The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-10

peflOu, OUT no expectation Of ill., naceSSlt,
for an early evacuation had been entertained
until Gen. Lees telegram Of the second o
April was received. Gen. Lee himself hat
expected to be able to hold his position a
Petersburg at least until the roads were
hardened" Ito use his own EXPRESSION, anc
| continued to entertain that hope until his at
tenuated lines were broken at Five Forks or
tho first of April; nor did he anticipate, i1
leaving Petersburg, the series of disasters
which compelled the surrender OF his army
| within week afterward, under circum-
stances which made the surrender more H.
lustrious than the conquest
| AS to the charge that President Davis was
preparing for 'tight" from the country, there
| is not even the preteDse OF any evidence tC
| support it, 1t is mere calutnny without any
basis of truth whatever Tho only PROPOSE
| ton OF that sort Of which we have any evil
dence proceeded from a very different quar-
ter-from the headquarters of the Federal
army. Gen Sherman, in his Memoirs pages
35l-52,, says that, in a conference with his
general officers, pending the negotiations for
an armistice, they discussed the question
whether, II Johnston made point of it, he
sherman should assent to the escape from
the country OF the Confederate President
and Cabinet, and that one of the council in
sisted that, if asked for, a vessel should be
provided to take them to Nassau. He does
not say whether he himself favored this
proposition or not; but Gen. Johnston i'm q
| note to his account of the negotiations, which
rect, says: Gen. Sherman did not desire the
| arrest OF these gentlemen. He was too acute
not to forcsce the embarrassment their cap
| ture would cause, therefore, he wished them
to escape"
= Comparing these statements with each
other, and with impressions made upon others
who were participants in the events of the
period there can DO no doubt as to
GEN. sHERMAN's VACCINATIONS
in the matter, eff Johnston [hadl made a
point OF it, but Gen. Johnston made no such
point. He knew no doubt that any PROPOSE
promptly rejected by President Davis, and no
Confederate general would have made so
offensive suggestion to him0
week or two later, when it was proposed
by one or more of his friends. that he should
endeayOr to reach Havana or some other West
Indian port-not for the purpose of escape,
but as the best and safest route
"To THE TRAGs-M1ss1ss1rr1.o
he refused on the ground that it would re-
qulre him to leave the country, although it
were only for a few days. Some allowance
ought perhaps to be made for Con Wilson's
oftenses against truth in this particular, a,
the score OF his inability to comprehend TIE
high sense of official honor by which Mr.
Davis was actuated. Mems hicalstandards
are very diverse
Gen. Wilson shows as little regard for com
mon sense or consistency as for truth and
candor. Thus, we find him saying that
Davis, instead Of observing the armistice
was making his way toward the South with an
escort. And again: "a still felt certain, from
what could learn. that Davis and his Cabi-
net would endeavor to escape to the west side
of the Mississippi river notwithstanding the
armistice and captuation." The armistice
was one thing, and the capitulation another.
The equalization of Gel9Johnson did not take
place until after the armistice had been repu-
dlated by the United States government and
hot. N,t,, lit
disapprova! had expBed. President Davis
became party to the armisticc by giving it
his consent and approval but had thing to
90 with the capitulation. So far was he from
failing to observe the former. that he re-
manned in Charlotte quicscent, not only until
he was informed of its rejection gat Washing
ton, but until the forty-eght hours We're com
pleted, when he mounted his horse and rode
off, having scrupulously observed it to
the letter and the minute. This was on
took place, near5 )urhams Station, the capitu-
lation of ''the troops under Gen JohnstoB's
command, which certainly did not include
the President of the Confederate States who
was not under Gen. Johnstons command"
and who had no part whatever in the transac-
ton.
Leaving Gen. Wilson to describe the dspo-
sltlon made OF his own troops and to recitc
their movemeets-a task which, in the alb
sence OF any other Information, | can only pre-
ity to treth than is exhibited in the other
parts OF his article.-I now proceed briefly to
narrate the facts Immediately connected with
the capture Of President Davis a
r. The tt movements of President Davis and sis
AFTER THE EVACUATION OF RICHMOND,
on the night of the second Of April, are re-
lated with substantial accuracy in Alfrend's
i. life LIE of jefferson Dgavis'-a great part of
them I'm the words of a narrative wlittdH by
the late Mr.. Mallory, Secretary of the COnfed-
crate Navy until the dispersion of the party
at Washington, Georgia, where Mr.. Mallory
parted with him. Tho incidents that follow
have not been so well known, but I am en-
abled to give them on the best authority IfI
there is any naccuracy or uncertainty, it is
merely with regard to minor matters of dates,
places, names, etc, 90
Mr., Mallory's narrative mentions the pass
age OF the SAVANNAH river upon q pontoon
by the President and his escort, about day
break on the morning of one of the early |
days of May. The main body of the troops,
lperhapsa thousand cavalry or morc,J which |
had accompanied them, We're left, under com
mand vi General Breckinridgo, to follow as
soon as they could cross the river, the Presi- |
dent pushing forward with only a few gen
tlemen % his Cabinet and personal staff, and |
an esc'et of single company, commanded |
by Capt. Campbell, tc0he little town of Wash
formed that some Federal troops in the Vi
entity Incorporating to attack the village
and capture some stores which had been de-
posted there, and he sent back messenger
to the officer commanding the advance of the
troops left at the river, urging him to come on
with his command with all possible speed
Arriving at Washington the President was
hosIStably received and entertained at the
house OF private citizen, and preparations
were made to resist the expected attack as
st1ectually as possible with the small force at
MS disposal He soon ascertained, however,
rom eercports of scouts sent out into the
country, that there were none
Dut small and scattered squads of Federal
soldiers in the neighborhood.
Meantime adyices We're received from Gen
}reckinridge to the effect that in the demon
tlized condition of his troops it was almost
impossible to hold them together They were
money, and he asked that the
secretary OF the Treasury should send some
'pecle, to make partial payment to the
rooms hDnippa nv tbiG to |