Joining SSS and a Spencer Story

[pacinpreacher]

Hello SSS,

I am a new member and here is an interesting Spencer story:

I am chaplain for the Major James H. Bridgewater Camp 7 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. I have a photo of Major Bridgewater's Spencer. He actually used it to fight against William Quantrill, Frank James and the Youngers in the closing days of the Civil War in 1865.

They came into this area of Kentucky in Feb 1865 and Major Bridgewater caught up with them near Harrodsburg, Kentucky (about 25 miles from where I live). He used his Spencer to shoot the man riding next to Frank James. He captured Jim Younger.

In the spring of 1867 he was an agent for the Freedman's Bureau. The Freedman's Bureau's role was to protect the rights of the former slaves. In May 1867 he traveled to Louisville to turn in a list of the "Regulators" who were the forerunners of the Ku Klux Klan. The regulators threatened his life and on one occasion came to town to kill him. A newspaper account I have says Bridgewater and several of his associates met them on the street with their Spencers and the regulators changed their minds. After assurances from federal authorities that Bridgewater would be protected many of his associates including his younger brother Capt. John Bridgewater left the area.

In July 1867 the regulators caught Major Bridgewater off guard and shot him while he was playing cards (or some other game) in a saloon in Stanford, Ky. The men were prosecuted but acquitted because the trial was held in their town so no prosecution witnesses testified.

One of the assassins took Major Bridgewater's Spencer and as recently as 1990 it was still in possession of the family of the man who took it. A few years ago I located Major Bridgewater's grave an obtained a VA marker for it and we had a dedication that included his great-great grandson. My buddy Tim Downey fired his Spencer in salute.

pacinpreacher

[Rim fire]

Can you post the photo? Or am I missing something.  Was it a rifle or carbine?  Serial number?
Thanks for an interesting story.

[Two Flints]

I think Tim, mentioned at the end of the story, is a member of SSS and fired his very OWN Spencer in salute . . . I think

[PvtGreg]

Pacinpreacher,

Welcome brother, Pvt Greg Ft Donelson Camp 62 SUV.