Thomas F. Harney

[wpbinzel]

(06-12-2015 07:35 PM)L Verge Wrote:  There's a side story that goes along with the Chinquapin Rangers. The citizens of Prince George's County, Maryland, (home to Surratt House) took up a collection during the Civil War to honor Gen. Robert E. Lee. They chose to gift him with a fine pair of golden spurs. How to get them to the General was another problem.

One mission that the Chinquapin Rangers undertook was to personally pick up and deliver the gold spurs. The spurs passed through to Miss Elizabeth Frobel, who brought the spurs to the William S. Reid farm on Franconia Road in Fairfax County, Virginia. With thousands of Union troops nearby, the gold spurs were picked up and transported by Chinquapin Rangers to General Lee, who received them while he was at a general review of his army near Culpeper Courthouse. Some sources claim that Lee wore the golden spurs at Appomattox as he arrived impeccably dressed for his surrender to Gen. Grant.

Laurie -

I am late to this thread and am just now reading through it and saw your reference to the William S. Reid Farm on Franconia Road in Fairfax County. I thought you would like to know that the house still stands and is for sale (or at least it was). Here is a link to photos of the house and a bit of its history: http://civilwarreidhouseforsale.webs.com/