The interior journal., 1915-03-12
MASONIC SIGN SAVED SOLDIER
Rev. Livingston Brings In Clipping
Describing Scene He Witnessed.

Rev. j. G.. Livingston gave the /. j.
a clipping from the Masonic Home
Journal, of recent issue, in which a
veteran of the Civil War, and mem
ber of the Masonic fraternity tells
how a Masonic sign brought protec-
ton to a Confederate soldier about
to be taken prisoner. The incident
which the writer mentions, happen
ed at Rev. Livingston's old home In
the eastern part of this county, and
he states that he remembers it well,
having witnessed the incident himself
when a youth. The Miss Livingston
mentioned in the letter was his SIS
ter. The incident which is of un-
usual interest, is described by the
writer as follows:
| notice In the Home Journal of
December /, 1914, under sub-head-
ing, mystic Sign All That Saved
Him." a story describing how Bel
gian saved himself and number of
his countrymen from execution by
showing a Masonic sign to the Ger
man officer in charge of the firing
party, ETC., which recalls to my mind
an incident which occurred during
our Civil war, and in which incident
the writer was a participant. AT the
time of the incident / was first SER
geant of Company A in the Seventh
Regiment, Kentucky Infantry Vol
unteers (FederaD, but was on de-
tached service during the latter part
of August and the month of Septem-
ber, l862-was bearer of dispatches,
first between Cumberland Gap and
Lexington, KY, and then between
Cumberland Gap and Louisville. At
the latter place / rejoined detach-
ment of my regiment about the first
of October, 1862, soon after which
we received marching orders and
started for Perryville, KY, near
where we met, engaged, and after a
fearful engagement defeated Gen.
Braxton Bragg's Conferate forces
on the 9Th of October, 1862.
The next day, following in his
wake, as he leisurely retired from
Kentucky, late in the afternoon the
captain of my company and l asked
of the Colonel commanding the privl-
lege of leaving our command for a
few hours in order to visit and take
supper with an old friend and his
wife, who were formerly from our
county (Owsley). Our Colonel in
formed US we could have his consent,
but were likely to be picked up by
some of the Confederate cavalry, as
doubtless some of them were PROV
ling along our flanks for the purpose
of picking up stragglers from our
ranks. Our friends lived about one
and half miles from where we left
the command, and about one mile
from the nearest point to the road
leading to Crab Orchard, where we
were heading for. When about half a
mile on our way we, met a colored
boy coming out of woodland with
an OK team and load of wood. We
asked him if there was any Confeder-
ate soldiers in the neighborhood.
mo, sah," he said ''but dars some
rebels calvary mans over here at
Miss Livingston's." The conversation
at once become very interesting then,
Rapid-fire questions were put one af-
ter another until the calvary mans
were probably located-their horses
in the barn, their carbines and wal
equipment in there also, and the men
probably at supper. Just then ouI
old friend, Mr.. Boone, rode up on his
way to Mrs. Livingston's, just over
the hill. Some of the same quick-fir.
ing questions were put to him, and we
found the location of the barn, house
etc, as given by the darkey to be cor.
rect; and then the time for action was
fright now," to either make an order
ly retreat or to charge down and cap
ture the two unarmed Confederate
calvary MANS" Of course we could
afford to be brave, knowing that We
would be between them and the barr
where their arms were stored. But tC
the point.
We dashed down in front of the
house at near full speed of our horses
sprang from our saddles without
checking up, letting them go at will
and, as agreed, entered by the from
door, while my (then) captain was tx
go around to the rear and cut off re
treat of the men. AS / ran up tn,
front door of the house a young lad,
U supposed it was Miss Livingston
sprang into the doorway, threw ul
her hands on either side, as though
W DIcNcHl Ils SnIIdICC, dS
ducked and crowded through besid
her, l saw two men making very quicl
time in their exit through the rea
door. Without waiting to apologize fo
my abruptness, / was quickly outsid
also in the rear. AS soon as / was out
side the house / commanded the me-
TO halt. / had a repeating Henry riff
in my hand, and at the first comman
one of the men stood, but did no
turn entirely around, facing me; tn
other turned his head, looking back
then started on again. | then order
ed him the second time to halt, an
brought the gun to my shoulder, whe
the one who first stood gave me tn
sign which every Master Mason ur
derstands, and he was at once unde
my protection. He gave his name a
James S. or j. j. Stratton, and, if
forget not, said he had been sheriff
or a deputy sheriff in Louisville. Tn
other Confederate's name was Fell
Moses, Frenchman, and he was fror
Boone county, KY. He could speak bu
little and very poor English.
l write this extended article, hoI
ing that if Bro. Stratton is still living
/ may, through your valued Journa
be enabled to hear from him, and,
possible, to meet with him, or at lea:
to communicate my best wishes