The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-14
2ir11utond DispattE1.
THE CIRCULATION OF THE "DIS-
PATCH" IS LARGER THAN THE COM
BINED CIRCULATION OF ALL THE
OTHER DAILY NEWSPAPERS OF THIS
CITY.
For the Ncv York Democrat.
MARRIAGE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.
BY HUMANITY, JR.

son Davis, of Mississippi, late President of
| the Confederate States Of America, was first
married to a daughter of the lamented
| Zachary Taylor, who was elected Presi-
| dent of the United States in 1913. Much less
are the peculiar incidents and romantic cir
custances attending Mr.. Davs's marriage TO
Miss Sarah Knox Taylor known to the world.
| L propose to make MP this chapter of history
During the BLACK Hawk War" more than
| n third Of n century ago, Colonel Taylor com
| manded Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chen,
! Wisconsin, (then Michgan), and his family
| We're with him. Jefferson Davis, then n Young
| graduate OF West Point bearing ieutenant' 5
comm ission in the regular army, was also I'M
| der orders 1T the same fort. Handsome, brave,
| and chivalrous by nature, and possessing ali
| the suayity, ease, and grace which thorough
! intellectual culture and the most refined so.
| ciety confers, IT was not strange that his hear
| became the target for very many Of Cupid S
| seldom-erring arrows. One of those arrows,
being directed by glance Of Miss Knox Tay.
| lors flashing eyes, " hit the mark and il SO
happened that Miss Knox's heart went with
| the missile, and that the two hearts became
| indissolubly connected. Colonel Taylor, look
| ing with disfaror upon the situation, resolved
| to break the alliance, and accordingly directed
| his servant to say TO Knox us he always called
| his daughter, that he wished TO see her in the
| parlor. She came, and the following conver.
l sation ensued
| "knox. what can possibly be the object OF
Lieutenant Davis in visiting this house SO fire.
| quently?"
al cannot imagine, father, unless it is to see
| and talk with me-"
| "You surely do not encourage his visits ~
"Why not? Lieutenant Davis is handsome,
| generous, refined, and courageous. Young Ia
dies usually feel themselves complimented by
| the attentions of such gentlemen" -..
| "This will never do-nerer do, Knox. / must
| forbid him the house,
"Why, father what possible objection have
| you 10 Lieutenant Davis ~
| 'He is all That you claim for him, my daugh.
| ter; but he is too headlong and headstrong &
| Should you become his wife, you will be left Z
widow after his first battle. In truth, there
| is no telling TO what sad fate that young mans
| rash impetuosity will lead him. 1t will not
| dot will nerer 3O.'
| Without awaiting IN answer or word, Colo
| mel Taylor strobe rapidly away in his military
| boots, with the imperious air Of one VII ose
| word was law, leaving Miss Knox TO her tears
! nHi II 1COiaunS reS0iUeS.
| Lieutenant Davis received an intimatior
| sufficiently pointed to enable him to under
| stand that his presence at Colonel Taylor's
| could be dispensed with. Nothing of unuSua
| interest occurred during the succeeding mon h
| except that the health OF the Culonels beauti
full and accomplished daughter declined rapid
| ly, and it came TO be seriously feared that The
| fell destroyer, consumption, had marked hel
| us another victim, whilst the young lieutenan'
| became so quick tempered and irritable tha
1 If any one dared even TO regret that Miss Tay
| lor was not looking so well us usual coffee anG
| nlStOlS lot TWO were likely 10 be called 1Or.
| denoument came, however, rs usual in III
strategic movements, either in love or in war
| One bright morning, ere the early bee haC
| gone forth 10 gather his sweets from flower ant
| field, Colonel Taylor was aroused from his
| slumbcrs. BY strange coincidence he haC
been dreaming of Wild Jeff" upon his noble
stecd, with Knox so gracefully sitting hel
| blooded pony, running the gauntlet of scalp
ing knives tomahawlts, and poisoned AFRO ws
| Being awakened he demanded to know why ht
a; hal ,tn
| "Aye, aye, sir it's only Patrick after com
| ing 10 tell yer honor that Miss KnoX's darlin
| pony has gone out through the key (kay) hole
| Of the stable, bridled and saddled himself, ant
| set out on Il race with the wild winds, if "
| Judge by the wde-apart prints OF his hoot
| that he was afther LAWN behint him, sir, anc
| Miss Knox hersiif, sir, must have fashtencC
hersiif in the bonnet box in her room, for sure
Biddy, the girl, and Sally, the nagur, watched
| time about, both 1T once, after seeing her t(
| retire. and she didn't get out, and she's not il
| there, sir, and
"Silence." roared the Colonel.
| "Yis, yis, your sarvent,' cried Pat, placing
| his ear 10 the key hole.
| "Can Won tell me, Patrick" said the Colo
| mel, "whether Lieutenant Dariss horse is il
his stall ?" the Colonel Al the same time step
ping 10 the door.
