The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-05-27
How Jefferson Davis Left Richmond

/ President Davis and his family were in
Their pew that morning | saw the sex
ton 90 TO that pew in the midst Of tlJe
lseryices and speak to the President, and
khe President retire from the congrega-
hion / was not feeling very well that
hcrning / repaired at. once to my
kodengs ON Second street. DIR. Morris
sas President or General superintendent
Il a he telegraph lines in the Confederate
4 States. Immediately on reaching my
Ehlcings ] met friend, who asked me If
flfad heard the news.
/ responded: "No, what is it?"
He replied: CDR Morris little
daughteywas Just over here, and said
that he father had just come home, and
stated chat General Lee had telegraphed
Presifent Davis that the enemy had,
army would have to retire further south,
and Richmond would have to be evac-
mated"
The hours remained in Richmond on
that melancholy Sunday, after leaving
81. Pauls, were among the saddest of
my life. felt that our cause was then
lhe lost cause. Many of the scenes wit
leSsed by me as / went to and fro
Through the streets of that good old city
were heartrending, the bad news had
spread with lightning rapidity all over
town. Having spent much of the time
nulng the war In Richmond / had
Formed the acquaintances among its no
pie and hospitable citizens; and, am
proud to say, some of them became my
dearest friends. The men generally were
on the streets, and large numbers of the
ladies stood IN the doors and on the steps
OF thnlr hnrTGnG hatha1
making inquiries and giving utterance
to woeful disappointment and anguish
About nightfall | took my seat in car Of
the train at the Danville depot, preparing
TO start southwark with its sad and dis
appointed human freight. The Presi-
dent and his Cabinet were on the same
train. BY this time had become much
exhausted by the fatigues of preparation
and visits TO attached friends for the pur-
pose of taking, and had almost sue
cumbed to the indifference resulting
from irredeemable loss and disappointed
hopes. My fellow-passenger both male
and female, in the crowded car were very
much IN the same plight. Inever knew
SO little conversation indulged IN by so
large a number of acquaintance together,
for we were nearly all@acquainted with
e1ch other, and, l may say, fellow-fugi-
ives driven by the same great calamity
Very few words We're interchanged.
Sleep soon overcane most of rs. This,
i well remember. was my case. for /
dropped TO sleep before the tram started
from Richmond, and was not aware of
its departure when it left. I slept quite
sOundly nearly all the night through. l
believe we did not leave Richmond until
pretty late in the night, and when day
broke in on us on the morning of April
awe We're somewhere IN the neighbOr-
hood of Bushelville Junction. probably
between that place and Roanoke. We
stopped at every station on the way.
elowds thronging to the train at each to
1sAE<e inqaIIIes, Tor the bad news IN this
case preserved its proverbial reputation
for fast travelling. Everybody sought TO
see, shake hands with and speak to the
President, who maintained all the way
bold front, gave no evidence by word or
appearance of despair, but spoke all
along encouragingly to the people
Judge Brlsee'S "reminiscences.