Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 28.djvu/311

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with a long, strong rope. The word was given, and the railroad t-n-ine st.irted off at great speed. The Bird of Art did the same, and had no trouble in keeping up with the iron horse without pulling on the rope.

The " Professor " concluded his remarks by saying he needed a little more money to make birds enough to destroy Grant's army, and asked the old soldiers to contribute one dollar each to the cause. Many of them did, and the " Professor" moved on and disappeared.

No doubt many of the survivors have forgotten this incident, but not long ago the writer met John W. Butler, a commercial traveller, who belonged to the 14th South Carolina Volunteers, and asked him:

" Did you ever hear of the Artis Avis? "

He replied : "I certainly have heard of it, for I gave a dollar to it. ' ' Charleston News and Courier.

[From the Richmond, Va., Dispatch, February 3, 1901.]

SOME NOTES OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES

NAVY.

Unofficial Letter from Lieutenant Minor.

THE TREACHERY OF A CANADIAN.

He Weakened and Betrayed the Cause.

NAVAL ORDNANCE WORKS, Richmond, Va., March 23, 1864.

My Dear Sir: * * * There is but little navy news afloat. Captain Page was selected. I hear, by the President to command all the heavy batteries at Mobile. You know that he has been made a Brigadier-General, I suppose. S. S. Lee gives up Drewry's Bluff to Major Territt, of the Marines, and takes Page's place at Char- lotte. I hear he does not fmcy it much. The sailors from the bluff will man the iron-clad Fredericksbnrg, commanded by Frank Shep- perd. She is now fitting out at Rocketts. Wood will probably see

service in her, with other vessels under his command. His last af- 20