The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-10-01
THE LAST DITCH.
A Rebels RecolIections of the Last
Council Board Of the Southern
C0nfederacy,

Edward A. Pollard contributes TO
the Southern Home Journal, a new
literary, paper, just started at Bal
timore, for the benefit of rebel read
ers, an article on the Last Council
Board of the Southern Confederacy.
from which we select the following:
In the little town of Abbeville Mr..
Davis summoned his officers to coun-
ell; he was determined to try their
resolution, and anxious to ascertain
the spirit of their men. The onIv full
= Generals who yet attended him were
Bragg, his military adviser" and
Breckenridge, late Secretary 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 of his wonderful and subtle
intellect. The old, iniperious look
was yet in his worn facea the eye,
transfxed with neuralgia pain, with
its deep recess of light, shohe steady
and defiant; the thin visage was IL
by the active mind and
shone with the animated discourse. He
spoke in the even, silveryl tones of
his accustomed eloquence; one of the
greatest Gorators of modern times, ex-
ceiling In the powers of statement Or
narration, ingenious to even sophis-
try, joining winning and persuasive
manner to words culled from the
choicest resources of language, he
uow tried all his powers in this criti-
cal opportunity. He declared that
the country was only suffering from
violent surprises and an exaggerated
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 reassembled, and there would
be new calls for enlistments and new
incentives to the country's service.
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 nucleus for thousands
cept his views, and animate their men
to stand to the good cause, whose
honor they had SO long maintained.
r
on their bayonets. 4 5s;dxs
His auditors were silent. AT length
they spoke, one by one, each brigade
commander stating the condition and
temper of his men, and declaring. his
: views of the situation. 1t was plain, |
unanimous Judgment; the war could |
not succeed and should not be pro-
longed; they could not ask their men
RI eft faf n xvh h nh
inevitable and forfeit all hopes of res |
toration to their homes and friends;
but they would insist that their honor |
was involved In securing the escape |
of Mr.. Davis, and for the accomplish |
ment of this object they would risk |
battle and put off submission to the |
last moment.
No, mol" exclaimed the unhappy /
chief, jim passionate accents. Il will |
hear of no plan which has for its OBJ
ject only my safety" Then speaking
slowly and bitterly, with a deep and +
fearful change settling on his counte
nance, he said: 'All hope is gone! |
Alas, that should see the day when |
all the friends Of the South are pre-
pared to consent to her degradation. .
He faltered, and sat down in silence; |
every one in the room respected him |
too much to reply. ua~.a j
: Presently, without, even gesture
of courteous retirement. with cut any
acknowledgment of the company
whatever, he rose to leave the room;
aud it was observed that he had lost
his erect carriage and defiant port. A
weight of years appeared to have sud
denly fallen on the stricken sufferer.
The eyes were uneasy in the pale
piDched face; and SO uncertain and
lettering was his step that General
Breckenridge moved to his side, and,
giving him his arm, supported him /
from the room. Not word was
spoken. II
1t is true and delicate philoso-
pher, who, exploring scene of des- |
pair, says: 1.-THE sentiment that at
tends the sudden revelation that all |
as lost is silently gathered up into the
heart. 1t is zoo deep for gestures or
for words. The voice perishes, the
gestures are frozen, and the spirit of |
man flies back upon its own centre"
Yellow Feyer-The Epidemic In New
Orleans and TeyaS