The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-22

the rebel OFFICIALS TOQo IN IrOubI 4OilOWeu
ambulances containing the women and
children and the specie, which was cur
rently reported among the officers to be
shout $II, 600 O00. 1. was put up IN hes
w bound kegs and boxes. The guard
OF one thousand men, led by General De-
brelI, followed this regal train. At point
about five miles from Greensboro they en-
camped, JEFF. Davis and family taking up
their quarters In house in the vicinity.
Here the rank and file first learned the OBJ
l=vs of thair mission, and it was discussed,
with sll the surmises which 1t naturally eX-
cited The boys we're exceedingly anxious
to know the destination of their Govern
ment.
On the following dsv jeff visited the
boys, with the. rebel officials, and made q
soulstirring speech" sdverting to the dis
ssters that had oTertsken their beloved
COT federscy, but giving them every assu-
rance that they were not irretrievsble, and
that all that was necessary for ultimste suc--
eess was confidence in their government
and the undsunted bravery which had
characterized the confederate army during
its past career. ....,. .-..-... .
Upon taking up the line of march, they
rode in the same order, JEFF Davis having
by his side young Colonel Johnston, son
of General Albert Sidney Johnston, in
whom he evidently Teposed the most i'm
plicit confidence. ..s..5,..s-. .-
They reached Charlotte, North Caro-
lins, where they again camped, and Davis
harsngued the men sgsin, urging con-
fidence in them, and dealing in glowing
words of rebel patriotism. He appeared
L. Il Aho hnp hxYF hr.
hand like a plebelan, and even visited the
pickets, and entered into social converse
tion with them. He would praise their
valor in the presence of the ladies, and call
them Hthe faithful thousand, !" the " flower
of the confederate army" and paid them
other pretty but not substantial compli-
ments. sr .ro7 sat .IJ. ..s--
While at this point they were joined by
Duke, Ferguson and Vaughn, with their
brigsdes, which increased the escort to five
thousand men. After the new oomers bad
ming led with the others they soon learned
the condition of things, and they, too, had
their conjectures and surmises. Like a
pack of hungry wolves, they were sud-
denly reminded that the government was
eighty indebted to them, and, as the
treasury wss near at hand, the ides Of pre-.
senting their bills naturally suggested it
self to them. The men would congregstt
in groups, and their low muttering bOded
no good to the government. jeff found it
Necessary to redouble his efforts to con-
ciliste them, but his eloquence was now
beirg wasted but the men Obeyed their
marching orders, and followed JEFF. and
the specie into South Carolina, to Able
vile, when they again halted, very much
fatigued and demoralixed At every
stopping place the rebel officials would
repair to the best house they could find
and take up quarters. bon ass-7q l5djg f
On the 5lh things began to assume q
desperate feature, and JEFF found it polite
to inspire his brave boys with something
more than words The various eomtnaLd-
ers were ordered to send in full reports Of
their men, and then all were paid off in
gold and silver. It was intended to give
each man thirty-two dollars, but errors in
the reports caused most Of them TO receive
less. None got less than twenty-six dol
lars. 1t was chiefly Mexican dollars. None
got more than United States half eagle
in gold. 's''alfs-. ad ..'~ go
In the evening Duke sent his Adjutant
General, Captain Davis, to notify sll his
men who wished to go west of the Missis-
sippi river to report st eleven o'clock on
the following morning. At the sp-
pointed time all the men reported, but
Duke refused to take those who we're with
out arms, and, taking the armed men, left
the others to shift for themselves. They
heaped curses on the base Duke, and, with
heavy hearts, went to Washington, Geor-
gis, where they surrendered to General
Wilson, together with the brigsdes of Fer
guson and Vaughn ais ...--t.,r.....,5,.
The command of General Debrell g.
corted JEFF. Davis to Vienna, 8 village on
the west bank of the Savannah River,
about twenty miles from Washington,
where the grand dissolution took place on
the 9th. At this place Breckenridge, B
jsmin, Burnett and several others, took 8
long, and, perhaps, last, farewell of JEFF.
Davis and his family. The parting occur
red st the dead hour of midnight, under
the clear and starry canopy Of heaven,
with the bright beams Of full and re-
splendent moon shining on the calm and
placid waters of the Savannah. It must
have been sad parting, and therefections
suggested can hardly be imagined. At the
hour named, JEFF Davis and suite crossed
the river and the other portion of the
government gslloped of, waving their
pocket hsndkerchiefs. This scene was
only witnessed by the lonely sentinel who
pstroled the camp at the time it took place.
A body guard of ten men accompanied
JEFF Davis, with his family and friends.
In the morning the command was spprised
of the fact that their government had de-
serted them, and that they were now left
to follow the bent of their own inclinations.
The men mustered themselves out with an
honorable discharge, and marched to
Washington. -. -...