Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-10-18
JEFF. Davis-His Last Council.


In q newspaper called the Southern
Home Journal, Mr.. +. A. Pollard describes
the last council Of war held by jefferson
Davis. This conference was held in South
Carolina, while Davis vas in retreat, al d
only few days after the issue Of his proc
lamation of April 5, in which he urged the
South 10 an unending conflict This proc
lamation was issued before the surrender
OF Lees army, " an event." says Mr.. Pol
lard, switch appeared to determine the last
hopes Of the Southern people, to convince
them that further prosecution OF the war
was useless and even criminal in frutless
consumption of human life"
Mr.. Pollard adds:
4 "Not so with Mr.. Davis. He was re-
markable for sanguine temperament; he
had that disposition, at once weak and i'm
must be as it wishes, believes them so; and
what the world thought the swollen boasts !
of desperate and falling leader, were
really the sincere Illusions of proud man
, who never, indeed. fully realized the ex
, tremity of his case until the iron entered
his soul in the casemates of Fortress
! Monroe. In his strangely deliberate and
leisurely retreat through the Caroinas, he
0 had not appeared for a moment to realize
4 | ,kat he, nd bx, 10nE cd W
e complacency up n the disordered frag-
a ments of the army that had gathered on
d the line of his flight, and that pursued 1t
II with vague and uncertain design.
!? An officer who was constantly in his
r company in what might be thought days
It of anguish and dispair to the fallen chief.
n tes.ifes Mr.. Davis was apparently un-
e touched by any of the decentralization
i which prevailed-he was affable, dignified
~ and looked the very personifcdtion of high
and undaunted courage He yet persist
,e ed that the canse was not lost, although
$ Lee had surrendered. although Johnston
~ had uniurled his banners without bat
n tie and although al that was visible of the
I'd great armies that had stood from Rich
mond to Augusta, on the dominant lines
cn of the war, were the less than one thou
g. sand soldiers, fragments Of b'igades tha
.t. assembled around him at Abbeyvil {
IS. South Carolina, when he pauAed there 10
a final council with his generals.
A In the little town OF Abbyvile, MI
se Davis summoned his officers 10 council
en- he was determined to try their resolution
of and anxious TO ascertain the spirit o
nd their men. The only full generals whs
ty. yet att nded him were Bragg, his militia
St. ry adviser and Breckinrilg-, lately Sec
retary of War. There were five brigad,
me commanders present at the conference
es. To this small but important audience, Nj
IN Davis addressed himself with all the pow
an. ers of his wonderful! and subtle in ellec
rk The old imper,ous look was yet in b
TX worn face ; the eye transfXed with me-
TO ralgic pain, with its deep recess of ligh
ad shone steady ard defiant; the thin visas
are was illuminated by the active mind, al
ser .hone with anima ed discourse. He spoil
me in the even, silsery tones of his accu
ac- toned eloquence.
nj He declared that the country was on
ri suffering from violent surprises and {;
exaggerated alarm; its resolution wou
lst- soon be erect again the present conditic
lily, was that of panic, and patriotism wou
pa soon be. aroused when il heard the con
ion manding and reassuring tones of auihorit
,ih- lie insisted that the war was not hopeless
ach The armies could be reassembl-d, an
en- there could be new calls for enlstmen
or and new incentives TO The country's ST.
ing vice. He said that even the few hundre
on I! men he yet counted around him wei
od- enough to prolong the war until the pan
one had passed away, and they would then
ex- nucleus for thousands more. He urge
did his officers to accept his views. and an
mate their men to stand to the good eau;
whose honor they had SO long maintaine
"A and whose last hopes they now carried {
ript their bayonets.
lity His auditors were silent. At leng,
H. they spoke, one by one, each brigade con
no mander stating the condition and temp
,hh of his men, and declaring his views Of Il
2 TO 81 uation. 1t was a plai !, unanimous jud
With ment; the war could not succeed al
on1 sbonld MT ha prolonc.d thew could N