Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-26
A Reminder OF
The Civil War

Edite. fstnnrl'ec .IourpHl3
My bear ,-ir-.My fathar. jeremiah
| Kelley Of l<euBebunk, WaS = member
of tlc 9Th Maine Regiment, Co \, and
| " hen AieXaH6fia VAS occupied by the
! Ncrth"rn army. secured from Negro
the he Family Bible. which he sent
home IL his family ard which for
years Ea5 in our possession. was
born in the year 1875 and this Bible
| was the first one / ever saw, and for
| years il .Yyas used in cir family at
morning and evening worship. My ia
| thor returned the Bible to the Lee
| family in 1876, The enclosed letter con-
| cerning5 the return NJ this Bible Will no
doubt lie af interest to the Many Veter-
ans 1t Togus and throughout the en-
| tire state:
| Yours truly.
JOHN NJ. KELLEY.
An exact copy of the letter follows:
| Nj. jeremiah Kelley.
Kennehunl5. Me.
Your letter in reply to mine was duly
received. Yau- ask ne to tell You all
about its,about She Bible YOU return,
/ / suppose.
| My father Rev. VIM. Fitzhush Lee,
was an Epscopal minister and own
cousin To Cen. Robert f.. Lee. They
| were brothers children. Gen Fitzllugh
tEee. now governor of Virginia. is the
tnephcW of General Robert e. Lee. Gen
eral William Henry Fitzhugh Lee is
! the SON of Gen. Robt- l.. Lee and is
| nov = member ef Congress from this
district. My father on his mothers
side, was grandson of Richard Henry
Lee one of the signers Of the Decla-
| ration of Independence. Dir. j. Willing
Leach Of Philadelphia is writing the
| lives ST the signcrs. He wrote to me
asking some questions which I could
not answer for want of that Bible, So
told him about il and asked MIN to
try and find it, which he did,
! M mother boarded in that house
| where you found the Bible, and had Is
packed up in box with papers and
other thing which She did not care %
carry around with her. III the lall of
| 1869 che went To Richmond 10 visit
| friends, intending TO return IN the
spring. but the war coming on she
could not get back. When Alexandria
| was occupied by the Northern soldiers
tire family with whom she boarded
| hastily left fer the interior. expecting
| to return in a few weeks. but the Inns
were closed ard after the war they got
back only to find their house burned TO
| the ground and not even the site
could be found.
! suppose the soldiers or servants
broke open the box containing that
Bible, expecting to find valuahles in
it. Some of the papers we're returned
to iav mother about 10 years ago b.
an Episcopal mflister who got hold
! Of th"m sntaewteW. Tie Bible certain
Is bad large pictures Of Bible scenes
WHEN ilnst f'aFe heen torn auc before
veu grt il Yes, it WAS an iniquitpus
var. ttrged "a by the politicians on
both sides. api when mems passions
are aroused nothing short of blood
shed viii satisfy them.
| Mr.. Lincoln was for pace. but the
Icrafty Seward aad lie hloodthirsty stan
ton would not let him eonpromise the
difficulty. If YOU had road tho Natona'
Intelligence ITS carefully as | did ihe
winter before tic war You would have
known how steadily Seward and his col
leagues in the Senate voted down every
motion tending To peace and compromise,
suggested by the border states, Judge
aioorehead of kentucky. at the head of
q peace delegation urging and entreat-
ing Mr.. Lincoln not 10 sanction war. said.
! Mr. Lincoln all the waters Of the All
lantic cannot wash the blood from your
hands that will be shed if there is war"
It was the proclamation for volunteers
to coercc the cotton states that turned
the border states from Union to Secession.
for they did not sympathize with South
lCarolina. | expect If you had been South
You would have felt and acted as tho
South did lou were on one side Of the
line. we GA the other. But il is all over
now. and after more than 20 years of
peace all should he forgotten and for
given among Christians. We were the
chief sufferers. / am sorry you are such
Il sufferer But il we reign with Him
we mus suffer With Him. 1t is vcry
hard to feel that it is good TO be afiict-
: ed Very few like the Apostle can re-
: joice in their affection. an honor con
ferrcd upon them by Christ, and part OF
their title-deed to eternal JOY; or count
their Affections as naught compared with
the glory which shall b. hereafter re-
vealed You say you are thankful to be
alive aud on praying ground" DOM
YOU think it will be far better To he
where prayer is turned to praise and hope
to fun enjoyment? Where there is ne
more sin, sorrow, temptation, suffering
/ would not live always. no welcome the
tornb,
Since rne'- 18th lain there dread not
its gloom.
There ~ my rest, till He bids me
arise
/ To hail pi" in triumph descending the
Skies
Please give my kindest regards 70 your
/ wife. May God guide you with His coun-
sci and at last receive YOU into glory.
Sincerely your friend
r. MfS NJ LEE CASTt.l,IAIN.