Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-04
THE CONFEDERACY'S LAST WAR
COUNCIL.

COUNCIL.
The Southern Home Journal, Baltimore
publication, in recent number, describes
the closing scenes in the late civil war in
graphic style. The article, which is from
the pen of E. A. Pollard, thus pictures the
last consultation upon the fortunes of the
lost cause" held by Jefferson Davis with
his adherents in the retreat from Rich-
mond:
Not 40 with Mr.. Davis. He was remark
able for a sanguine temperament; 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 swollen boasts
ofa desperate and failing leader, were really
the sincere illusions Of a proud man who
never, indeed, fully realized the extremity
of his cause until "the iron entered his SOUP
in the classmates of Fortress Monroe. Ia
his strangely deliberate and leisurely retreat
through the Carolinas, he had not appeared
for a moment to realize that he was a fugi-
tive, and he looked with complacency upon
the disordered fragments of the army that
had gathered on the line of his flight, and
that pursued it with vague and uncertain
design.
An officer who was constantly in his
company in what might be thought days of
anguish and despair to the fallen chief,
testifes: Mr.. Davis was apparently un-
touched by any of the decentralization
which prevailed was affable, dignifed,
and looked the very personifcation of high
and undaunted courage" He yet persisted
that the cause was not lost, although Lee
had surrendered, although Johnston had
furled his banners without a battle, and
although all that was visible of the great
armies that had stood from Richmond to.
Augusta, on the dominant lines of the war,
were the less than one thousand soldiers,
fragments of brigades that assembled
around him at Abbeville, South Carolina,
when he paused there for final council
with his Generals.
In the little town of Abbeville, Mr..
Davis summoned his officers to 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 Breckinridge, lately Secretary of War.
There were FIVE brigade commanders pre-
sent at the conference. To this small but
important audience, Mr.. Davis addressed
himself with all the powers of his wonder
ful and subtle intellect The old, imperious
look, was yet in his worn face the eye,
transfxed with neuralgia pain, with its
deep recess Of light, shone steady and de,
fant the thin visage was Illuminated by
the active mind, and shone with the ami
mated 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 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 in
sisted that the war was not hopeless. The
armies could be reassembled, and there
would be new calls for enlistments and new
incentives to thecountry' s service. Hesaid
that even the few hundred men he yet
counted around him were enough to pro
long the war until the panic had passed
away, and they then would be a nucleus
for thousands more. He urged his Off
GERS to accept his views, and animate their
men to stand to the good cause, whose
honor they had so 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 COM
mander stating the condition and temper
of his men, and declaring his view of the
situation. 1t was plain, unanimous iudg-
ment. The war could not succeed, and
should not be prolonged they could not
ask their men to struggle against fate
which was inevitable, and forfeit all hopes
of restoration 10 their homes and friends
but they would insist that their honor was
involved in securing the escape of Mr.. Da-
Wis, and for the accomplishment of this OBJ
ect they would risk battle, and put off SUBJ
mission to the last moment
"No, now 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
countenance, he said: "All hope is gone
Alas, that | should see the day when all the
friends of the South are prepared to con-
sent to her degradation" He faltered, and
sat down in silence; every one in the room
respected him too much to reply.
Presently, without even a gesture of
courteous retirement, without any ackuowl-
edgement of the company whatever, he rose
to leave the room; and it was observed
that he had lost his erect carriage and de-
fant port. A weight of years appeared to
have suddenly fallen on the stricken suf-
ferer. The eyes were uneasy in the pale,
pinched face; and so uncertain and totter-
ing was his step that General Breckinridge
moved to his side, and giving him his arm
supported him from the room. Not single
wold was spoken.