Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-01-07
JEFF. DAVIS.

Poitard's Account OF His Fight:HOv
He Robbed the Treasury, sc.
In the January number of Packard
Monthly Mr.. Edward A. Pollard has .
"true" sketch of the flight and captur
of Jefferson Davis. The following ex
tracts are of interest:
} PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT.
While Grant and Lee thundered be
fore Petersburg, Jefferson Davis fiet
rom Richmond, without q word of pub
lie explanation, with none of that oene
diction or encouragement which greai
leader is expected 10 impart to his pe0
pie in such a notwithstanding with
GheignOmiDy of an obscure, mean fugi-
tive, if not positively in the character o
deserter. Some explanation has beeI
offered of his singular neglect on thisoc-
casion of those whom, in his day of pow,
er, he was accustomed, after the atecta.
ton of fond and paternal ruler, to call
his people," in the statement that the
government at Richmond had no expec.
Jation of Lees disaster, and was thus
painfully hurried in its evacuation of the
capital.
The statement is untrue, and the ex-
cuse is unavailing. The writer well
knows, what has not heretofore been
impaItei to public curiosity, that Jeffer-
son Davis had, many weeks before Lees
catastrophe, made the most careful and
.Xacting preparations for his escape
The matter had been fully consulted
with his cabinet in profound secresy;
md it had been agreed that, to secure
the escape of the President and his prin-
..ipie officers, the shenandoah should tie
ordered 10 cruise off the coast off Florida
to take the distinguished fugitives on
board, who had selected that coast for
their exit from the C0nfederacy, and
their extricatien from its falling fortunes
These orders had been sent to the Con
iederate cruiser maay days before Lees
Ines were broken. 1t was calculated
that the Presidents party might make
III easy an deliberate escape in the way
agreed upon, as the communications with
lie FLORIDA coast We're then scarcely
doubtful, and once on the Shenandoah
"a fast sailor, the most valuable rem
nant of the Confederate navy-they
night soon obtain an asylum on a for
Ign shore. Other preparations were
made for the flight. All the papers.of
he government were revised, and mark
ii for destruction, abandonment, or pre-
'ervation, according to their contents:
and even Mr.. Davis private baggage
vas rut in order for trans -pOrtation. Oh
course the public knew nothing of these
preparations, and it did not even suspect
hem. Mr.. Daniel, of the Richmond Ex-
iminer, had repeatedly said, with bitter
ness, that whatever the event of the
var, whatever its misfortune, Mr.. Davis
would be certain to provide for his per-
f1&- ~f s,n al,
aud, indeed, this journal had suggested
that, for this mean reason, the President
mad invariably blanched at any retalia-
ton upon the enemy involving the PEN
ilty of death. But many people resented
this thought of the Examiner; they per-
sisted in believing that President Davis
would stand with the army when the
flag was lowered, and accept
4 common lot with them and the people;
md they called to mind his heroic words,
spoken to the troops in Virginia in 1861.
1t the beginning of the war, when the
last line of bayonets is leveled will be
With you.
After having safely bestowed his im-
portant papers and by this mea ure con
suited TO some degree his personal safety.
it might be supposed that Mr.. Davis
would be prepared to leave Richmond
with some appearance of self-pOssession
and dignity. But after all the provis
.ons for his fight, the signal for it was so
sudden and dram8tic-announce to him
in Lees dread telegram, while he sal in
st. Paul's Church, with the sunshine OF
a calm and beautiful day pulsing through
The windOws-as to have SOM effect I
surprise at least, breaking down his
Aquanimity, and reducing him to that
condition of fiuster and tremulousness
with which the weak man receives the
news of misfortune, no matter how long
he has vaguely expected it, and practised
against the moment fits announcement.
HE ERoBs THE TREASURY.
He nervously prepared at his house his
private baggage, assisted by Mrs. Davis,
and he never ventured in the streets un-
iii, under cover of the night, he got un-
observed on the train that was to convey
him from Richmond. He did not forget
the gold in the treasury; that. amount
ing to less than $40, 900, it had been pro-
posed some days tefoIe, in Congress. to-
distribute as largesses to the discomfort
ed soldiers; but Mr.. Davis had insisted
Ipon reserving it for eXigencies, and it
vas now secured in his baggage. Hef
lid not forget his sword, that, a costly |
present from some of his admires in Eng |
and had Leen sent to the Richmond arm
Dry for some repairs; il was abandoned to
he fire there. The last seen of thisrelic oil
The Southern COnfederacy was a twisted
md guarled stem of steel, on private ex
libition in lager-beer saloon in Rich
nOnd garnisheu with Il certlfl ate that
/ was what remained of jeff. Davis
sword, and that the curiosity might be
purchased for Two hundred dollars
the retailer of lager has yet dis
posed Of his treasure we do not know.
HE wEEPs AT ABBEyIkLE.
Mr.. Davis reached Abbeville on the |
irst of May. so far he had been accom-
panied by the fragments of five brigades,
in number to less Than one
thousand men, and reorganized Tito two
)attaIions, at the front aud in rear of the
ong train which signaled his fight and
obstructed .is effort at escape.
There were already painful evidences of
,he decentralization of theescort, and the
story told almost at every mile, by strag-
ylers from Johnson's command, was not
inspire them. At Abbe-
Vile Mr.. Davis resolved upon council
,f war. 1t was composed of the five
brigade commanders, and General Brax-
on Bragg (forthe year past the military
adviser" of the President) was admitted
% this last scene of the deliberations of
he lost cause.
In the council, Mr., Davis spoke with
more than his accustomed facility and |
inspired by hope, but with
,ut volubility or extrayagance. He made
!, statement of SURPRISING plausibility.-l
rhe South. he declared, was suffering
rom a panic; it yet had resources 10
the war; it was for those who
'emained with arms in their hands to
rive an example to reanImate others;
.uch an act of devotion, besides being
he most sublime thing in history, might
ret save the country, and erect again its
declining resolution. at is but neces-
'ary," he said. that the brave men yet