Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 25.djvu/189

 Sketch of I\H\vord which had saved his life at .Malvern Hill he cut a section, including tin- lateral sick- and two stars. This he h.is -;irredly preserved, with the >.une old saddle-bag and papers in which it was placed, to be transmitted as his most valuable heirloom to his children. Only one IHT-M.M has ever induced him to part with a portion of it. That one was the daughter of his old commander Miss Mildred Lee. He i^ave her, some twelve years ago, a small piece, including one of the stars and in return received a splendid portrait of her father.

At Appomattox every respect was shown the Louisiana soldiers. At the surrender they marched with heads as erect as ever. When they impinged on the line of the conquering enemy the victors shouldered arms with grave faces, on which was neither smile nor cynicism, nor suggestion of the defeat of their adversaries.

Colonel Waggaman returned to New Orleans with the remnant of the Louisiana troops. His fortune was shattered, but he set man- fully to work to repair it. He was elected at one time to the office of civil sheriff of this parish, and always took an active share in pol- itics as a becoming citizen.

His wife and four sons and two daughters survive the deceased. The sons are William, Albert, Charles and Frank, the first two men- tioned being married, and the daughters are Mrs. Thomas E. Wag- gaman, of Washington, and Mrs. Mamie Birne, of Wilmington, Delaware.

For the past year or so of his life, the Colonel was engaged in experimenting upon a small farm he possessed near Lake Charles, in the hope that he might make it profitable, and it was during this period that he exposed himself injudiciously to the weather, and to too great hardships for a man of his age. The experiment was not successful, the railroad being too far away from his farm to enable him to operate it to advantage.

One of the touching incidents of his late years happened at the time of the Veteran Reunion in Houston. One of the men who had been in his command at Malvern Hill proposed to go to this reunion and one of the great plans he had in connection with it, was to wear the sword his chief had thrown away at Malvern Hill, rather than have it captured. The Colonel accomodated him, but he said: " Only once in its history since I have had it, has it parted company from me. Take it, and be sure that it gets back to me safe. I could hardly refuse it to one who had followed it so gallantly as you. But, ' '