My brother, Maj. Stone, while in command at Fortress Monroe, requested
and obtained from President Jefferson Davis an autograph letter
addressed to myself, believing that I would prize it very highly,
and delivered it to me at a family reunion at my father’s house, in
Carpentersville, Putnam County, Ind., in May, 1866. I still have this
original letter in my possession, having placed it in a frame for
preservation. It is as follows:
Capt. Hy. L. Stone—My Dear Sir: Accept my best wishes
for your welfare and happiness. It is better to
deserve success than to attain it.
Your friend,
Jeffn. Davis.
Here (showing it) is that autograph letter. If any of you would like to
see it, I have it here for that purpose. I have preserved it since I
received it fifty-three years ago from my brother.
Speaking of my brother being in charge of Fortress Monroe (which was
after the cruel treatment of Jefferson Davis at the hands of his
predecessor), in the book of Mrs. Davis on the life of her husband,
and in the book of Dr. Cravens, I believe it was, they speak of my
brother’s kindness to President Davis while he was in charge at
Fortress Monroe, and before he went to the Dry Tortugas.
In February, 1868, the remains of Maj. Stone and wife were removed
and re-interred in Montgomery Cemetery, overlooking the Schuylkill
River, at Norristown, Penn., the home city of his father-in-law, Judge
Mulvaney. Some ten years ago my brother, Dr. Stone, and I caused a
monument to be erected over our brother’s grave, with the following
inscription thereon:
Valentine Hughes Stone, Major Fifth Artillery, U. S.
Army. Born in Bath County, Ky., December 22, 1839,
and died aboard the steamer from Fort Jefferson to
Key West, Fla., Sept. 24, 1867. He was enrolled April
18, and mustered into service April 22, 1861, in the
11th Indiana Infantry Volunteers, Gen. Lew Wallace’s
Regiment of Zouaves, being the first Volunteer from
Putnam County, Ind., to respond to the call of
President Lincoln. He was appointed First Lieutenant,
5th U. S. Artillery, May 14, 1861; was the heroic
defender of Jones’ Bridge across the Chickahominy in
the Seven Days’ Battles about Richmond. In command of
Battery No. 9 his artillery was the first to enter
Petersburg, Va., March 25, 1865. He was promoted to be
Captain and brevetted Major, same regiment, upon the
personal request of General U. S. Grant, for gallant
and meritorious services on the battle field. He died
of yellow fever while in command of Fort Jefferson, Dry
Tortugas, Gulf of Mexico.
This monument was erected and dedicated to his memory
by his brothers, Henry L. Stone, who served in the
Confederate Army, and R. French Stone, who served in
the Union Army, during the Civil War.