Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-18
SOUTHERN TREASURES.
a Cabinet Meeting and What it
Left Behind--Jswslry of the
Ladies Of the South.
General breckenridge Gives il
10 Lady, and u sharp YAM
kee WRlks en- With tue
Fortune.
Special to Commercial aaretto,

Constitution Of to day contains the
following, written by Il. A. Tate, Of
Seneca, S. c.;
During the winter Of 1864 So. the
Confederate Government, on account
oftheir railroad communication being
destroyed in so many places, built a
pontOon bridge across Savannah river.
little over mile below old Peters
burg, and which is at the mouth OF
Broad river, or Ia other words at the
junction Of the two rivers. This pom
toon was about half way between
Washington, Ga, and Abbeville, s. G.
ln the early part of 1865 there was an
almost continual stream of soldiers
going and coming on thet road. About
three and half miles from the bridge,
in Lincoln county, Ca, lived the
widow Of David Minis Moss, with her
three small children. They owned
fine plantation and we're prosperous.
One evening a larger crowd than
usual came to her house, finer teams,
liner dressed men, everything betok-
ening some distinguished parsonage.
At last a tall, tine looking gentleman
came up and introduced himself as
General Breckenridge, asked for sup
per and room, aud said they would
not stay the night, but only wanted
the room tor a short time. She opened
her parlor to them, and in a short
time the room was filed with gentle
men, also boxes OF various sizes Mrs.
Moss socn found out that she was en-
PERTAINING President Davis and his
cabinet. Her health at that time was
very bad, and she became very
much excited over all that
was going on, and could
not sleep About / o'clock m. she
heard knocking at the parlor door ami
answered it 10 person. She was met
by General Breckenridge, who gave
her fifty dollars in gold, aud, turning
round and looking at the confused
state Of the parlor, the boxes. papers,
&c, lying in every direction, said to
TO her, I'VE give you what we leave. "
was under the impression that the
last Cabinet meeting was held there.
but Captain McLendon says in Wash.
ington. Maybe he is correct.
After they had all gone Mrs. Moss
retired, and next morning she and q
youngster went into the parlor to clear
up. They commenced moving the
boxes, but at last they came upon one
that was very heavy. They examined
it and found it was full OF the finest
diamonds and iewelry. They secretly
removed the box into Mrs. Moss bed
room and put it under the bed, aud
that night those two lone ladies car.
ried it into the garden and buried it..
The garden had all been freshly spa.
ded up for the regular spring work
and it was noticed.
For short time things moved on
very quiet, and at last several Yankees
came up and made inquiries about the
box. but she told them she knew
nothing about it, and they lett. Then
came on the gold excitement. and
several Of the best people we're taken
and hanged by the thumbs to make
them tell about the gold.
All this excitement was too much
for Mrs. Moss already enfeebled sys
TEN, and she was compelled to take
her bed. While lying there she
brooded over her secret, and at last
concluded that she would tell every.
thing to her pastor, and act on his ad
vice. She did so. Her pastor was, il
| remember correctly, L.W. Stephens,
now Of Hart. He, after hearing her
story, very wisely told her TO keep il.
1t was certainly hers, more than any.
body else's. 1t was given her by
General Breckenridge, and even if BY
mistake, it was hers until the proper
parties called Tor it. This quieted
her, and for awhile things we're as
usual
About this time | received a mes.
sage from her to come to see her; that
she wanted 10 see me on important
business. She a d she did not ex,
pect to live long. Circumstances
over which / had no control prevented
me. ! never saw her any more.
A lew weeks, perhaps a month be
fore she died, some Yankee officers
came 10 her house, searched il. also
the mattresses and everything con
nected with it. As matter Of
course they found nothing. About
two weeks before she died fellow
came, took book from his pocket
and read her list OF the articles and
told her that he was sent for them,
that they we're overlooked that night
in the hurry Of departure, and | SUP.
pose he made everything very reason
able
| She was very low, nobody being
about her but ladies who knew moth.
ing about the box, and no one to give
her advice, and this fellow, beinr
30 plausible, she told him where Il
was, aud the Internal miscreant, after
getting all, had 20 search everything
70 see i there was nothing else, snd
she a dying woman. After this fellow
and his squad left there we're variou,
speculations about it. put il up thi,
way at the time: This box contained
the jewelry OF the ladies Of the South
sent on by them TO assist the Conled
eracy, or it was jewelry deposited by
the ladies Tor sale keeping with thu
Treasurer, aud az the capture Of
Richmond memorandum OF The
things was found. and as they wer,
not 10 Richmond, they we're supposed
% be with Mr Davis; and When Mr.
Davis was oapiared they we're not
with him; consequently they had
been lett somewhere on the road Thi,
last fellow reaped his reward and b,
got fortune.
To give you an idea Of the value
there was one brooch, made like ,
hnmuiug bird. The eyes were singl,
diamonds, and the wings were also
studded with diamonds, and il seemed
TO be always in a trembling motion
and every motion seemed TO give ad
dltional brillianey. A few days aitei
Mrs. Moss had given up the box thai
nobleNheartod Christian woman, Mrs
Julia Cade, Of Ebert, went over "a
see Mrs Moss. She then repeated /,
Mrs. Cado all that have stated
above about this box, aud she also told
her she had sent me word TO come and
SEQ her; that she wanted to place the
box In my possession for the benefit
Of her children, as was the nearest
relation OF her husband, he being my
uncle, and she thought | could dis,
pose Of II better than any one else sl,
could think Of.
TX letter from Hon. Ma. PERY
Castle Grey, Limerick, Ireland, BRowN'i
BgoEomAL TRocHEs are thus referred to