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Money To Burn

Money To Burn image
Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
September
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

' ' When Bnrnside made bis mud march on to Fredericksburg, we men in the ad vanee had some gay times, " remarked a veterau of the civil war. "It was a long while before the Jobnnies would let us cross the river, but when we did get across we made the fellows who had been shooting at us for the past three hours get right up aud dust for safer quarters. The infantry soon followed us and took up their position along the river toward Falmouth, while we skirmished through the town. When we carne to the Planters' hotel, we just walked in and took possession. Everybody had deserted the place and we did Just as we pleased. In goiug through one of the rooms I carne across three bundies of Confedérate notes. Each bundle was labeled to contaiu $5,000, and as I held them aloft I shouted to the rest of the men that we uow had money to burn. They laughed, and I thrust the notes in rny pocket. The Johnnies had taken or destroyed everything to eat, and, as for liquor, there wasn't any in thé town. "After satisfying ourselves that there was nothing further to be had in the Planters' hotel we sallied forth and walked np toward the home of the rnother of our country, - George VVashiugton's mother. We had had uo breakfast yet, aud uow it was close on to noon. One of my corupanions had some coffee in hís haversack, so Í thought we might have a little coffee if uothiug else. Well, we got the coffee out and then discovered that we had uó flrewood. There was some tall swearing just at that time, for the Johnnies hadn't left so inuch as a match behind them. " 'I've got itl' Icried, and I hauled out the three bundies of notes I had found in the Planters' hotel. My expression was greeted with a shout by my companions and - we had money to burn. We soon had the fire going and the coflee cooked. Need I say to any soldier that we enjoyed our coffee at a price which seems rather high - $15,000? We were soon through and rnarched back into the towu only to see our men trying to buy some tobáceo without money. How strange it seemed! They had not a cent, while we had money to burn and burned it. "Fonr years af ter I regretted having had this money and burned it While in Washington in the winter of 1865 I had the mortification of seeing au advertisement for this identical package of notes and offering 50 per cent on their face value for their return. They were Virginia state bank notes; henee their valué. Whenever I hear that a man has money to burn I think of my $15,000 and shed a tear of reeret that I bnrned it. "-

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News