The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-09-14
The Fall Of Richmond.

HOW MIR. DAVIS AND HIS CABINET RECEIVED
THE NEWS OF THE DISASTER.
TIIon. John H. Reagan in the Philadelphia Weekly
Times.l
The statement has been made by General
Wilson, rs it has been made in many other
newspaper articles, that con the first sun
day in April, 1865, while seated in st. Paufs
church, in Richmond, Jefferson DAVIS re-
ceived telegram from Lee announcing the
fall OF Petersburg, the partial destruction OF
his army, and the Immediate necessity OF
flight" On that point / make this state
mcnt On the Sunday referred to went by
the War Department on my way to church.
When at the Department [ was in-
formed OF two dispatches Just received
from General Lee, stating briefly the cir
cumstances which made it necessary for
him to withdraw his army from its position
in front of Richmond and Petersburg. at
O'Clock that evening, and that it would be
necessary for the Government archives and
public property to he removed at once. On
receiving this intelligence, not knowing that
Mr.. Davis had already received it, walked
toward his residence, which was few hun
dred yards of, to confer with him about 1t,
and on the way met him and Governor Lub-
book, Of his staff. We three then walked on
to the Executive office. He then assembled
his Cabinet and sent fer the Governor OF Vfr-
ginia and the Mayor of Richmond. Dircc-
tions were then given to prepare the public
archives for removal, and measures were
considered and directions given to secure as
far rs practicable good order and safety to
persons and property in the city until 1t
should be surrendered. In this paper it is
also said that although he (Mr. Davis
could not have been entirely unprepared for
this intelligence, it appears that he did not
receive it with seti-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 resolute wife spent
the rest OF the day in packing their personal
baggage" And it is added that, "Those
who are acquainted with the personal char
acter OF Mrs. Davis can readily imagine with
what energy and determination She must
have prepared her family for fight" etc.
| And that, "They may believe, too, that al
though heartsick and disguised, there was
nothing irresolute or vacillating dn her ac-
| tions." .......
I would express my surprise il could
be surprised now by anything of this kind,
that such statement should come from any
respectable source. Now, the truth is, Mr.
DAVIS did not, "with trcuaulous and Rer-
vOus haste, hurry home to his more reso-
| lutte wife, From where / met him he
went directly to the Executive office, where
be remained nearly all day and, il remem-
boz right, part OF the night, looking after
and giving directions ia relation to pub
lie affairs, and seeming to take no no.
tice Of his private matters. He did not
60 to where his wife was, nor act
with her in preparing for flight; for
neither she nor their children were in
Richmond or had been for three or four
weeks before that time And l am sure
there is no man who saw Mr. Davis on that
trying occasion but was Impressed with his
calm and manly dignity, his devotion to the
public interest, and his courage. 1t is appa-
rent that one object OF this statement is to
try to produce the impression that Mr..
Davis, in the hour OF extreme peril, had for
gotten his great Office and trust, and de-
scended to the care OF his personal bag
gage while the Confederate Government
was dissolving; and that another OF its
objects was to show that on this great
occasion he was irresolute, tremulous,
nervous, and wanting in self-posses-
sion and dignity. Nothing could be
| further from the truth: and ITenture the
statement that there is no one who saw
him then, or who knew his character, who
would not unhesitatingly contradict such a
statement; and venture the further sugges-
ton that neither Of these charges will ever
| be sustained, nor will any attempt ever be
made to sustain them by any legitimate or
| trustworthy evidence; andthat no man will
| make such charges who has respect for
truth and just regard for his own reputa-
| tion.