Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-05-12
A TALK WITH JEFF. DAVIS.

A TALK WITH JEFF. DAVIS.
The indianapolis (Ind.) Journal states
that Mir. William l.. Taylor, a prominent
lawyer Of that city, recently visited Mr.
Jefferson Davis ~ his home, near Beauvoir,
Miss, small station on the Louisville and
Nashville raiIroad midway between No.
bile and New Orleans. Mr. Taylor describes
the home Of tire Confederate leader as Il
typica! Cl.l.timc plantation mansion, one
story in height, with spacious halls and an
imposing porl"c The house lies i'll view
OF The Gulf, and IS surrounded by "a tiiici.
grow. - orange a1a u!"Gn0iiA trees. Nr.
Tayiu? lay that he W,s received cordially
by III, Davis, :ad after they had he"n
talking for :. few moments, Mfs. Davis and
h." daughter. Il handsome young lady, "p.
ituiSG III the room, accompanied by Il young
Chicago ifwyc.. III. Davis insisted that he
should remain in thc house over night.
Daring lie evening the conversation turned
nl,ou the var, and Mr. Davis talked freely
u;.on all subjects that were brought Up.
what is thc Southern estimate Of the
Federal generals ?" inquired Mr.. Taylor.
Il cannot give you the Southern csti-
mate" Mr.. Davis replied. J. can :;ive you
nay own estimate"
"What DO you think OF Grant =" WAS
asked.
Grant he said, "was largely Il creature
0? circumstances. | remember that the first
time met Gran; WAS when he was station
ed on the Pacific Coast us 4 lieutenant. |
was then Secretary Of War. He was charg-
ed with drunkenness and neglec! Of duty.
! gave him his choice between standing III
al and resigning. He resigned. ! knew
that h;. would. Gen. Grant was q great
military commander. He was very tcna-
cious lie fought Q battle as a matter Of
business. Men were mere cCgs III the wheel.
Al! the men and means ne wanted were
placed at his command, and he had every
advantage He would have been dischars.
G! from the Army uf the Potomac if ii had
not been THAI too many changes mad already
taken place IN The army
What ia YOUR estimate Of Gen. Sherman?'
was asked.
Sherman" ar Davis said, 'was looked
upon in The South as Alaric was by the
Romans. He vas their 'scCurge cf God
lie was crGci, yet he was = great stra!c
gist.@
"Yes," interrupted Miss Davis. -" wa;
au inhuman monster. What hndii not Use
he destroyed"
sherman hesitated," Mr.. Davis contin-
ed. 'lor long time between joining the
Confederate army and the Union army.
We were uncertain which lie would DO.
He finally Joined The Union army, think
ing, I suppose, thal more could b. gained
by it,"
'slIy idea" remarked Mr.. Davis, is that
Meade was tho most Skilifui general III the
Federal army. Gen. Lee once said TO me
that he could understand The movements of
all the generals in tie federal army easier
than those OF General Meade. These above
Meade never allowed him to display his full
rowcr Hc was i.ampercd and kept down
through jealousy
Mr.. Taylor.-'iIo" did you regAr: Nc
Clellan?" ?"
We'll sir, Mcclellan was the bost trained
soldier in the war While Secretary Of War
[ sent him on three important mlsslons-oue
to Europe, to study military methods. lie
returned with better knowledge of mill
tarv discipline and methods than was pos
sessed by any man in this country
Mr. Tayl0r-"C Gould he have entered
Richmond if he mad pushed on across the
Cnickahominy
"Wel.' Mr. Davis answered. laughing
''l once knew Il farmer who said that if his
| foresight had been as good as his hindslght
he might have made q fortune on cotton
! Something of the same kind was probably
the fault with Mcclellan. lfhe had known
tho weakness Of the Conlederates, and had
thrown his army across the river, think he
could have entered Richmond. Wethought
he would, and | believe Gen. Lee thought
so, too"
Mr.. Taylor. .-"Who do you regard as the
greatest of the Confederate generais?"
II consider Gen. Sidney Johnson as the
greatest general produced on either side by
the late war. Gen. Lee stauds next in my
| estimation, and rs we move away from the
war his desperate struggle against over
Whelminn numbers will be q marvel IN war
annals"
'AIr Lincoln was vulgar JOKER" Mr.
| Davis said, "but Withal he was great man.
He was wise and he was honest. He could
| have been of great good to the South IL ne
had lived. and his untimelv death was 4
great loss to u.s. He was quiet and appar-
emily in deep meditation for several min.
utes and resumed: 'Ies, it was 4 great
loss for ne was succeeded by a low, mean
demagogue- -Jolmson-and demagosue is
the worst ofmen. Johnson was unschooled,
but a man Of great native ability. He had
no convictions, and tried 10 please all. Lin
coin was u man Of great viSor OF mind,
although he was plain and rough. III Mr.
Lincoln had lived the South would have
had 4 President that understood her condi-
ton, and he would have been of more
benefit to her than any other man could
POSSIBLY have BEEN He was an honest man.
His death was a great misfortune to tae
South"
PARTIES desirous of having wei! made
garments, fine fitting garments, and artistic