The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-26
Is FINALLY FOUND IN
OKLAHOMA AFTER A
LONG SEARCH
HOW SWORD COME BACK
After BeiEg Out of Owners
Hands Forty Years,

living chain Of inquiry. started more
thar forty years ago. has just resulted
in the hndiag Of sword which was lost
on southern Satueneid by union Of
ncer forty two years ago. The priceless
weapon given by a mother 70 her son
when he set out FOR the war. WAS DIS
covered IN oklahoma, many miles from
whore :. sas lost. A few weeks ago Il
was restored TO its patient seeker and
now eraccs his home, a sacred relic With
a history as interesting as any that has
been eleaned from the records Of the
war OF the rebellion.
The owner ec th!s sword Is Colonel
A. F. Rogers or Upper Alton, H.. well
known in this part Of the country. where
his carly youth was spent. Tho Colonel
was born on a farm in Howard county,
near Fayet.e, MO, way back In 1877. HIS
parents had settled In Howard county.
the father coming from Kentucky and
tie mother from Tennessee. Colonel
Rogers ancestors on the fathers side
hailed frono Monmouthshire. England,
while his mothers people the Jack
sons furnished warrior captain for the
war Of 1919. Mr.. Rogers father. Eb-
AN'H'AHf AfH"IAAtN~
school teacher and farmer IN 1883 he
moved to Upper Alton and settled on a
strip Of band containing about forty
acres. which he bean 70 cultivate, When
he was old enough. Colonel Rogers went
10 shurtien college. Of which hts father
was ono OF the oldest trustees.
In 1916. az the outbreak Of the Mexi-
can war. Colorel Rogers. then a lad OF
eighteen. volunteered IN the secohd MI
nois regiment. and went to Mexico with
General Taylor. He was just big enough
70 shoulder muHkei but be stood his
man IN the battle Of Beuna Vista, one
OF the hardest foueh, batties Of that
war, when 1000 American volunteers
faced ain army Of $4,000 Mexicans.
From Mexico Colonel Rogers came
back 10 his Upper Alton home. There
tho gold fever scizod him IN ls49, and
he went 10 California. Coming bac6 on
visst no startea the second time for
the western Elderado, but was ship
wrecked In the old independence on
Marguerite island on the Pacific ocean
Ths vessel. Il win be remembered was
burned, and only 300 souls were saveC
out Of 700. Young Rogers was picke'
up by wheling bark from Magdalen'
bay
'tNtAAAt
Mr. Rogers came east again 20 help talk
care Of his younger brothers and sisters
six years later DO married bis wife
who was Miss Jane Frances Delapaine
OF Upper Alton. and IN 1882 he entere
tae United states army as a volunteer
He WIS first elected captain and the
lieutenant colonel OF the Eightieth iii
nois regiment. which he himself organ
izod and mustered IA az Centralia, II
u was upon the dcoasil,l Of his commits
sion that his mother presented him wit
tho sword which is the subject OF thi
article
Life In the Army.
Colonel Rogers and his regiment weI
first 10 Louisville. KY, TO assist
throwing up breastworks, which We're
hinder Bragg on his march north, an
fought several battles on his mare
south that Of Paagoula Ark. octob
s. 1862. In Mccooks corps, where
was wounded Ia the head and tak'
as dead from the battlefield, but one
his brothers, who WAS assistant su
gecn, had him removed ia an ambulan
ana soon restored him. Afterward
Joined the straight Raiders AT NJ
ton. and forgd his way south. fought
pitched battle at Rome. Ca. and was o
after that battle.
In the Rome battle the sword becal
detached from his side and was lost
the third diy Of March. 1861
Captain Rogers was first sent TO pris
az Atlanta. and from there removed
Libby prison AZ Richmond, where he
maincsi tweiye months. Finally az n
con he waa exchanged with about q
other line officers who had been tar
BY the southcners. He came eirai'
20 ST. Louis. and soon after mis- arri
was ordered by the war department
raise the Fourteenth regiment al Up
Alton. which he did. He then resign
after taking his men 10 g. Louis
equipment his health having been bro
down by his WOUND and the long imp
onment 10 The south. Soon after his ,
ignatlon. Ia 1865. he began the sea
Tor his sword
ono OF the first men. 10 whom he c'
municatcd his loss and his desire to
the sword was Pilot Kirkpatrick. on
Cumberland and Tennessee river
latter told him that he had heard
some one having his saddle and Col
Rogers figured that the sword m
have beon found not FAR from there
in this he WAS 10 Do disappointed.
some dime ia the '7os General ID
Govan OF the Confederate army "
TO Secretary BelknaP then secre-ar
war under President Grant, that ha
discovered az Atlanta the battle fia
the Iowa brigade. Beknaps ragiu
and asked II be wished it sent 20
Baiknap replied that he would lik
have the general come 10 a reunio
Cedar Rapids Of Bellnap's old regil
and bring the flag with him. lie ref
General Coyan 10 Colonel Rogers Of
per Alton 70 Dut him on the way.
But General Govan and Colonel r.,
were not strangers 20 each otherr
had been de0uty sherifs together ia
ifornia. and so. when they met ir
Louis & was as friends. colonel
crs accompanied General Govan 20
OAR Rapids and there renewed th'
Quiry tor hls sword. Every soldier
attended thaf Iowa reunion went