Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-25
LAST VIEW OF THE CONLD-
ERACY.
The scattering of the Southern soiers
and Leaders After APpOmatts
From the NeaO York Sun.

r~NlI
',niversal sentiment of the Sou GER
un.,s. mat of the soldiers: for " knew
.bot it was only question of tin and a
'Hes - hort time. too. when there ,uld be
''-! ,oral collapse. And so, sen we
..srted homeward, in April, 90, we
snow that we were going THERETO stay
hat the end had come at last. Though
.anv of the men had secured hses, sui
NO large majority were on foollke my
soif and l trudged back on pout the
se,-' route by which / had cde to Vlr'
gInia four years before:
e'Wbat eyentful years! And nat dNtl
,orence in the country throug which.
baS travelled, a boy OF 10, in aast train
sEed with my young conrad, cheering
anS singing improvised war ags. greet
% everywhere along the roawlth over
soWing hospitality, speedii day and
niobt through a land teeminWlth abun-
narce and nowl More tina half of my.
uo,,ng comrades had found sblOw graves
isre and there, from Malvel Hill to Ap-i
nomattox, and l was tTnping back
aalone. through a desolategar-stricken
country, with thousand nes between
me and home. 93t
nanville was the first ton reached
afrer the surrender, and rnors had al
yeadyreached there Of thatVent. There
we're few who were loud their asser-
lions that the governmentDuld hold out
still but there was one Se sign that
those in authority there hi no hope-the
mon we're breaking into u commissary
stores and government warehouses;, and
mo effort was made to stothem. Seeing
etrain Of two coaches ana baggage car
At the depot. headed Sout thought 1t
would be a good oppOrtuDy to get a ride.
A number of kegs abouthe size of beer
kegs and strongly hoOpl, stood on the
nstform. and four men wre with much
Effort loading them in thelar.
What is JhatW I sked one OF the
men.
Specie" he replied.
II was the Confederas treasury and
tbe contents Of the Behmond Bank
vaults.
Stepping on the platfTD Of one OF the
coaches, colOred poEer net me at the
door with whispered
'Mr. Davis in dar."
"WhOw
@Mr. Davisw
Not only did that tain contain the Con-
tederRte treasury, but tie whole govern
|ment- President, Cabinet, archieves, ev-
|erything.
So started southwrd and homeward
afOot. The railroad vas now lined with
linen, all moving in tie same direction,
and no one could hav told from any word
or act of theirs that nsy were soldiers Of
Ia defeated army and Dst cause, for while
There was no exultatin, there was no de-
lection; the one dominant thought and
feeling was, ''The var is ended, we are
|g0iDg home" which many had left four
|Tears before. and lad not even heard
from in three years. 1 caught a freight
train on the road ah rode into Green's
|boro, n. c., at abOu midnight, on top of
Il box car, whence enld be seen on all
'hdes around and in the town innumera-
/ Die camp fires OF stragglers, paroled
.nen, and deserters, and beyond these in
The woods was ,Ohnston's dissolvIng
|mmy. His men we're leaving by hun
|ireds.
Getting into ear OF a train on a side
track TO sleep, fund it loaded with
blankets, and the san was high up before
awOke. The firstthing that greeted my
Eseepy eyes next mlrning was this: In
+ he shallow dry ditd not five yards away
Stood Gen. Beaureglrd, speaking in a low
voice to an officer Jeated on an empty
box. He held cupof coffee in one hand,
Eand gesticulated IIowly and earnestly
#Etb the other. Twp or three officers were
heakfasting of pine box, while a negro
Fas baking hOecakes at little fire on
fhich steamed pot of cOffee. Irecog-
ized no one except BeauIegard.
Some 0O yards beyond this group, on
w NIL, stood very small 1-story house.
was Johnston's headquarters. On the
PpOslte side OF the train we're number
small fires, at which mtn were cook
q eating, or sleeping. Some genius
scoyered that part of she train was
sded With powder, and n a short time
sffels were rolled or ihrown out, the
eaas knocked in, and cinteens and bot
~ were nlIed to carry home. Out OF
ere WantOnness, barreR of cannon pow
u we're upset, and layin heaps near the
es. kemOnstrance and warning were
oel!ed with jeers ami ridicule; so got
o. my car on the other side, and eau
Oled one of Gen. Beauregard's staff.
"a scarcely got to The end of the train,
men pile Of the loose powder went of,
u fortunately, only one pile. The only
nsge was the literal SHINING Of three
four meI.
llls FIRST seriouseyidence OF turbulence
cured within a few yards of headquar-
. snQ the reckless spirit seemed to in
Ease az the town became more crowded
~ new arrivals, and eliminated when
men found LIQUOR. There were i'm
u'e quantities Of army supplies stored
~ ana many Of the soldiers seemed de-
Ous Of helping themselves. A COM
KY 81 cavalry broke into house where
w. lne uniform cloth was stored. The
az gave the alarm; an infantry force
uouple.quicsed to the spot, coming
.usv as the cavalry we're riding away.
a ae was a quick command 10 halt, a
ny: NY reply, a single shot, a volley, yells,
~ nying horsemen, some dead men
|rs s =, u Tue street, and the danger OF an
SIu Iaen two men came riding slowly
W. tle street, one in civilians
'pVs' 'ne other in full Generals uni
iIH s5r were Jefferson Davis and Joseph
r us d'alIer person seemed calm and I'M
~, ~ out shall never forget the agony
mi expressed In Mr.. Davis face. He
t asp . as u he was about TO weep as he
49, =. me fallen men. This event re-
sae ~ .ue turbulent spirit that seemed
pos sns with every new arrival. The
lem y, "aS seized and destroyed, rations
b,, W. an, cloth doled out slowly, all
IonSt army In camp received small
& tfec.,,. peele, camps were formed and
diso,us,Ilons taken TO prevent tumult
lb. many Of the men said, "If we don't
0 'asse stores the enemy will - al thew
va zoe needy women and obiIdren IN
n fa au made them charge the lauehing
rol. @n1 help themselves. MANY OF the
boso men We loitered in Greensboro, in
gbjcs y, sharing the millions OF spe-
be- ~ 'ney supposed 10 be somewhere
SSye fought four years. said a tall.