The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-02-18
Where the Confederate Funds Went

The Sacramento Union OF January 2 st
tells the following singular story regard
ing the dispo.al Of a portion OF the funds
in the Confederate treasury at the collapse
of the rebellion:
When the Confederate army, under Cen
eral Lee, was forced back from the trenches
at Petersburg by the Federal army, Presl-
dent Davis hurriedly ordered about Sl4,-
0O0, 0O0, the property Of the banks OF Viz
oinia and of the Confederate States, to be
placed on trains at Richmond and sent
South, intending to convey it to the trans
Mississippi Department. if possible, there
to make a final stand.
| The treasure was carried down to Char
lotte, n G.. where the railroad ended. At
this place it was decided to leave the
money belonging to the bank OF Virginia
in keeping of their officers The rest OF
the money belonging to the Confederate
States was placed in wagons and the re-
treat continued The brigades OF Gems
! Basil, Duke and Vaughan, who had sue
ceeded in escaping from East tennessee
and had arrived at Charlotte few days
! before. were placed under the orders of
Gen. John C. Breckenridge. to act as an
! escort to the treasure, ard the command
proceeded south until Greensboro, Wash
ington county, Ga, was reached. At this
point, information was received that the
| Federal General Wilson had captured
Macon, a few miles distant and in the line
Of retreat to the trans Mississippi depart
ment.
The news soon got among the men.
| They became demoralized. and Il rush
was made iOr the wagons containing the
treasure 1t was speedily divided up
among them the officers being unable to
restrain the men Among the lucky ones
were two soldiers belonging TO Company
| b. Third Tennessee mounted infantry OF
Naughan's brigade, from Munro county,
| Tennessee One Of them was named AL
bert Stevens and the other we will call },
T. Jones They had charge Of Il wagon
containing Sl5O,0 900 in gold; and when
The panic spread among the soldiers and
the cry was 'sauve qui peut, they re-
| tanned their presence Of mind and drove
oft in the woods, where they divided the
money, making some So 200 apiece, and
separated, Stevens taking his to his home
| in Tennessee, where he buried it, contid-
ing its hiding place to his mother, very
old lady. Finding that it would be dan
| gerous for him to remain in Tennessee,
owing to the unsettled condition of things
there, the people being equally divided
| on the question Of the war, he Went to
| Georgia, where he found Jones, who had
bought small place and was quietly wait
| inc until it would be safe for him to re-
turn home.
Stevens stayed awhile with Jones, and
| then went to another part Of Georgia to
visit some relatives. Before going, how
ever. he informed Jones about the hiding
Of his money and his mothers knowledge
Of its whereabouts As soon as Stevens
| was gone, Jones mounted his horse and
made Il Decline for Tennessee. to the
place where Stevens lived. Arriving there
| he presented his comrades mother with
a forged letter, purporting to come from
her son, directing her to deliver the money
TO Jones. which the old lady did Jones
| then started direct for California; Arriv-
| ING here he purchased large tract of
| land in Mcndocno county, land being
very low at that time. has since amassed
a large fortune in addition to his ill-got-
ten gains and is now highly respected
and a member OF the church.
In the course OF time, Stevens having
ascertained that it would be safe, started
for home, possibly dreaming of a future
life of ease and comfort on some blue
grass farm, raising fat cattle and blooded
horses,-this being your average kentuck-
ian's or Tennesseean's idea Of an earthly
paradise On reaching home he soon
found out his loss. Buckling on his revol-
yer, he secured the entire South and West
in search Of his taithless friend, vowing to
shoot him on sight, and only recently as
! certained his Whereabouts He is now in
| correspondence with prominent lawyer
of this city, and an attempt will shortly
be made to bring Jones to account through
the courts.