His Sword Returned

[John Hartwell]

Gen. Francis A. Walker

[Vicksburg Daily Commercial, Sept. 24, 1880]​

 

[John Hartwell]

[NY Herald, April 23, 1877]

[Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 4, 1875]​

 

[Garandguy]

Not an attempt to hijack this thread, but as an aside, when I visited the SeaBee museum at Point Hueneme, California, there was a display wherein a "Samurai" sword was returned to the original owners family, having been captured on Okinawa during WW2. It had been in the dead soldiers family for over 400 years....

 

[Cavalier]

@John Hartwell. As a sword fancier I really enjoyed this! Thank you!

 

[John Hartwell]

From the Arkansas Democrat (Little Rock), June 6, 1900:

The NPS Soldiers and Sailors Database lists 48 Scroggins' for Arkansas, 16 for Mississippi ... 251 all-told (the article is unclear as to which state the Captain belonged). Perhaps someone familiar with western confederate units can identify him, and Lt. Jas. Wooten.

 

[John Hartwell]

Some officers actively sought out their swords many years after their loss. We find the following in the December 13,1894 issue of the G.A.R. weekly, the National Tribune:

I can find nothing to indicate whether or not Capt. Allen's quest for his heirloom sword was successful.

 

[on again]

These "Returnings" are not always to the original owner. The Macon Telegraph of Sept. 11, 1886, contains this story:

View attachment 183659​

One wonders whether Gen. Charles Devens, still living in Massachusetts, ever learned of this. Devens had the misfortune of being in command of the brigade right at the very point where Jackson's troops came storming into the Federal flank. Their surprise was complete, and their rout, at that point, unavoidable.

File:GenChasDevens.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[on again]

"The war is over with us, the younger men of the South:"

View attachment 183660
[Boston Journal, Jan. 11, 1890]​

Captain Spencer died 1921 and is buried Arlington National Cemetery

 

[gjpratt]

Captain John Morton, Forrest's Chief of Artillery.

Sword now in the collection of the Tennessee State Museum:

 

[on again]

View attachment 310770
[NY Herald, April 23, 1877]

View attachment 310771
[Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 4, 1875]​

Lt Col Archer died March 5, 1877
Major Estes died Sept 21, 1902

 

[on again]

View attachment 310770
[NY Herald, April 23, 1877]

View attachment 310771
[Chicago Daily Tribune, Sept. 4, 1875]​

the 147th NY Regiment Adjutant was Henry Harrison Lyman died 4 May 1901