Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-26
THOSE LOST MILLIONS.
WHAT BECAME OF $4,000 OF
THE CONFEDERATE SPECIE.
An Interesting Interview WI h GEN.
A. IL. LawtOn-COmmeDd able Con-
duet OF wilkes County Soldiers
The Johnston Interview.

This is an order Issued by General A. R.
Lawton, then Quartermaster General of the
Confederate States, and which we give
below:
"Major r. J. Moses, G. s, will pay &c.
700, the amount Of bullion appropriated to
Quartermaster's Department by the Secre-
tary of War, to Major R. r Wood.
"By order Of Q NJ. General.
''W. T. ALEXANDER,
"MsjOr and Asst. to Q. NJ. Gen.,
Ssh May, 1865, Washington"
The receipt is as follows:
"WAsHINGTON, MAY ). 1865.
Received from Major Z. J. Moses three
boxes, estimated TO contain $40, 900 In bull
lion. This has not been weighed or count
ed, and is to be opened before two com
missioned officers ard 2 certificate OF con-
tents made, which certificate is 10 be for
warded to Msj0r + J. Moses aud by the
amount certified to the undersigned is to be
bound. "R r. WooD,
major and Q NJ"
AS so much discussion has arisen of late
10 reference to the disposition of the specie
in the pos ession of the Confederate Gov
eminent at the close OF the war, iu canse-
Quence of statements alleged to have been
made by General Joseph E. Johnston IN an
interview published in tire Philadelphia
Press, repre- sentative OF the MORNING News
decided 10 call upon General Lawton and
ascertain what be knew about the fate of
this $4,000, which was a part of the said
sUecie alluded to 10 the above order given
by his direction.
We found the General in his office Satur-
day morning, and, making known the
object of our visit, ne expressed his willing
ness to impart any information on the sub
ject in his power, and we now have the
pleasure Of laying before our readers the
result of the interview, which we are assured
will be perused with great interest, and
which was opened as follows:
Representative of the NEws-General.
Inotice in Colonel Avery's History OF Geor-
gia that the $4,000 appropriated for the
Quartermaster's Department by the Secre-
tary OF War, was, by your order, Ieceipted
for by Msjor r. K Wood. Why did not you
receive the money and receipt for it your
self?
General Lawton-For the reason that
was not bonded officer, and never, during
my administration as Quartermaster Geo.
eral OF the Confederacy, received or re-
ceipted for money belonging to the govern
ment, my duty in such premises being to
dir, cl its disposition.
NEWs-Well. General. can YOU give me
any information as to what became of that
SlO,000g
General Lawton pleasantly remarked that
he had q very distinct recollection Of mat
ters about that time, and would answer our
question by giving a narrative of the events
that occurred In and around the little vii
lage of Washington when it became known
that there was Confederate treasure in the
camp. ''As soon as IL was ascertained, ,"said
General Lawton, "that Major Wood had a
certain sum of money in his possession, paid
in accordance with this order, exaggerated
accounts of the amount were circulated.
There were a large number Of soldiers
gathered in the vicinity on their way home,
and q party OF disorgan!zed cav
airy soldiers made q demonstration
sgainst the office of the Quartermaster and
demanded their share of this money. | was
then in Washington, and being informed of
this onslaught by the cavalry, at once pro-
ceeded to the office Of Msjor Wood for the
purpose of taking proper action for the pro-
lection of the money. The Irwin Artillery,
composed OF many Of the best young men
in Wilkes county, had just returned home
and were In the town."
Gen. LawtOn first addressed the people In
the public square, and appealed to the
cavalry to deslst from their efforts to secure
this money, assuring them that their inter
ests would be looked after. Although they
were somewhat Modified l was impressed
wi b the conviction that they would press
their claims even to the extent OF violence.
Hence determined to secure the assistance
of some of the Irwin Artillery boys, to
whom | stated the condition OF
affairs. Six or seven of them,
at my suggestion, quietly made their way to
the rear door of the Quartermaster's Office,
and proceeded on TO the office by the front
entrance, where l directed that the silver,
which consisted principally of bars not yet
coined, be turned over to them for safe
keeping. They concealed the silver about
their persons and left the Office without
being discovered. previously having pledged
themselves to defend the treasure as a
sacred trust and to return it on my call.
There was no gold coin IN this lot. To the
credit of the Young men, be it said, they
most faithfully redeemed their pledge, as
will hereafter be SEEN"
Shortly after this event Gen. Lawton was
| captured and'parOled, and was about leav-
| ing Washington for his home, when he was
applied to by these young men of the lrvin
| Artillery to know what disposition they
should make of the treasure which they had
success 'ullY concealed up TO that time.
General Lawton Informed them that he
was no longer capable Of giving an order,
but he would advise thela ~ TO the best
course he thought they should pursue IN the
premises. He then advised the party to select
| two of their number aud send them down
to augusta quietly with the silver to be paid
/ over to Hon. John 2. King, President Of the
| Georgia Railroad, with the view Of assisting
/ that road in the transportation Of returning
soldiers, the Confederate Government al
ready being indebted to the company In I'm
| mense sums.
General Lawton states that to the best of
1 his recollection he sent letter to Mr.. King
| by these Young wen. stating that the money
was offered to the road at his ad7ice, and
urging him as President TO accept and use
| It IN the manner indicated, first making
suitable compensation 10 the gallant young
men who had so firmly and nobly pre-
! served 1t.
President King received the silver, but
| said he felt it his duty to report the fact to
! the Federal General Molyneux, then in
1 command at Augusta, and did so. General
/ Molyneux took possession Of the silver, but
promised to report the fact to his govern
ment, and expressed at the time his belief
! that they would authorize him TO return the
money 10 the company, as he felt they were
entitled to it.
General Lawton stated that ne had since
been informed that this money had never
/ Leen returned, aud no account has been
| given by the army officers
The NEWS asked the General if he remem-
| bered the names OF the six members OF the
| Irwin Artillery who had acted so faithfully
| in this matter, when he expressed his regret
| that he did not, but should take an early
| at the time they became custodfans of the
treasure the intention was 10 benefit the
| State and the cause, and hence their action
| was highly commendable.
! This completes the history Of the $4,000,
/ aud having obtained sll the information
/ from Gen. Lawton OF interest on the sub
| iect. the representative of the News in
/ 0Uired of him what he thought of the
! charge alleged to have been made by Gen.
i Johnston against ex-President Jefferson
| Davis. Gen. kawton replied tnat ne was
/ both pained and mortified to see that the
suggestion had been made, after lapse oi
| over sixteen years, that President Davis had
under immediate control S2,5O0,O ,OOO IN spe-
1 Gle, or any other large sum, for which he
ought to account, but never had. had
| no control of the funds OF the Confederate
| Treasury" said the General, "hut / had
certain orders to give with regard to trans
| portation by virtne of my office as
| Ouartermaster General. This naturally
| led me to know something Of the extent and
| character Of the treasure in notion and
am entirely satisfied that nothing approach
/ ing such a large sum as that named was
| transported under Confederate authority
| during that retreat from Richmond. Inc
| fact that there was any considerable amount
/ of coin in motion was very naturally exag-
gerated among people who had neither
! sesu or handled any coin Ior
nearly foEr years, and no doubt
enormous sums were frequently spo-
/ ken of by the men during the marcn.
This exaggeration was also increased oy tne
fact that large portion of what was con-
veyed was in silver coin and silver bars, thus