The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-06-14
THE LATE ACCIDENT IN TIE PRESI-
DENTS FAMILY.

The late sad accident and terrible bereavement
suffered by the President and family, called forth
the deepest sympathies of the public. From O
private letter of Confederate oficer-though not
intended for publicatioL-the Selma Dispatch
copies the following description Of the scene Of
the accident, and the Presidents household, upon
the occurrence of the sudden afiiction:
FLORENCE, S. G. May al left Richmond on
Sunday morning, 1st of May. On the evening
before found myself at the Presidents houssyup
stairs, by sad and singular accident. Having
finished all my business with the Department, i .
strolled with Judge H, of Mississippi, to look at
the scenery beyond, when little girl ran out of
the house crying to the next door and pulled tho
bell violently; in a minute she was followed by
another, and then by little boy, the picture Of
the most utter desolaton and despair, and then by
a negro woman, from whom we learned that the
Presidents little SON badly hurt, and no white
person except these three little children were at
home -
We at once ran in and found the little fellow
(about five years old) in the arms of negro man,
insensible and almost dead. Dispatching q SER
want for doctor, we began to rub him with CAM
phor and brandy, and put mustard on his feet and
wrists, and in a short time he began 10 breathe
better, and opened his eyes, and We all thought no
was rcviving, but it was the last bright cleaning
OF the WICK In the SOckeL OelOre Lue Snt 10 o1tln-
guished for ever.
Mr. and Mrs Davis came in while We held the
little fellow rubbing him. She releaved herself
in o. flood of tears and wild lamentations; no knclt
by his side and claspcd the dying boys hands in
his own thin attenuated fingers. AS he thus held
his hands aud watched the boy die, such a look Of
petrifed unutterable anguish l never saw. His
ale thin Intellectual face, already oppressed with
a thousand national troubles, that now so immi-
nenty threaten our existence, seemed suddenly
ready to burst with unspeakable grief and'thus
transfxed into q stony rigidity.
The little boy had fallen from gallery about
fifteen feet, on brick pavement and lay thoro
some time before he was discovered. His heal
was confused, and 1 think his chest much injured
internally. The little boy who died was named
Joe. He had beautiful black eyes and hair, aud
was very haudsome boy. The other little fellow,
so stricken with grief, named JEFF, was some six
or seven years old, an intelligent, independent lit
tie fellow with the tenderest heart under rough
exterior.
When recall the picture of our poor President,
grief stricken, speechless fearless, crushed, eau
scarcely refrain from tears myself even now. No
man could have witnessed that scene and ever find
it in his heart again to abuse that great and pure
man, who, in the exercise of great powers confded
to him by generous people, has shown more con-
tncnce and moderation than Washington.
The Presidents little boys were dressed in gray
jeans and barelooted, and JEFF, the sturdy little
fellow had on broad brim hat OF oatstraw The
President himself was dressed in plain soit OF
gray.