Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-07-30
RELICS OF THE WAR.
Interesting Curtos Picked UP ana
Mn de by II. }. Irwin.

Richard J. Irwin of North Union street
10 the possessor of n largo number OF
cnrios which are of unusual interest his
collection of old coins and paper money
many pieces OF which he has saved since
The days of the Civil War, contains
number of specimens not often found.
Perhaps the most interesting story OF
The way he obtained possession of these
old pieces of money Is the one connected
with Confederate fifty dollar Dill
After the battle of Gcttysburgh the 18TH
Vermont regiment OF infantry, of which
Mr.. Irwin was a member, guarded about
1900 rebels taken at Picketts charge
from Westminster TO n place about three
miles outside of Baltimore, Maryland
Many of the men were members or the
famous Stonewal brigade and We're de-
Bcribed by Mr.. Irwin as "a ragged and
dirty, lousy and hungry bunch OF prison.
ers" Mr. Irwin took pity on the men
and distributed his haversack OF hard
tack among them. He was stopped by
one of the officers whom he had fed ana
presented with the Confederate fifty dol
lar bill The bill bears the date of Febru
airy Il, 1864. Mr.. Irwin has paper
twenty-five cent piece which a prisoner
gave him at the same time.
Another interesting specimen is a paper
bill which is an order on the treasurer's
office of the city of Newark, ~ j., for ten
cents Mr. Irwin found this in a tent
when his regiment moved from Fairfax
court house to Wolf Run Shoals in Nir
ginia to relieve a Jersey regiment in
camp there. lie has a one dollar bill
which was of the first issue of green
backs made and a part of his first
months pay drawn in the army. The
note bears q cut of Salmon p. Chase of
Ohio, then secretary Of tho treasury, and
is dated August J., 1862. 1t Is signed by
r. f. Spinner treasurer Of the United
States, and L. L. Chittenden a Burling-
ton man and then register Of the treas
ury His collection of small coins Is n
rare one, and almost every piece has
story contested with It.
Mr.. Irwin has always kept the tin cot
fee cup and steel knife and fork which he
used while in the army. The cup Is Of
heavy tin and was used by him not only
to make coffee in but to boil potatoes,
etc. Mr. Irwin has a number of pieces
of jewelry which he made Willing away
the long hours he stood on duty as picket.
One ring in particular. made Of Southern
laurel root. has been the envy of several
Jewellers The ring Is of the nethcrsod
type and as true as though cast. On the
top there ara three diamonds, one of the
wood itself. into which a second made
of a piece of black comb is set. The third
is made of a piece of n white ivory COMB
and set upon the top. All are set with
sealing wax. Two hearts made from the
inside of a clam shell from the banks of
the Rappahaunock river are placed at
either side Of the diamond. The work.
manship is faultess and the ring was de-
clared by the late Nelson a. Boro to be
one of the most wonderful pieces Of work
manship he had seen considering the mex
perience Of the maker and his variety of
tools, which consisted of a jackknife and
nail file. Mr.. Irwin has a number of
other articles which he made while in the
South, among them cross made from a
bone picked up on a battlefield and die
tionary and Bible made from the South
ern laurel root which has no grain and
therefore does not break easily.