Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-01-07
JEFF. DAVIS.
P0llard's Account Of his Flight
How he Robbed the Treasury
How he Kept at tAbbeyille--Mr.
A. III. Stephens Insults him.

How he Kept at Abbeville--Mr,
A. III. Stephens Insults him.
In the January number of Packard's s
Monthly Mr.. Edward A. Pollard has a
''true" sketch of the flight and capture
of Jefferson Davis. The following ex-
tracts are OF interest:
PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT.
While Grant and Lee thundered be-
fore Petersburg, Jefferson Davis fled
from Richmond, without word Of pub
lie explanation; with none of that ben
ediction,, or encouragement which a
great leader is expected to impart to
his people in such a trophe-escap-
ing with the ignominy of an obscure,
mean fugitive, if not positively in the
character of deserter. Some explana-
ton. has been offered of his singular
neglect on this occasion of those whom.
in his day of power, he was accustom-
ed. after tkp,aaffectation of fond and
paternal ruler. to call Ibis people," in
the statement that the government at
Richmond had nc expectation of Lees
disaster, and was thus painfully hur-
ried 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
impaired to public curiosity, that JEFF
ferson Davis had, many weeks before
Lees catastrophe, made the most care
full and eNacting preparations for his
escape. The matter had been fully con-
suited with his cabinet in profound Sc
cresy; and it had been agreed that. to
secure the escape of the President and
his principal officers, the Shenandoah
should be ordered to cruise off the coast
of Florida to take the distinguished fu-
gitives ON board, who had selected that
coast for their exit from the Confeder-
acy. and their eXtrication from its fall
ing fortunes. These orders had been
sent to the Confederate cruiser many
days before Lees lines were broken.-
1t was calculated that the Presidents
party might have an easy and deliber-
ate escape in the way agreed upon, as
the communications with the Florida
coast were then scarcely doubtful, and
once on the Shenandoah-a fast sailer,
the most valuable remnant of the Con-
tederate navy-they might soon obtain
an asylum on-a foraign- shove Other
preparations were made for the fl ;sft.
All the papers of the government were
revised, and marked for destruction.
abandonment, or preservation, accord
ing to their contents; and even Mr.Da
Wis private baggage was put in order
for transportation. OF course the pub
lie knew nothing of these preparations,
and it did not even suspect them. Mr..
Daniel, of the Richmond Examiner, had
repeatedly sad, with bitterness, that
| whatever the event of the war, what
ever its misfortune, MIR. Davis would be
certain to provide for his personal safe
ty, above that of all others; and, in
deed, this journal had suggested that
! for this mean reason, the President had
Invariably blanched at any retaliation
| upon the enemy involving the penalty
of death. But many people resented
this thought of the Examiner; they
persisted in believing that President
Davis would stand with the army wheI
the Confederate flag was lowered, and
accept common lot with them and the
people; and they called to mind his he
roic words, spoken to the troops in Vir
ginia in 1861, at the beginning of the
war, when the last line of bayonets i:
leveled will be with yon."
After having safely bestowed his i'm.
portant papers, and by this measure con
suited to some degree his personal safe
ty. it might lie supposed that Mr.. Davi
would be prepared to leave Richmond
with some appearance of self-posses
sion and dignity. But after all the pro
visions for his flight, the signal for i
was so sudden and dramatic-announc
ed to him in Lees dread telegram, wi il,
he sat in St. Paul's Church, with til,
sunshine OF calm anu beautiful day
pulsing through the windows-as t.
have some effect of surprise at least
breaking down his equanimity, and re
ducing him to that condition of f1uste
and tremulousness with which the veal
man receives the news Of misfortune
no matter how long he has vaguely ex
pected it. and practised against the mo
ms mt of it's announcement.
HE RoBs THE TREASURY.
He nervously prepared at his hous
his private baggage, assisted by Mrs
Davis, and he never ventured in th,
streets until, under cover of the night
he got unobserVed on the train that wa
to convey him from Richmond. He die
not forget the gold in the Treasury
that, amounting to less than $4,000, i
had been proposed some days before, il
Congress, to distribute as largesses t,
the discontented soldiers; but Mr.. Da
Wis had insisted upon reserving it fo
eXigencies, and it was now secured il
his baggage. He did not forget hi
sword, that, a costly present from some
of his admirers In England. had beel
sent to the Richmond armory for som'
repairs; it was abandoned to the fir
there. The last seen of this relic of tn
Southern Confederacy was twistet
and gnarled stem of steel, on privat
exhibition in a lager-beer saloon il
Richmond, garnished with certifica t.
that it was what remained of jeff. Da
yis' sword, and that the cu' iosity nigh
be purchased for two hundred dollars
Whether the retailer of lager has ye
disposed of his treasure we do no
know.
HE wEEPS AT ABBEvILLE.