Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-04-18
Last Days Of ths War.

Story from the Lips OF Ma
J jor John M. DanieI-Ex-
traOrdinary Scene in
Richmond--Thc
ElOQuence and Nerve
OF Jefferson Davis And
Captain Gays Bali Cartridges.
New York Sur, GA
The late session Of the Vir.
; ginia Legislature closed OF
} March IA. The next night the
writer took scat in the cars
Of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad, bound for Gordohs-
Vile. 4 score or more mem
bers Of the Legislature were on
the train. Our State Senators
and Assemblymcn will 1e SUR
prised to hear lhat they paid
their fare and did not patronize
the parlor-car. Among them
were DIR. Moffett, of beli-punch
notoricty, and Major John NJ.
Dauiel, of Southwestern Fir-
ginia. They were seated near
the water-cooler and surrounded
!
by several long-haired Coloncls
and Judges. Their questions
were followed by "reminiscences
OF the "wah' and other times,
in which such words as count
and ouat," "kyads, 2 Yanl1s," "
',:sight pecrt,' y and ''reckon" gra-
ted hdrshly on the uhtutorcd
ear. At ten-minutes intervals
a powerful, broad-faced, White
haired Colonel. wearing slouch-
ed hat, withdrew from the group
and ranged himself with The
water cooler, and drew from his
pocket a small flat bottle of
whisky, which he offered to the
Judges aud others. Nv hen 1t
was declined the Colonel said,
"Yah she goes" and, raising
the bottle to his lips, swallow
ed thrice and smackcd his lips.
I was particularly interested
in Major John NJ. Daniel He
had been a prominent Demo
cratic candidate for Governor
and bore a name carved upon
the escutcheon of the State. tie
paid his fare like an honest law
maker, and had but five cents
left in his pocket. He was ey-
identity the youngest man in
the party, and the best dressed.
A curling lock of glossy black
hair fell over his forehead.
Eagle eyes illuminated his clean
shaven face, and roman nose
and mouth indicated the born
leader. He received a bullet
wound in the war, and he
now Iimps through life on the
top of a second-story shoe.
This undoubtedly endears him
to all true blooded Virginians.
He smiled at the tales OF the
Judges and Colonels, but made
no attempt to supplement- tlicr
"reminiscences. Knowing that the
conversation was not private, |
listened for a long time, fancy
ing that / might hear something
worth remembering Bat Ma
ior Daniel did not open his
mouth. His companions were
dropping off one by one, and
the hoary-headed Colonel had
said "Yah she goes" five times,
when l fell asleep. ! awoke at
midnight and saw the Majors
eyes flashing in the lamp-light.
He was telling the Doctor and
stray Judge a story Of the
war. 1t was a detailed history
of the scenes in Richmond du-
ring the outbreak of the female
Commune in the fourth year of
the Confederacy. The narrative
was evidently drawn from the
Major 10y a discussion concern
ing the growth of Communism
and its power as displayed IN
the railroad riots last winter.
The Major said that when
Harper's Ferry was captured at
the beginning Of the war, all
the available machinery for the
manufacture of arms was taken
to Richmond. Hundreds of
workmen and their wives and
daughters had been employed
lin the arsenals and machine
shops, and they followed the
machinery to the Capital in
search of employment. They.