The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1869-01-09
No.. "a

haughtily a. see that the friends of the
South are prepared to consent to her degra-
dation; )" and then sweeping the company
with proud and despairing glance, he at
tempted to pass from. the room
But the blow was too much for his feeble
organization. His face was " bite with en-
ger and disappointment, and th mist of un-
shed tears was in his eyes-tears which
pride struggled to keep back. The senti-
ment that all was lost went through his
| heart like the slow and measured thrust OF
a sword; as the wound sunk into it, 1t left
| him speechless loose and tottering, he
would have fallen to the floor, had not Gen
eral Breckenridge ended the scene by lead
| ing him faltering from the room. 10 dead
and oppressive silence the deserted leader,
the fallen chief, secured decent retreat for
angonies which tears only could relieve.
1t was the last council of the CoTifederacy.
| The hateful sel6shness which originates in
the attempt Of each individual to extricate
himself from a common misfortune soon
broke out, no longer restrained by the pres
ence of the President The soldiers were
| discharged but they elamored that they
had no moreY to take them home. What of
| the Treasury gold that remained was d.
Vided among them. So fearful were th ey
| of marauders that many buried their CO in
in the woods, and in unfrequensed places.
Benjamin suggested a separation of the
cabinet officers from the President, making
an excuse that SO large party would adyer-
tise their flight and increase the chances of
capture. Mr.. Davis was left to make his
way to Georgia, Postmaster General Reagan
continuing to journey with him, and Breck-
enridge only to point where he thought it
convenient to leave for Florida. There
were also in the party two or three of his
staff officers, and a few struggling soldiers,
who still kept up some show of an escort.
Mrs. Davis had already preceded her hus-
band to Georgia, and he now travelled slowly,
and almost desolately, on horseback, having
arranged that she should await him in the
town of Washington
The cruelest neglect or insult of his mis-
fortune happened in passing through the
small town of Griswoldville, the home of
Alexander 81. Stephens. Mr.. Davis. now an
object of sympathy, worn, deserted, re-
mained two or three days in Griswoldville
he might there, at least, have expected that
one who had been so near him in Office as
the Vice-President of the Confederacy
would have visited him, to tender some hos
pitality, or to offer an honorable coincidence.
MIR. Stephens never came near him, never
sent him token or message, to his shame be
it mentioned; for surely a mean nature Is
never more despicable than in its treatment
of misfortune, and its cowardly refuge, on
such occasions, IN old resentments or In
selfish calculations.
From Griswoldville the now hunted Presi-
dent was soon driven again on his Journey
by news of the occupation of Augusta He
had also received news of the assassination
of President Lincoln, and that event, he de-
elared, confirmed his resolution not to leave
the country. He inferred from the newspa-
pers that he was accused as an accompiiee
in the crime, and he remarked to one of his
staff officers that he would prefer death to
the dishonor of leaving the country under
such an imputation." But with such SEN
timent, it will occur to the reader that it
would have been noble and decorous for Mr.
Davis to have surrendered himself at the
nearest Federal post, and to have demanded
a trial 1t would have placed him in a
grand and winning attitude, one becoming
great man, one honorable to himself and the
South, and redeeming him more than any
thing else In the eyes of the world. But
unfortunately he accepted the base alterna-
tive of continuing his flight, and that too
with the artiice of mean disguise
On leaving Griswoldville it was determined
that Mr.. Davis and his family, whom he ex-
pected soon to Overtake, should thereafter
travel as an enaigrdnt party. Mr.. Reagan
was still in his company. General Brecken-
ridge had left outside the town of Washing
ton, taking with him forty-6ye Kentucky
sOldiers-a struggling remnant of Morgan's
old brigade. Ten mounted men had offered
to escort Mrs. Davis, and although they had
accepted their paroles, justly considered
that they might protect distressed lady
from msrauders. All tokens of the Presi-
dents importance, in dress and air, were
laid aside; covered wagons, a paek-mule
and cooking utensils were provided at Wash
ington and it was designed that Mr.. Davis,
his wife, and his Wife's sister should pass as
a simple country family emigrating from
Georgia, and having fallen in with strag-
Cling soldiers for their protection. Mr.
Davis dignity was laid aside without much |
difficulty Carlyle says: "a king in the
midst of his body-guard, with all its trump
cts, warehouses; and gilt standard bearers, |
will look great though he be little; but
only some Roman Carus can give audience |
to satrap ambassadors while seated on the |
ground, with wooden cap, and supping on
boiled peas, like a common soldier" Mr.. |
Davis, in the dress of country farmer, had !
none of these traces of Imperialism which /
cling to those born TO the purple. His |
features, just and handsome, without being |
remarkable, were those which might com
mand by assumed airs, or might be practised |
to particular expressions, but scarcely those |
which could assert superiority without an
effort and at a glance. He incurred but lit
tie chance of detection in the drePs he had |
assumed of an honest, wellto-do emigrant !
But the last device of the distinguished |
fugitive, the only one in which he had |
shown any ingenuity, and had confessed his
real anxiety for escape, was in vain, and he |
was captured three days journey from |
Washington. He had scarcely expected to |
fall in With any enemy north Of the Chatta-
hOoche river, the boundary of % the depart |
menE of the Southueak and tbara ha had /
designed to part with his wife, aud to com
nit her to her journey to the Shenandoah |
He was overtaken by small body of Federal |
cavalry, originally sent out to post
skirmish line through that part of Georgia, |
reaching to Augusta. but now diverted TO |