ,OS Angeles Times