St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1910-06-17
HAS A CONFEDERATE PUZZLE
DaGuerreosype Charleston cuvatos
wouid Like 60 Know Abost.

DaGuerreotype Charleston Cuvatos
Wouid Like 60 Know Abess.
Every northerner who vislts
Charleston. s. c.. should 20 to the mu
scum OF the Daughters Of the Con
federacy In tho old Market hall on
Meeting street. In the advice OF writ
or In the New York Sun. He may be
just the one living man who can solve
the mystery OF the old daguerreotype
that was lost In battle and recovered
after forty years. The little old lady
who is curator and guide about the
museum hall hopes that before she dies
some one from the north will look
az this faded daguerreotype and say,
Yes. know this man"
They have many quaint and sad
relies OF the war. these daughters OF =
past generation OF fghting men. the
writer says. The exhibits stand In
cases and hang from the walls OF this
one long room. where the market com
missioners OF Charleston have held
their meetings since first the Market
hall was built In isii. After the cura'
tor has pointed out the confederate
flag, which was reconstructed from q
captured federal flag-"for silk was
a diffieult thing to find In those days"
the original painting OF the interior
OF Fort Sumter after the long siege,
the stars and buttons from General
Lees coat. she leads her visitors to
case on n side wall and points out
the dsguerreotype. Then she puts her
question:: 'Do you know this manY"
The daguerreotype Is round and cut
10 NJ within the back OF a watch case,
wherein II was set. The portrait. still
clear enough TO be seen In its every
line Is that OF young man In civilian
dress-the dress OF fifty years ago,
with high. rolling stock, low cut waist
coat and frilled shirt front. The
youthful face Is bearded and the heavy
hair waved up into dandy's lock
over the forehead.
This portrait. backed in the gold
watch case. was turned up from bat
tie field by plowshare only two years
ago. The place where II was thus
uncovered was fallow land on Morris
Island In Charleston harbor. This Is
the story the curator tells;
II was In 1864. shortly before the
evacuation of the erumbling sumter
by the confederates and during the
time when the investing federal ships
and marines were bending every effort
to find way to fight through to
Charleston. A detachment OF federal
marines landed under cover OF gun
fire ON Morris Island. A repelling
force OF confederates from Fort Moul
trle landed at another point on the
island. crossed over and fell upon the
federal marines. There was a hot en-
gagement and In the end the union
force was pushed to its boats and back
TO the blockade fleet. They did not
have time even 10 bury their dead.
The scene OF this skirmish remained
forgotten and untouched from the
evacuation Of Charleston down 10 the
recent time when the plow was run
over the land where the marines had
tried to make their stand. Then bul-
lets, cannon shot and belt clasps
marked ~. s." were turned up with
human bones. Also thfs dagusrreotype
backed In the half OF gold .atch
case and almost undimmed by the long
years Of burial.
1T Is a little mystery. this ds
guerreotype." says the curator Of the
museum. "Some day II may be
solved"