The Oakley eagle. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1901-1908, 1906-03-15
Kind Deed Received Reward.

Not long ago. said the major, Il
found Capt. Samuel Harris at one of
the colored kindergartens on the
South Side. He seemed greatly in
terested, not only in the children and
teachers, but in all the colored peo-
pie. He told me later that on one oc-
casion, while in command of a detach-
ment of his regiment, the Fifth Michi-
gan cavalry, ne lost his way, and
would have ridden into a strong force
of rebels, had not young colored
man explained the situation so clearly
as to enable him to avoid the enemy.
This led him to observe closely,
and In the last year of the war he was
cognizant of so many cases in which
the loyalty and sympathy of colored
meh were put to a severe test that he
became the friend of their race for
all time. Capt. Harris, by the way
commanded a detachment at the fam
GUS Dahlgren raid on Richmond, in
March, 1864. He led the charge on
the Westham road, in which he was
severely wounded. He was captured
few days later, was taken to Rich
mond, and, on the theory that the
Dahlgren raiders had intended to
capture Jefferson Davis, was sentenc-
ed by drum head court-martial to be
hanged.
1.-TWO months before he started on
the raid Capt. Harris had found a
Mrs. Brooke and four children starv-
ing. He secured food for them and
provided for them the ordinary COM
forts of life Mrs. Brooke told him
that her husband was in the Confed-
crate army, and that she herself had
been the schoolmate and friend of Mrs.
Jefferson Davis. A few days later she
wrote Mrs. Davis at Richmond tell
ing the story of the Union officers
kindness to herself and children, and
saying in conclusion: If Lieut.. Sam
uel Harris of the Fifth Michigan cav
airy should ever fall into your hands
do what you can for him for my sake
This letter reached Mrs. Davis,
and when it was announced to Mr..
Davis that one of the officers of the
lDahlgren raiders who had penetrated
the outer Notifications of Richmond,
had been sentenced to death and was
to be executed at once, Mrs. Davis
asked his name. On being told that
the wounded officer waiting in a
wagon outside was Lieut. Samuel Har-
ris, she reminded her husband of
Mrs. Brookes letter. and sent Capt.
Waller of Davis staff to inquire as to
the identity of the officer under SEN
tence of death Waller came to the
wagon, and after few questions told
Harris that he would not be hanged.
Mrs. Davis had secured reprieve.
Harris was sent to Libby prison,
where his wounds received careful at
tention. All of Mr.. Davis cabinet in
sisted that he should be hanged, but
Mr.. Davis declared that he should be
treated as any other prisoner of war.
The surgeon gave Harris one chance
in a hundred to live. but he recovered
and is active in business in Chicago
to-day. In 1895 Capt. Harris visited
Mrs Davis at Narragansett Pier and
her for saving his life in
1864. All the circumstances were re-
called, and the captain learned by a
visit to Richmond the whereabouts
of the daughter Of Mrs. Brooke and
others who had played a part in his
little war drama. In 1897 Capt Har-
ris met In New Orleans Col. Armand
provost marshal in Rich
mond in 1864, who was preparing to
hang Harris when he received an or
der from Mr.. Davis not to do so. All
Of Capt. Harris friends know this |
story, but it is worth the telling again
and again. Chicago Inter Ocean.