Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-08-30
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The Visit to Richmond and JEFF. Davis.
The following extracts from an article IN the
September number OF the At'dAhe Monthly, en-
titled " Oar VISIT 10 Richmond, by j. X.
Gilmore, give an account oi the curious jour
ney to the rebei capital recently taken BY two
loyal citizens. Mr.. Gilmore ACCOMPANIED Col
Jaques, and gives detailed account OF their
journey, treatment, and whlt they saw and
heard. The following extracts from the article
will crafty public curiosity, and set at rest
some notions about Mr D4ylss desire for
peace
HOW THEY WENT TO RICHMOND.
We went there 10 an ambulance, and we
went together--the Colonel and That we
got in was owing, perhaps, to me that we got
Out was due altogether to him and man
more cool, more brave, more seli-rellant and
more seli.devoted than that quiet - western
paTs0n il never was my for une to encounter.
A three O'Clock On the afternoon Of July
l6ih. mounted on Two raw .bOned relies Of
sherldan's great rad, aud armed with letter
TO JEFF DAVIS, white cambnc handkerchief
tied to a short stuck, aud an honest face this
last was the Colonels-we rode up TO The rebel
lines. A ragged, yellow faced boy with a car
bIne in one hand and another white handker-
chief tied 10 another short stick IN the other
came out to meet us.
=" Can you tell Us, my man, where TO hnd
Judge 0uld, the Exchange Commissioner
" Yas dim AMI t'oher Change officers IS
over ter tn, plantation beylnl Miss Growers
Yen know il by its beyn nary door nur WIN
der the mansion be meant Iheys all busted
in. Foller the bride path through the timber,
aud kre your rag a.hyin fur our boys is thick.
er u huckelb rrles IN them woods and they
mought pop ye ef they didn't seed it,
Thanking him, We turned our horses into the
" timber " ana gallopng pidly on, soon came
in sight Of the deserted plantation, LollIng on
the grass, in the shade Of the windowless man
sion we found the Confederate officials. They
rose as We approached and one OF US said to
the Judge-a courteous, mltdle.aged gentleman,
in Panama hat and a suit Of spotless white
drillings-
4" We are late, but it's your fruit. Your
people fired at US down the river, and We had
to turn back and come overland"
" You don't suppose they saw your flag "
q" No. Ii was hidden by the trees but
shot came uncomiUrtably near US. 1t struck
the water, and ricochotted not three yards off
A little nearer, and IT would have shortened me
by head, ana the Col by two feet.
g That would have been sad thing ior you !;
out miss you know, Is as good AS mile sand
the Judge evidently enjoying the joke.'
" We hear Grant was In the boat that follow
cd yours, aud was struck while at dinner" re-
marked Captain Hatch, the Judges adjutant--
gentleman, and about the best looking man
III the Coniederacy.
"lndeed Do you believe it2"
q" don't know, of course " and his looks
asked Tor an answer. We gave none, for all
such information is oonuabund We might
have told him thar Grant, Buter, ant Foster
examined their position from Mrs. Growers house
about four hundred yards distant-two hours
after the rebel cannon ball danced breakdown
on the Lieutenant Generals dinner-table
rHE REBEL OFFICERS
We were then introduced to the other officials
Major uennlken OF the War Department. a
young man formerly of New York, but now
scorning the lmputatlon OF being Yankee, and
Mr. CHARLES Jayins, of the provost guard OF
| Richmond. This latter Individual was our
shadow in Dixie, lie was OF medium height,
stoutly built, with a short, thick neck, and arms
and shoulders denOting great strength lie
looked natural born lailer, aud much such u
character as tlmld man would not care to en-
counter, except at long range Of rifle war
ranted to tre twenty shots minute, and to hat
every time
10 give us moonlight view of the Richmond
iortGcations, the Judge proposed to start alter
sundOwn and as 1t wanted some hours of that
time we seated ourselves on the ground, and en-
tered mo conversation. he treatment of our
prisoners, the Status OF black troops and non.
contestants, and all the questions which have
led TO the suspension OF exchanges, had been
good.naturedly discussed, when tile Captain
looking up from one OF the Northern papers we
had brought hun, said
ado you know, 1t mOrtiies ne lhat you don't
hate US as We hate you You kill US as Agasslz
kills 0y-because you love us.
OF course We do. The North is being cru
Cited for the love OF the South
"lf you love us 30, why don you let us 70 l''
asked the Judge, rather curtly.
4" For that very rea5on--becauso We love you.
II we let you go, with slavery, and your no.
tions of empire, you d run straight u barba.
rsm and the devil.
WED take the risk of that Bullet mC
tell you, ii you are going to MIR. DAVIS with any
such ideas you might as well turn back at once
lie can make eape On no other basis than inde
pend nee. Recognition must be the beginning
middle and endingol all negotiations. Our peo.
pie will accept peace on no other terms
think you are wrong there" said tn,
Colonel. When was here u year ago, mel
many ol your leading men, aud they all assured
me they wanted peace and reunion, even at Oh,
sa,ri6ce Of slavery. Within week man you