The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1867-11-06
The Last War Council Of
President Davis.


Jefferson Davis. This conference
was held in South Carolina, while
Mr.. Davis was in retreat, and only
a few days after the issue Of his
proclamation Of April 5, in which
he urged the South to an unending
conflict. This proclamation was
issued before the surrender of Lees
army, can event., says Mr.. Pol
! lard, (which appeared to deter
mine the last hopes of the South
ern people, to 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 tempera-
ment; he had that disposition at
once imperious and weak, which,
demanding that all things must be
as it wishes, believes them SO and
| what the world thought the swol-
len boasts Of a desperate and fall
ing leader were really the sincere
Illusions Of proud man who
never, indeed, fully realized the
extremity ofhis cause until 1.-The
iron entered his soup' in the case
mates Of Fortress Monroe. In his
strangely deliberate and, leisurely
retreat through the CaroliDas, he
had not appeared for a moment to
realize that ho looked with com
placency upon the disordered frag-
ments Of the army that had gather
cd on the line Of his flight, and
that pursued it with a vague and
uncertain design. -,
AN officer who was constantly
in his company, in what might be
thought days of anguish and de-
spair to the fallen chief; tcstifes:
:"Mr. Davis was apparently un-
touched by any of the demoraliza-
tion which prcvailed-he was af
fable, dignifed and nd! lnpilsdE~ 4 ! 4 Il tie !,
ter, r x -: g ION Of high and
unhaunted courage:s s'''' He yet per
sisted that the cause was not lost,
although Lee had surrendered5 al
though Johnson had. furled his
banners without a battle, and al
though all that, WAS visible of. the
great armies that had stood from
Richmond to Augusta, on -. the
dominant lines Of war, We're, less
than one thousand soldiers, fl:ag-
ments Of brigades. that assembled
around him at Abbevifie, South
Carolina, when Ire paused there
for a final council with his Generals.
In the little town of Abbevilfe
Mr.. Davis summoned his officers
council; he was determined 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 Breckin-
ridge, late Secetary of War. There
were five brigade commanders
present at the conference. To
this: small but important audience
Mr.. Davis addressed himself with
all the powers sof his wonderful
and subtle intellect. The old, i'm
POROUS look was yet in his worn
face the eye, transfxed with
neuralgia pain, with its deep re-
cess Of light, shone steady and de-
fant; the thin visage was iflumina-
ted by the active mind and shone
with animated discourse. He spoke
in the even, silvery tones of his
accustomed eloquence. "
He declared that the country
was only suffering from violent
surprises and an exaggerated
alarm it's resolution would soon
be erect again; the present condi-
tion was that oftpanic, and patri-
otism would soon be aroused when
it heard the commanding and re-
assuring tones of authority. He
insisted that the war was not hope
less. The armies, could be reas-
sembled, and there would be new
calls for enlistments and new in
centives to the country's service.
He said that even the few hun
dred 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 animate their men to
stand to the good cause, whose
honor they had so long maintain
ed, and whose last hopes they
now carried or their bayonets.
His auditors were silent. At
length, they spoke, one by one,
each brigade commander stating
the conditions and temper Of his
men, and declaring his view of
the situation. It was plain
unanimous Judgment; the war
could not succeed and should not
be prolonged !; they could not ask
their men to struggle against a
fate which was inevitable, and for
felt all hopes ofrestoration to their
homes and friends; but they would
insist that their honor was in