WASHINGTON, D. C., July 10, '97. Major Henry S. Burrage, Oxford Building, Portland, Me.:

DEAR SIR-Yours of the 1st inst. was duly received. You possibly know that an order was issued on our side while we were around Petersburg, 1864-5, prohibiting the exchange of papers. The man you exchanged papers with was not a commissioned officer as represented to you, but was a courier at General Joseph Davis's headquarters. Why he did not return and meet you as he promised, I do not know. The party by whom you were captured was probably the "officer of the day" inspecting the picket lines. The courier you exchanged papers with, falsely represented himself as a major in the Second Mississippi. I do not now recollect the circumstance of your having been sent to my headquarters, but I have no doubt of the fact that you were so sent, and that I forwarded you to General A. P. Hill's headquarters. The man you you exchanged papers with was shot through the head when behind our breast works near Hatcher's Run. The trouble was, you were deceived by the courier, a private in the Second Mississippi, who represented himself as a major of that regiment. On investigation it was discovered that this major had been absent from his regiment for several months, hence, I presume, Generals Lee and Hill thought your story a fabrication, and thought you had other designs than an exchange of papers in approaching our lines. I recollect Pryor being captured a few days after you were, in retaliation for

your capture. I am sorry I was short to you when you were brought before me. I do not now recall that I had any designs on your lines at that time, though I may have had. Very truly yours,

H. HETH.

When I was brought to General Heth's headquarters after my capture, I was told that he was visiting his picket line, and it was an hour or so before he returned. He was at once informed of my capture, and sent for me. I found him in a somewhat ruffled state of mind and without listening to my story, he said, "There is no intercourse between my people and your people. You will be held as a prisoner of war." He then sent me to General A. P. Hill. In the investigation of the case made by General Hill, the latter was informed by General Heth that there was firing on that part of the line. that morning and that he, General Heth, was of the opinion that I was out under the guise of exchanging papers, looking the ground over preparatory to an attack on the Confederate line at that point, in retaliation for the capture of the picket line of the Second Corps a night or two before by Mahone. by Mahone. For many years I have had a suspicion that General Heth, at the time of my capture, was engaged in making preparations for repeating Mahone's success, and that his ruffled state of mind on learning of my capture, was occasioned by the fact that any attempt in that direction on his part would be likely to fail on account of the increased watchfulness of our pickets, by reason of my capture. In my letter to

General Heth, I asked him if this was not the fact. General Hill's statement, which is on file in the War Department at Washington, is certainly significant, as is also the fact referred to by Captain Harris, that at the time of my capture I was sent to General Heth instead of General Wilcox. Furthermore, it will be noticed that in several of the letters I have given, it is stated that orders had been issued by General Lee or General Hill forbidding the exchange of papers. Why, then, was General Joseph Davis's courier allowed to make an exchange on the morning of my capture, unless for a purpose?

I think there can be no doubt but that General Lee issued such an order. The above mentioned writers insist upon it. Colonel Ainsworth, chief of the record and pension office at Washington, however, says that no such order can be found on the files of that office. But, as General Heth in communicating this information says, "The Confederate records on file in Washington are very incomplete." Captain Harris gives this added information:

MOORESVILLE, N. C., July 14, '97. Major Henry S. Burrage, Portland,

Me.:

MY DEAR SIR: Yours of July 10th at hand, and in reply would say that I am unable to give you information in regard to why the exchange (in the morning) was allowed, and do not know who was responsible. I certainly have no knowledge of, and never heard of, any collusion on the part of any one in connection with the affair referred to in your commu

nication. During the winter of 1864' I was often in command of Lane's Brigade picket, and no exchange of papers was ever made on that line. (Lane's) while I was on duty to my knowledge. Colonel Robert V. Cowan, Thirty-third Regiment, North Carolina Troops, then temporarily commanding Lane's Brigade, died some eight or ten years ago. After the war he practised medicine in Statesville, N. C., where he died, and where his widow still resides. If you succeed in getting your sword, I would like to know about it. Very truly yours,

The sword came into my hands on the morning of September 14. Hastily I removed the wrapper. There was no doubt as to the identity of the sword. The blood-stains on the scabbard were still there. Happily the tyler of Belton lodge had made no effort to keep the brass mountings in a polished state. It was the longlost sword, which until recently I had not expected to see again, restored after nearly thirty-three years of vicisitude and wandering.

