The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-10-17
Se6e4sOa DaVIS---KKi1 last war
CONAcil.

@SAISNo hAAC loSI SOuucll OI war HSAu By
Jefferson Davis. This conference was
held iu South Carolina, while Davis was
IN retreat, and only few days after the
Issue o: hlS proclamation of April 5, in
which be urged the South to an unending
conflict. The proclamation was issued
before the surrender of Lee, "au event."
says Mr. Pollard, "Uhich appeared to de-
termlne the last hopes of the Southern
people, 10 convince them that further
prosecution of the war was useless, and
even criminal in a fruitless consumption
of human life"
Mr.. Pollard adds: "Not so with Mr..
Davis. he was remarkable for a sanguine
temperament he had that disposition at
once imperious aud weak, which, demau-
dlog that all things must be as it wishes,
believes them SO; and what the world
thought the swollen boasts of desperate
aud failing leader, were really the sincere
illusions of a proud man, who never, in
deed, fully realized the extremity of his
cause until 'the iron entered his soul In
the caselnates Of Fortress Monroe. In
his strangely deliberate and leisurely re-
treat through the Carolinas, he had not
appeared for a moment to realize that he
was fugitive, and be looked with COM
placency upon the diSordered fragments
OF the army that had gathered on the lire
OF his flight, and that pursued it with
vague and uncertain design.
IAN officer who was constantly In his
company In what might be thought days
OF anguish and despair to the fallen chief,
tesuties: 'Mr. Davis was apparently un-
touched by any Of the decentralization
which prevailed-he was afable, digni-
fed, ana looked tho very psxsoniGcation
of high and undaunted courage He yet
persisted that the cause was not lost, al
though Johnston had furled his banners
without battle, and although all that
was visible of the great armies that had
stood from Richmond to Augusta OF the
dominant lines of the war, were the less
than one thousand soldiers, fragments of
briga6es, that assembled around him at
Abbeville, South Carolina, when he paused
there for final council with his Gen
erals.
''In the little town Of Abbeyille, Mr..
Davis summoned his officers to council !;
he was deternlineG,t to try their resolution,
and anxious to ascertain the spirit OF their
men. The only full Generals who yet
attended him were Bragg, his military
adviser and Breckenridge, lately Secre-
taIy of War. There were FIVE brigade
commanders present at the Conference
TO this small but important audience, Mr..
Davis addressed himself with all the pow
ers of his wonderful and subtle intellect.
The cid, imperious look was yet in his
worn face the eye, transfxed with neu-
ralgic pain, with It's deep recess of light,
shonp steady and defiant the thin visage
was Illuminated by the active mind, and
shone with animated discourse. He spoke
in the even, silvery tones Of his accustomed
eIoquence.
"He declared that the country was only
suffering from violent surprises and an ex-
aggerated alarm; its resolution would soon
be erect again !; the present condition was
that of panic, and patriotism would soon
be aroused when it heard the commanding
and reassuring tones of authority. He
insisted that the war was not hopeless
The armies could be reassemblcd, and
there would be new calls for enlistments
and new incentives to the country's ser
vice. He said that even the few hundred
men he yet counted around him were
enough to prolong the war until The panic
had passed away, and they would then be
a nucleus for thousands more. He urged
his officers to accept his views and ani-
mate their men 20 stand to the good cause,
whose honor they had 80 long maintained
and whose last hopes they now carried on
their bayonets.
"His auditors were silent. At length,
they spoke, one by one, each brigade
commander stating the condition and tenn
per of bis men, and declaring his views
of the situation. 1t was = plaia, unani-
nous judgment; the war could not sue
ceed aud should not be prolonged; they
could not ask their men to struggle against
a fate which was inevitable, and forfeit all
hopes of restoration to their homes and
friends but they would insist that their
honor was involved in securing the escape
of Mr.. Davis, and for the mplishment
of this object they would risk battle, and
put off submission to the last moment.
"No, no !'' exclaimed the unhappy
chief, in passionate accents. 81 will hear
of no plan which has for its object only
my safety" Then speaking slowly and
bitterly, with a deep and fearful change
settling on his counteuance, he said "All
hope is gone Alas, that [ should see
the day when all the friends of the South
are prepared to consent TO her degrade
ton" He faltered, and sat down in 81
lence; every one in the room respected him
too much to reply.
"Presently, without even gesture OF
courteous retirement: without any ac-
acknowledgement of the company whatever,
ho rnsa To Leave the room and 1t was