The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-12-28
A Personal Friend Writes
of His Last Days
RUINED IN FEDERAL PRISON
An Interesting Story of b Famous
Editors Return from the War, Fa-
tigued Nigh Unto Death, tie Only
Time in His Life When He "Gave
Up'-Captain Turrentine Writes.

Time in His Life When He "Gave
Up"-Captain Turrentine Writes.
To the Editor: In your North Caro-
lima Review, I read with much inter-
est your story Of Capt. Randolph
Shotwell, as he was a great friend or
mine, this friendship growing for
many years until his death. / went
to Raleigh to view his remains as they
lay in state in the Capitol. Our ac-
qu~aintance came about this way,
and as j have not made it public it
might be lost to history, for many
valuable things nave been lost for the
reason that so many people dislike to
go into public print. I served through
the Civil War in Stuart's cavalry. /
got home on the 18th day of April,
1865, on a ~sore-back, broken down
my horse. clad in rags with not a pen
ny Of a change of clothes, with a
young wife and not a days ratiOns or
a bed to sleep on. We got a log cab
in and RECOMMENDED life. | went
over to the railroad and asked for
work, offering to take anything. They
made me a conductor and l started
out. One of my ather's old negroes
gave me a soldiers Jacket and a new
pair Of pants, which had been given
him. The soldiers ware paclio" every
train, trying to get home, which con-
tinued for quite awhile, as many Of
them were left in prison. ~ sno0n
numhe being sick in hospitals, and
wounded. I was in sympathy with
them and did all I could for them. AS
I was coming out from Raleieh one
afternoon on reaching Morrisville sta
s--- 49, - =
a sick soldier on the side rack, and
asked me If I could not do something
for him. ! told him ] could take him
on the train if that would help him.
as I had nothing to give him, for I
was as poor as he. / called to the
man to get aboard If it would help
him in any way, which be did He
was very weak and thin; had a bad
case Of iaundice. After we got un-
der way and I had a few minutes to
spare, I took a seat beside him and
asked him where he wished to go. He
said he was trying to get to Western
North Carolina, where he had friends
that might take care of him until his
health should be restored: that he
had lust been released from prison
end managed to get as far as Raleigh.
He had started on foot and got AZ
far as that station. when his STRENGTH
gave out. He said he was In the
North at school when the war com
menced and left to ioin the Southern
army. His father. he said. was a min
lister Of the gosrel. He said he had
capacity for business if he only had
health. He took from his pocket a
pacFa@e of papers which showed he
bad been promoted for eallantry on
the field OF battle. all properly made
out with the signature Of the COM
handing officer. J told him ] would
do what 7 could for him. took him
ST. - ----
hin his supner. then to Salisbury and
s~mn"g'ed him through to keep the
Yankee soldiers, who were there in
large Numbers. from cutting the but
TOYS Of his coat. which thav of+n- 40
i got the railroad peonle Of the West
ern railroad to take him and he gave
me his name as Randolph ShOtwell.
J hou"h no more of the man. as
similar occurrences were frequent.
Some months later, can't rn"~f1ao-
Row long. as I stepped off my train at
Col@shnro. q h~ar1rc~ne 'co"i~~ w~r'
dressed gentleman rushed toward me
and took hold OF me rather violently.
saying. "Mv good friend. T am indeht-
ed to you for my life. and ] am here
or purpose to thank yon. owe more
t. yo" than to any one living" 7 said.
NJ friend. you are mistaken in the
man. / haven't saved any ones life
that 7 an aware Of" He said. "Stnp
and hear my story. / will make yOu
remember. Vow took me on at q sta
ton above pc1rirh on a siding. was
sick and nearly dead, and would have
died hut for vo'lr help. You took me to
So'i~burv. and n~ovided for ma +',ore
Capt. Turrentine. am Randolph
S""+"N1' tho prov. set cnld'o~ w aga
life you saved. That was the first time
l ever gave up"
he was always giving me marked
attention as long as he lived. When
ne returned from the United S+atoS
PRISON IN New York. he wae rroo+,,,