Evening journal., 1914-07-10
New News Of Yesterday
The Home of a Famous
Banjo Player
BY HOllsua.

In recently published study OF the
Confederate Gen. J.. 4. b. Stuart, which
was written by Gamale Bradford, OF
Boston--who appears to have inherited
the fine discriminating and descriptive
ability which was characteristic Of his
distinguished ancestor, Gov. Bradford OF
Pilgrim days-h speaks admiringly Of
an unofficial companion who was with
Gen. Stuart throughout the war until
he received his mortal wound. MIR. Brad
ford says that Gen Stuart's banjo
player, Sweeney, was as near to him as
an aid-de-camp and followed him every
where. Stuart used to write his most
important correspondence while Sweeney
was playing the banjo, and frequently
would pause and join unroariously IN
the chorus.
This reference TO Sweeney brought 60
mind I'm incident Of the day IN the SUM
mer Of 1881 which | spent at Appomat.
toX Court House.
II was my good fortune at that time
to have the oompanionship of James
Hicks, a leading citizen Of Appomattox
Court House. He was especially quail
fled to point out to me places which had
gained permanent historic interest since
he was the owner Of the field which con
tanned the famous although partially
mythical apple tree. Mr. Hicks showed
me the place whore the apple tree stood
and called my attention TO a great hole
IN the ground which, he said, was made
by the relic hunters, who, after the tree
had been despoiled and carried away bit
by bit, actually dug up all the roots.
While we were upon this field. worthy
of a place in history, since there Gen.
Lee sat in the shade and from that point
Gen Gordon went forth with an impro-
vised flag of truce, Mr.. Hicks turned,
and facing the northeast, pointd out the
place upon the highway at the top oi
the hill where Gen. Lees army rested
while he, with his staff. went forward 20
begin negotiations with Gen. Grant and
Gem Sheridan.
| observed a little low cottage stand
ing a little back from the road shadow
ed by grove and said 10 Mr. Hicks
that this seemed to be the only house
within the vista. He smiled and said
"That house has a history. There the
Sweeney boys were born aud there they
were brought up. There they taught
themselves TO play the banjo. I have no
doubt OF the truth Of the report that
they made their own banios, and ! am
certain that they learned from the
slaves of the plantation nearby the dis
tinctive negro melodies, and especially
the 'breakdowns' which were so popu
lar among the negroes before the war,
and which constituted an important
feature of negro minstrelsy in the war
days and afterward.
Zone Of the Sweeney boys made
friends somewhere with Gen. Stuart,
think he wandered into Stuart's camp
soon after the war began He had heard
that Stuart was very fond Of the fife
and drum, and especially fond Of the
banjo.
mo sooner had Stuart heard Sweeney
play the banjo than he attached him un.
officially to his headquarters. Sweeney
became very fond OF Stuart and knew
almost intuitively what kind Of banj'
music Stuart liked best. II was th'
kind which had rattle and 60 in il, and
which set everybody's feet working
Many times Sweeney's banjo was al
good as rest and refreshment for Gen.
Stuart.
u once tried to find out what became
Of Sweeney after Cen Stuart's death,
but / was unable to do SO. | do know
that he was regarded as the best banjo
PLAYER in the south. and it was up in
that little house in front Of which Lees
army last stopped that Sweeney was
born and there he taught himself to
play the banjo
Copyright, 1914, by p. J. Edwards. All
rights reserved.
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell Of
nThe ONLY Demncrat i'm His FamilV.n