• v? Y* */"• • - 1 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 30 April '86 * "

r— Jersey Cape Historically VK | By John Merrill j

You may remember that a few weeks ago, there was an article pertaining to Robert Edward Lee and his influence on Cape May County. Further research has indicated that the Lfees' had further involved themselves in the destiny of the county. Like my wife's great grandfather, Capt. Henry Washington Sawyer, excarpenter of Cape May City, then captain of the 1st New Jersey Cavalry, was imprisoned in Libby Prison, a converted warehouse of Libby and Sons located on the James River in Richmond, Va. SECOND ONLY to the infamous Andersonville Prison, Libby was a prison for USA officers captured during the American Civil War. But unlike my great grandfather-in-law, Capt. Sawyer was chosen first, by lottery, from 74 Union officers to be executed in retaliation for two confederate captains' being executed in Kentucky. July 6, 1863, would catapult Capt. Sawyer into fame. THE FORTUNES of war were, in the beginning, against him. While at the bloody battle of Brandy Station, Va., theMst New Jersey made six regimental charges and a few smaller ones in the first true cavalry battle of the Civil War. June 9. 1863, would cost the North 936 men and the South 523 men, one of whom would be Capt. Sawyer. He fell with wounds in his thigh and his neck and was removed to Libby Prison hospital, while another wounded individual, CSA Gen. William "Rooi*jy" Henry FiUhugh Lee (son of CSA Gen. Robert E. Lee), was taken by Union forces, a casualty of the same battle. CONDEMNED to die July 16, 1863, Capt. Sawyer was held in a small,

vermin-infested cell approximately six feet square and without windows. Here the brave cpalain wrote a short letter to his wife in Cape May asking her to hurry to his side before the death wh%ph seemed inevitable. On 13 July 1863. Mrs. Sawyer received his note. With a close family friend, Capt. Whildin of Cape May City, she rushed to Washington. When they arrived in the early evening of July 14. friends of Whildin informed them that they had scheduled an audience with President Abraham Lincoln. JULY 16 arrived and left without the captain's execution. Events had happened quickly to prevent Sawyer s execution. On the 14th Lincoln sent for the then Secretary of War E. Stanton and explained the situation and circumstances. Stanton, in turn, placed Rooney Lee and another

CSA officer in guarded confinement. A message was then sent to Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, informing officials there that if Captain Sawyer was executed along with his cocaptive John FJinn of Indiana, General W.H.F. Lee and the other CSA captive, R.H. Tyler, would be executed in turn. THE REST of the month of July, passed, as did half of August. By Aug. 16, 1863, Sawyer was informed that there would be a prisoner exchange — Rooney for Sawyer, and Tyler for Flinn. The eventual exchange took place, but not until March, 1864, with each returning to his homes and loved ones. Captain (now Major) Sawyer could not stay home as long as his nation needed nim and returned to the 1st New Jersey Cavalry. SERVING UNTIL July 1865, Henry Sawyer came home as a lieutenant col-

onel. His life at home also changed. He was no longer a carpenter, although he was the proprietor and builder of the Uhalfonte. He spent his remaining years as a councilman, and Cape May City's 'official greeter" to incoming dignitaries until his death at the age of 64 in 1893. IT WOULD BE in teresting to think that, although Robert E. Lee's son was being held hostage, the decision for a prisoner exchange might have been influenced by Lee's earlier travellings and good times he had in Cape May before the Civil War. ED. NOTE: Merrill teaches social studies at Lower Cape May Regional High School and has lived in the county since 197 5. If you're interested in a particular historical item, write him care of this newspaper. P.O. Box 430. Cape May Court House of NJ OH? lOt

Film on Abuse CAPE MAY - The Lady Kiawans will have a child sexual abuse presentation given by the coalition Against Rape and Abuse (CARA). The film "The Touching Problem" will be shown 7:30 p.m. May 1 at the Kiawans House, 1111 Beach Dr.

■ : I'M LOOKING THROUGH YOU Until Recently, holoflnphy, the three-dimensional photog noble technique, was found only in museums and special publications. Now this state-of-the-art realism has come to GRANNY'S ATTIC in Rio 6rande, N.J. The unique laser photography Is captured in matted holograms, afford- « priced from under S10. 100. GRANNY'S ATTIC RL 9 RL 47 Village Shoppcs WoCkande.ru (609) 886-3214

I ^^^^SlirN SKI INCT j I Discriminating Fashions ^ 287 96th St.. Stone Harbor • 368-5301 ANNUAL DRESS CLEARANCE! 50% .. 70% ss. Final Week Sale Ends Sunday, May 4th SURPRISE SALES Throughout The Store! SUN.-THURS. 12-5 /- FRI. AND SAT. 10-5 / /

Come celebrate our Grand Re-Opening and use our new George machine! Now that the dust has settled, and our offices have a new look, we're throwing a party! •) And it's a big one, with events, entertainment and a FirstDay Re-Opening Sweepstakes. You could win a microwave oven, TV or portable radio! Just fill out the entry blank below and bring it to the Sea Isle branch before 3 pm, May 2nd. From April 28th to May 1st, you could walk out of our new branch with more than just our free coffee and Danish. Because our George Automatic Teller Machine will be loaded with prizes all that week, and from May 5th to 9th, too! Participate in a George demonstration, and you get a free gift. Apply for a George card, and you get an even nicer gift. Or use our new George ATM, and your receipt could nave a stamp on it good for $500 or other fun prizes. May 2nd is our big FirstDay celebration, with a ribbon / cutting ceremony at 10 am, coffee, Danish and a cake. From C 11 am to 1 pm, The Hotdog Man" will stop by for lunch with free hotdogs and soda. And then at 3 pm, well draw ' for the winners in our FirstDay Re-Opening Sweepstakes. So remember to fill out the entry blank below, and bring it with you when you come visit. nKTOfflf! , \lj^J ^ THE FIRSTDAY RE-OPENING SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY BLANK ^ ~ " Ir-JlT I Win a microwave oven. TV or portable radio! Just fill out this entry I F r~N>\ ■ blank and bring it to our Sea Isle branch before 3 pm. May 2nd Hl ^ 'Al | Name „ — ■ J fL: — | A® City State Zip V Phone _ 1 | A jJ m NOPUIICHASf NSCESSAR* Emi* MenW l.« weepvuVev --U only * the fml leney a B. \ I Hani Smjih See lUrbr em h «2O0Undn Avenue , ^ \M See IUeC.lv NI08.MJ V.nd -here r.»MHlrd c 1 1 k. w ■ docs more at ■ 6208 Landis Avenue M!"" flRSTiERSEY \ Sea Isle City, NJ 08243 . ^||| f • [