" He is not, sir and his sarvint protistS it.!
| a red skin us rode him away. Sure there's no
| another rider this side the ouid dart would
get such jumps from q horse rs the lieuten
ants made when he was LAWN and that "
can know be measuring the space 'twixt hi
! tracks,
"Well, well, Patrick, 20 now
| Away went the anxious Hibernian in cage
search for further light touching the myste
| rious occurrences OF the night. The faithtu
| Patrick, wild with excitement, and trembling
| with apprehension regarding the safety or TIT
"darlint Miss Knox" rs well rs for the we'll
| being of his favorite lieutenant, passed hur
riedly from place 10 place, and, by his highly
| agitated manner, spreading serious alarm Il
| Il con tagUu in the tropics; so that when tn,
Colonel, little later, reached his front door
citizens were approaching from every dlrec
| tion, and his practiced eye discovered that IN
| Whce garrison was i'll commotlon, as II mo
mentarily expecting TO be led forth by him t
| The rescue of his beloved daughter and th'
| young lieutenant, who were supposed TO have
been captured by the hated "red-skins." TIL
general excitement was greatly augmented
| half an hour afterwards by the discover.
that Lieutenant George Wilson (6rother oI
| Hon. Thomas $. Wilson, of Dubuque, Iowa.
and Miss Street, daughter Of General Street
were also among the missing. The opnlc!
prevails generally that the four young friend
| had been captured and scalped, as 1t was no
| TO be supposed that even the courage OF thos
gallant and chivalrous young officers coli(
| permit them TO pass, especially with ladies'
| beyond the picket lines. Hence, at an earl,
hour the good French pioneers of the pralri
came from every direction, mounted on thei
|
butcher knives, ETC., while the women Wept II
| anguish over the loss of their favorites OF tn
fort. In the midst of all this confusion, an'
before Colonel Taylor had quite decided upo
the precise course proper TO be pursued, a.
old pioneer, more calm and self-possesse
than the great mass about him, des
cried, far over the prairie, two gentle
men and two ladies on horseback, ap
proaching the fort with apparently al
possible speed. Attention being called 10 tn
Joyous sight, and all divining that they Wer
the missing lieutenants and ladies who, b.
special interposition of Providence, must hav
escaped, but were holly pursued by their mer
| ciless captors, the whole body Of impetuou
and brave hearted Frenchmen were rushe
| With hcadlong speed TO the rescue, and wer
soon face to face with the late lost ones, whom
they greeted with such shouts OF JOY, 1t wa
aye~rcd, as had never before come from IN
| lips and hearts of men on that beautltu
" T"-irc Cf the Dogs"
RI t. say that the two lietenantS and their fai
| cnmranionS were greatly as well as mos
| aGrcaably surprised at these unexpected greet
ings and cordial congratulations, would De ou
J | TO convey faint idea OF their aStonlshment
, They indeed had no conception of the rea
cause of all this tumultuous rejoicing unit
the old pioneer, before mentioned, rode Tor
ward, and i'll accents OF broken. almost sot
| bing eloQ Quence, depicted the intense excite
ment and grief which the discovery OF III
capture of the lieutenants and ladies, by IN
ruthless savages, had accustomed Throughout
the village. Lieutenant Wilson essayed i
explanation but the old man, motioning III
lieutenant to be silent. gave his order, IN
away dashed the whole party toward the vi
lage-the "rescuers " filled with JOY over IL
fortunate tuIn of events and happy results {
/ the morning, while the sides OF the rescued
were splitting with laughter at the luGicrou
| mistake of their friends.
Arriving ut the village, the lieutenants an
ladies, without being permitted word in eS
planation, were rapturously greeted by mel
| Mnmeu and children. III every manner CalCI