Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-13

his men would follow him anywhere, and
that he did not believe the cause lost if all
/ felt as he did and would inspirit their men
| Colonel Breckenridge announced his own
| determination not to surrender until or
| dered by Mr.. Davis or the Secretary OF
War, but that very few of his men shared
| that feeling, and he would not urge them
| to 90 any further General Vaughn and
| his command would accept whatever terms
General Johnston had; which were then
not known to us. Mr.. Davis said it was then
useless to keep men under arms who would
| not fight criminal to risk the lives of the
men who would fight, to the bravery of those
who would not. Therefore, the commands
must be winnowed That he could have
been at Shreveport by that day, but was not
willing to leave the men who were still in
the field. That he supposed General john
ston had surrendered-that all the army
left in that department were the commands
represented in that meeting-that of them
not more than four hundred could be de-
pended upon any further That he would at
tempt to go to General Taylor, and if that
army went to pieces, he would cross the
river, and if the cause should be finally lost,
he would feel he had done all his duty as he
best could That, called to his place with
out his intervention, he would continue to
discharge its duties as long as possible.
That this contest might have resulted disas-
trously, but the cause was not lost; the
blood shed during four years was not shed
in vain, and under other auspices and ADLER
leaders would yet succeed.
After considerable discussion it was agreed
that Mr. Davis, with small escort, should
and then 90 on such route as seemed best;
that General Breckenridge should take per-
sonal command of the cavalry there, and
, move that night across the Savannah River
at Vienna. where there was 4 pontoon
bridge This was carried out, and at day
light we crossed the river That day was
spent in paying the men actually present
per caDtd-General Breckenridge and the
humblest private sharing alike; each re-
ceiving about $40 in coin.
The statement that at any time upon the
march from Charlotte to Washington any
attack was made upon the specie train is
mistake This train was guarded to Able
vile by detachment of midshipmen, Pros
ident Guards, and perhaps few other 'Nir-
GINA army" soldiers at Abbeville it was
placed under a picked guard from Dukes
brigade, under the command of Colonel
Steele, and from Abbeville to Vienna it was
guarded by picked body from the whole
cavalry, under the personal command OF
General Duke.
Bv this time more definite information had
been received of Gen. Johnston's surrender.
Gen. Vaughn and his whole command, Gen.
Dibrell, Col McLemore and the whole di-
vision, except Col. Breckinridge and some
fifty officers and men, about equally divided
between the two brigades, and all save about
one hundred and fifty of Gen. Dukes COM
mand, determined to remain and accept the
terms received by Gen. Johnston. On the
4th, at Washington, Gen. Ferguson's brigade
stopped, leaving Gen. Breckenridge, upon
the morning of the 9TH, near Woodstock,
Georgia, with a company of about fifty Ken
tuckians and Tennesseans, well armed and
mounted. under Col Breckenridge, and one
hundred and fifty Kentuckians, only tolerably
armed and mounted, under Gen. Duke. The
Federals had possession of Athens, Lexing-
ton, Macon, Augusta; also of Atlanta, Ma
rietta, Catersville and Dalton also of Mont
gomerv. Selma and Mobile, so that, with
patrols and scouts everywhere, it seemed
hopeless to attempt any escape. No official
of the terms and extent of
Johnston's surrender had been received,
On the morning of the 9TH General
Breckenridge ordered General Duke and
Colonel Breckenridge to surrender or dis
band, saying, in his manly, mseltsh way.
I" Not one of these yonng Kentuckians shall
risk his life for me | am now only tugi-
tive and would not have a life saved by
the sacrifice of lives younger, as dear, and
perhaps to be more useful than my own. l
have done my full duty have nothing left |
but to preserve a life dear and useful to my
family" Accompanied by few personal
staff Officers he rode down by-road, not |
thirty minutes before battalion of Federal |
cavalry passed its mouth. Next morning |
this small command divided, part going to |
Dalton to surrender, part to Athens, part to
Augusta--all conscious that the failure of |
cause for which they had sacrificed so much |
and fought so long and so gallantly, was not
chargeable in any degree to them. De
feated, but not dishonored, they felt they had
shown themselves worthy to be the founders |
Of great empire; worthy to be the children
Of revolutionary sires, whose deeds of hero
ism they had equaled, if not surpassed.