The feelings with which I looked upon the sword can easily be imagined. I had not seen it since November 1, 1864. I bought it while at home in Boston after the Vicksburg campaign and carried it through the East Tennessee campaign in the autumn and winter of 1863-64. Rejoining the Army of the Potomac with my regiment at the Battle of the Wilderness, I carried it till I was wounded at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864. Returning to my regiment at Petersburg about the middle of September, I was with the regiment until my capture, November 1. How many war-time memories clustered about that sword it would take me long to tell.

I devoted a day to the acknowledgment of my indebtedness to Belton lodge and the many Confederate officers, newspapers, and officials in civil life who had aided me in the recovery of the sword. To the governor of North Carolina I wrote as follows:

PORTLAND, ME.,

September 15, 1897.

Hon. Daniel L. Russell, Governor of North Carolina:

War-time mem

MY DEAR SIR: Yesterday I received my long-lost sword. I enclose an account of the same which may be of interest to you. You can hardly imagine with what feelings I took the sword again in my hands. after so many years. ories crowded upon me, and upon its scabbard were still the stains of blood which came from a wound I received at the Battle of Cold Harbor. I wish to thank you and all the other North Carolina friends, among them. Quartermaster General Harrell, for aid and assistance in my search for the sword. If I had not recovered the sword I should have been well repaid for my trouble by the interesting and most kindly letters which I received and especially by the evidences they furnished that we are brothers, members of a common country, and in heart and purpose under one flag.

Of course I did not forget the Statesville Landmark, and the letter which I wrote in acknowledgment of my indebtedness for valuable assistance that paper published with the heading, "Major Burrage Gets His Sword. He thanks the Landmark for helping him recover it," and with this introduction: "Our readers will recall that some months ago the Landmark published an item stating that Major Burrage, an ex-Federal soldier of Portland, Me., desired to recover a sword that had been captured from him during the war by a

Confederate soldier from North Carolina, and that finally the sword was located through a letter to the Landmark from Captain N. A. Pool, of Mansfield, Texas. Major Burrage now has his sword, and the following letter from him to the Landmark is of interest."

Especially interesting to me, and I am sure you also will be interested in it, was the note I received from General Harry Heth, dated Washington, September 27, 1897. He wrote:

"DEAR MAJOR: Yours of the 17th of September was received. I am glad to learn that you recovered your long-lost sword. I hope you will never have occasion to draw it again. One war such as ours was is sufficient for a life-time."

I am sure we can all respond to these cordial words of General Heth in the same fraternal spirit which characterizes them. Indeed the most. noteworthy thing in the extended. correspondence connected with this affair is the absence of any feeling of bitterness on the part of those who once wore the gray. Only the kindliest expressions of interest and goodwill came to me from those who were on the other side, affording delightful evidence that the men who fought the battles of the South a generation ago recognize the fraternal bond which now unites us. We are no longer enemies, but citizens of a common country, that extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.

The fourth annual encampment of the Department of Maine, Union Veterans' Union, assembled in City hall, Old Town, at 10 o'clock, October 27, 1897.

Encampment opened in due form, General M. A. Murphy, department commander, presiding.

On motion of Comrade W. S. Noyes, voted that the Executive Committee and adjutant general be a committee on credentials.

The committee reported the following officers and delegates present: Major General Michael A. Murphy, department commander.

Brigadier General John W. P. Johnson, first deputy commander. Brigadier General George M. Lovering, second deputy commander.