Evening star., 1942-02-22
odd Scropbook Sheds Light
On Union Offer to GdriboIdi
Copy Of Letters
Found in Relic of
QuiggIe Family
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

The answer to the recently re-
vived controversy as to whether or
not Garibaldi. the italian patriot
and military hero, was offered the
command of the Northern Army Of
the United States during the darkest
days of the Civil War may be con-
tanned in the time-stained leaves OF
an old scrap book In the hands Of q
st. Adams schoolboy.
In its foreword. dated April, 1850,
at Antwerp. Belgium, its maker,
Cordie Quiggle. the beautiful and
gifted wife Of James w. Quiggle OF
Pennsylvania, United States Con-
sui to Belgium at that time, pro-
phetically pens these words: MY
children may this scrap book be
to you companion, and when my
heart has ceased to feel, may this
book be q treasure in your library"
Now in the possession of o great
grandson, James w. Quiggle. . sen
ior at st. Adams School for Boys,
this possible key to a foot-note in
American Civil War history came
to light only this past fall. 1t was
located in the attic of an old house
near Loch Haven, Pa, which is still
owned by the Quiggle family.
Historical Place Discovered.
The scrap books present owner
lives In the st. Nicholas Apartments
on California street with his Wild
owed mother. Mrs. James w. Quig-
gle. He was unaware OF its his
torical aspect and cherished it only
as q family souvenir.
But, the chance turning of its
pages by a family friend, Charles J.
Brand Of this city, revealed about
two-thirds Of the way through its
contents, q newspaper record of
copies of the correspondence be-
tween James w. Quiggle, the United
States Consul at Antwerp; Garibal-
di and William H. Seward, Lincoln,s
Secretary Of State. All Of the let
tiers bear upon the subject of Carl
baldis coming to the Unite States
to help the cause of the Northern
Army
These yellowed newspaper clip
pings are extracts from the Sunday
Mercury of Philadelphia. They must
have constituted a SCOOP" as this
editorial comment is made: This
has never been made public except
In the Sunday Mercury"
The first letter In the series, dated
June 8, 1861, is from James w.
Quiggle, United States Consul at
Antwerp, to Garibaldi. It says in
part: The journals represent that
you are going to the United States
to join the Army of the North In
the present conflict OF my country.
II you do. the names of Lafayette |
VIII not surpass you. There are
thousands OF Italians and Hungari-
ans and tens Of thousands Of Amer
lean citizens who will glory to be
under the command Of the washing
ton Of Italy"
Il would thank you to let me
know If this is really your inten-
ton. If it be, I will resign nv
position here as Consul and jodn
you.
Mrs. Quiggle desires to be re-
membered to you in the hndest
terms and hopes We may meet
again." /
Knew America.
1t win be remembered that Carl
bald spoke and read English, having
emigrated to the United States from
Tunis after the failure Of the revo-
luton OF the northern Italians
against Austria left Italy still in
the hands Of her foreign oppressors. |
For q time he was in command of !
an American trading vessel on the
Pacific Coast. In 1854 he returned |
TO Europe, settling on q small farm
on the island of Caprera in the
From there he set |
forth with his volunteers for his
spectacular conquest, which changed
the Kingdom of Sardinia into the
Kingdom of Italy.
Garibaldi's reply to the letter of
DUR United States Consul is from
his island farm of his. 1t reads:
"CAPRERA, 9th June, 1861.
My Dear Friend: e.
The news given in the journals
hat I am going to the United
States is not exact. have had, and
till have, . great desire to 60, but
many causes prevent me.
IF, however, on writing to your
Government, and they believe my
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