Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-21
THE FALL OF RICHMUND.

now Mr.. Davis and His Cabinet
Received the News of the Disaster.
Hon. John IL. Reagan in Philadelphis Times.
The statement has been made by
General Wilson, as it has been made
in many other newspaper articles,
that "0n the first Sunday in April,
1866, while seated in st. Paul's
Church, in Richmond, Jefferson
Davis received a telegram from Lee
announcing the fall of Peters
burg, the partial destruction of his
army and the immediate necessity
of flight" On that point make
this statement: On the Sunday re-
lerred to, / went by the war depart
ment on my way to church. When
at the department | was informed
Of two dispatches just received
from General Lee, stating briefly
the circumstances which made it
necessary for him to withdraw his
army from its position in front Of
Richmond and Petersburg at seven
o'clock that evening, and that it
would be necessary for the govern
ment archives and public property
to be removed at once. On receiv-
ing this intelligence, not knowing
that Mr.. Davis had already re-
ceiyed it, ! walked toward his
residence, which was a few hundred
yards off, to confer with him about
it, and on the way met him and
Governor Lubbock, of his staff.
We three then walked on to the
executive office. He then assem-
bled his cabinet and sent for the
governor of Virginia and the mayor
of Richmond. Directions were
then given to prepare the public
archives for removal, and measures
were considered and directions
given to secure, as far as practica-
bic, good order and safety to per-
sons and property in the city until
it should be surrendered, In this
paper it is also said that, "Although
he Mr.. Davis could not have been
entirely unprepared for this intelli-
gence, it appears that he did not
receive it with self-possesSion or
dignity, but with tremulous and
nervous haste; like weak man in
the hour Of misfortune, he left the
house of worship and hurried
home, where he and his more reso.
lutte wife spent the rest of the day
in packing their personal baggage
And it is added that, "Those who
are acquainted with the personal
character of Mrs. Davis can readily
imagine with what energy and de,
termination she must have pre-,
pared her family flight" etc. And
that, "They may believe, too, that
although heartsiok and disgusted
there was nothing irresolute OF
yacillating in her actions"
| would express my surprise, if
could be surprised now byanything
of this kind, that such q statement
should come from any respectable
source. Now, the truth is, Mr..
Davis did not "with tremulous
and nervous haste, hurry home to
his more resolute wife," From
where | met him he went directly
to the executive office, where be
remained nearly all day and, if !
remember right, part Of the
night, looking after and giving
directions in relation to public af.
fairs, and seeming to take no no.
tice Of his private matters. He did
not 90 to where his wife was, or acI
with her in preparing for flight, fol
neither she nor her children were
in Richmond, nor had been fol
three or four weeks before that
time And ] am sure there is nc
man who saw Mr.. Davis on thai
trying occasion but was impressed
with his calm and manly dignity
his devotion to the public interest
and his courage, 1t is apparent
that one object Of this statement il
TO try to produce the impression
that Mr., Davis, in the hour Of ex'
treme peril, had forgotten bis great
office and trust, and descended tC
the care Of his personal baggage
while the Confederate government
was dissolying; and that another
Of its objects was to show that, OF