Year: 1879

at Richmond Castle Thunder, has called up multitude
Of "reminiscences of the building and its twin, Libby
Prison. Major Baten former warden of Castle Thun
der said newspaper correspondent The burning OF
Castle Thunder reminds of a sad and romantic cpl
sode nterwo with the history Of that famous prison
1t is the story Of the Angel of Castle Thunder The


friends and Of sweehearts of the prisoners constantly
writing them. | have witnessed many heartrendng
the prison In this prison all persons suspected
of sympathy with the Union confined, well as
Confederate prisoners The meeting and separation be-
tween a mother and child, between sweetheart and
her lover they would cling to each other and, with
tears and sobs separate perhaps never to meet again.
truly sad and distressing 1t upon of these
occasions that noticed woman whose history after
wards learned, and it remarkable one will give
ii you She beautiful TALL slender ladylike and
spiritually She attracted ones attention at first
sight She called herself Emma st. Clair Her features
were finely chseled after the Grecian style Her eyes
large lustrous and of melting blue her form well
proportoned 1.-THE and supple and her pale deicacy of
complexion and her frai appearance peoduced the inn
preston that she would be the victim of that fell de
stroyer consumption She called to young prisoner
who her lover whom she sent sumptuous fare every
day Once while she was visiting mm she had severe
hemorage, and tainted She was too weak to be sent
away and she properly cared for at the prison The
attending physician had her taken to where she
received proper nursing and medical until she recov
cred She couresan and her lover Louisiana sol
dier who to Virginia at the outbreak of the
She was Creole extraction and from New Orleans
to Richmond where she might be near him and him
every and then She had $4,000 IN gold when she
arrived here and she determined to devote her forces
and her money to soohe and alleviate the suerngs of
wounded soldiers. She became in Bird Island
Hospital and there for long time employed herself in





soldier from North Carolina, badly wounded, placed
under her She nursed him carefully but in spite of
all that could be done for him it became evident that he
must die. He the only of wealthy parents who
dotted him. When he told that he could not live
long he called the beautiful to his bedside and told
her he had request make, and that that she
would let him be placed in unmarked grave She
promised and he died happy She kepther promise. He
was buried with pomp long line of carriages followed
him to the grave She bore all the expenses. In few
days thereafter the father and mother appeared having
heard that their only son had been wounded The father
the hospital where he learned his had died.
and there was referred Miss St Clair who gave him all
the particulars of his death and funeral He and his wife
deeply greyed at the loss of their son. but their
grief greatly soened by the contemplation of the gen.
erous unselsh conduct of his kind nurse and they
pressed to her their appreciation of her kindness in
measured terms


They did more. After making inquiries about her. and
learning her past history and true status, when they
turned to Richmond again after carrying the remains of
their home to be buried they sought her out and said
to her ''We have come to make proposition to you,
which sincerely wish you accept We you to
go home with and be our daughter. We will adopt
you as such We are wealthy have children, and
nobody will have any right to complain OF conduct
We make this proposal after careful thought and cond
Grafton We acquainted with your past history and
know what is the opinion of the world in respect to
in your situation but we believe any woman who has
acted noby and generously you have done
reclaimed and forgetting your past life earnestly de-
sire to take you hearts and home and adopt
as out daughter viii you come " The beautiful
sevinced great agitation Hea bosom heaved and
tears flowed fom her eyes, and then amid her sobs she
declined the offer saying to accept it, would while ben
deserve
such generosity and my services to your poor boy
not given with expectation of reward but to crafty my
feelings know that you sincere in your belief
that you would ignore and forget my past e and that
you would treat if were, in fact your daughter
but the world, and your friends and acquantances would
not let you do it. ban upon society calls an
outcas matter what trials temptations and socita
tions may have encountered have fallen and there
unbridged gulf between and society forever You
would and your offer will be of happiness
to me during all the few remaining years of my life but
much as would like to go with you, cannot wrong
you by accepting your offer My doom is fixed regret
alas too late TO and knowing that shall be for
given by man, must look alone to Him who is mercy's
self to pardon me hereafter"


The old Confederate Major, he reached this part of
the "reminiscences drew his big bandana and wiped his
eyes; saying to the correspondent


You see witnessed that scene, and tell you it was
the saddcst knew The old gentleman and his wife
could not alter the determination of thebeautul girl FL
naS they said " Is there anything do for you
show appreciation of your kindness p? She
said ask that you will bestow of your in
purchasing decaces for the wounded soldiers prs-
nf hath Il e