Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-05-01

rnE BEGINNING OF TnT ENp
After We left Chester we ejourneycd on
to Salisbury, y. c.. and there We found
something in the air, AN indeiinable
somtheing that we could neither feel
nor see, but something that seemed to
prcssge calamity. Here we had to stop.
There was no telegraph aud all commu.
nicaton had been pretty well cut off
| was for pushing on to Richmond with
the intention of getting g. A. Trenholm,
then member OF the Confederate
Cabinet, to send Mcqueen through the
lines home. ! turned off and went
down to Smithville where Gen. Joseph
quarters. There | met Gen. IIardce,
who saw Gen. johnston for me. was
told by him to take Mcqueen to
Raleigh. Here we were taken care Of
BY the Bev. Dr. Mason, and the next
day | went TO see Johustou, who told
| that Hardee had related tho young
mans story to him and asked me where
he was. He sent one of his officers and
gave Mcqueen a permit to go through
the lines.
AT DINNER WITH JOB JoHssToSE.
al dined with General Johnston that
day and while seated at the table in Ru.
fus fuckers house with Johnstone on
one side and Hardse on the other. n
telegram was handed to Johnston. We
had just finished our soup, think.
Gen. Johnston read the dispatch and
rising from the table left the room and
going out on the piazza called Gen.
Har lee In few moments HArdee
called me out and said Now, remem
ber, you, Gen. Johnston and myself and
the telegraph operator are the only
persons who know the contents OF this
telegram The telegram Was from
President Davis from Salisbury, TO this
effect.
Gen. J. +. Johnston have notheArd
from Gen. Lee for three days. but from
the stray soldiers gather tha, he has
met with great disaster. Come to me.
TELEGEAp r,oE yETr DAVIS.
The telegram was signed JcH-r.on
Davis Gen. Hardee then -aii John.
ston has gone on that train that you
hear now. and | never saw Johnston
for three years after that day. then
said to lIardee Well ifthis istrue its
all over. Any man that ia killed now
is murdered We will retrcnt rapidly
and surrended at lIll.boro, for there
are only 1900 muskets IN TIN. army.
This is in fact only = mob, the debris Of
all our armies. You had better leave.
A disbanding army is dangerous After
this interview with Gen. Hardee went
back TO Or. MAson'r and babe Mcqueen
good.by, never expecting that ! should
see or hear Of him again.
Rufus Tucker askcd me to bring a
pair OF mules and servant with me
South for safekeeping, and did 60 !
came right back over Shcrman's track
and was never molesied for enc minute.
drove through in FIVE days to Colum
b,a and from there went to Anderson.
The day after got to Anderson the
mules OF Tucker we're stolen by com
pany Of raiders, who rode intothAtplace.
| tried TO save the mules, and told the
raiders that the war was over, but they
would not believe it and 90 lost my
mules
when returned 10 Charleston in
June found letter awaiting my arr
val, from Lieut.. Mcqueen. and slso one
from Gen. o. O. Howard, saying that
il he could he Of any service must call
on him. The first service that go,
from Gen. Howard was the pardon Of
george 4. trenholm.
wHAT EUsuLrED TRou TuE LETTER.
Years passed on, and nothing served
to disturb the uucveutful current Of my
life until October, 1867, received the
idea of establishing tho great educa.
tional institution ofwhich am the rec.
tor-the Holy Communion Church Iusti
tute-wbich grew out Of the calamilics
Of the war and is a record ofGod's won
/ derful providence.
"On one Of my visits to Washington
met Gen. sherman. who asked me if
there was nothing that could be done
Cor me in return for what have done
for Lieut.. Mcqueen. replied that tho
Government did not have money enough
to pay me for the rick Of my life in
serving Mcqueen that had done il as
an act of gratitude aud that 1t vas not
thing that could be paid for IN dollars