Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-05-09
Desertion Of Jeff Dayis's Coachman.
IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE, IF TRUE.

Desertl0n OF JeII DaF1S'S C0achman
IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE IF TRUE
The following statement, dated on the
Rappahannock, Sunday the 4th, has
reached Washington; A colored man
came in to-day from the other side of the
river and represented himself as jeff Da.
vis's coachman. From an examination Of
him this is probably the truth. He re.
peats scraps of conversation overheard
whilst driving Mr. and Mrs. Davis in the
carriage, and between Mr.. Davis and those
who came to see him. Mr.. Davis and
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston had some heated
discussions about the latter's retreat from
Manassas. Davis disapproved of it, and
ordered Johnston to make stand at Cor.
louisville. Johnston declined to do this,
and offered to resign, and was even indis.
posed to 60 to Yorktown. Mrs Davis
said she thought this very bad in him
(Johnston) to be unwilling to go and help
Magruder The coachman overheard a
conversation between Johnston and the
wife of JEFF Davis, the former saying that
if he had not left Manassas Mcclellan
would have come out against him, and
cut him all to peices. Mrs Davis read an
article from the Richmond Examiner to
her husband, saying that it was part Of
the Yankee plans that Gen. Banks and
Mcdowell were to form junction in Lou
lisa or Caroline county and move down
on Richmond. Davis remarked that ne
thought it was so, but his generals would
take care of them. The coachman over
heard a conversation between Davis and
Mr.. Gwin, formerly L. S. senator from
California; Davis said that he had sent
Gen J. r. Anderson from North Carolina
to resist the march of the fedcrals from
Fredericksburg and to delay them long
enough for him to see the probable result
of the contest before Yorktown, so that if
that was likely to be unsuccessful he
would have time to extricate bis army
from the peninsula and get them into
Richmond, and out of Virginia. That
otherwise they would all be captured.
The coachman represents that Mrs.
Davis said, 1.-The confederacy was about
played out" that. IF New Orleans was
really taken, she had no longer any inter-
est in the matter, as all she had was there;
that it was great pity they attempted to
hold Virginia and the other non-cotton.
growing States" and that she said to Mrs.
DR.. r. Jones, daughter of Col. James
Taylor United States commissary- general
Of subsistence, who was very anxious to
get to Washington, where she had one Of
her children, not to give herself any
trouble, but only to stay where she was
and when the Yankees came to Richmond
she could 60. The coachman says that
Mr.. and Mrs. Davis have all their books,
clothing and pictures packed up, ready to
move off. That there is much outspoken
Union feeling in Richmond that having
been q waiter in hotel there, he knows
all the Union men of the place; and that
the Yankees are looked for with much
pleasure-more by the white, than even
the colored people. Confederate money Is
not taken when it can be avoided. Mrs. Da-.
Wis herself was refused when she offered a
ten dollar confederate note, which she did in
payment for something purchased for Mrs
Brown. Many Of the Richmond people,
wish the Union troops to come, as they
are half starved out. The bank and gov
eminent property is all packed up for re-
moval to DanvillC, near the North Caro-
lima line. Gen. Johnston did not think
they would succeed at Yorktown. The
coachman overheard the rebel officers say
that If they failed at Yorktown and New
Orleans they would leave Virginia.
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Mr.. EDrroR noticed big lamb