Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-02
A BIT OF HISTORY,
A Kentuckian Refutes a SANDER
from John Il. BrownIOw.


Fr,1a the NashoiIl5 american.
In your issue of June "a you reproduce
a letter from the National Republican,
written by John b, Brownlow, from
Washington, ID. c., in which he makes
statements that are false in fact, as well
as unjust to number of good citizens of
Tennessee and elsewhere, including Gen.
G. G. Dibrell, Col. McLamOre and others.
1t grows out OF the HCuk-Harris contro-
Versy as to what became of the Tennessee
school fund at the close Of the war, with
which we are not at present concerned,
but only wish to notice what Mr.. Brown
low says about the division of the STEW
thousands of the Confederate treasure"
by a ''bare-foOted, bare-headed, bare
backed and utterly bankrupt crowd of
rebels"
We give his own words (Brownlow's):
"Finally, had Gov. Harris not been a man
of integrity and nerve in an unusual de-
gree, the bare-loOted, bare-headed, bare
backed, and utterly bankrupt crowd OF
rebels who surrounded him, when they
heard of the final surrender of all their
armies, would have divided among them
selves the remnant of the itinerant treas
ure chest of Tennessee, as a similar crowd
surrounded JEFF Davis at the surrender
and divided the few thousand specie ofthe
Confederate treasury among them
selves"
While we have no crow to pickIwith
Mr.. BrOwnIOw, we will say Just here,
however, that such language as the above
is eminently suited TO the purposes OF the
son of his father.
And now for the facts which apply to
the division of the few thousands of the
Confederate treasury. which at the same
time may throw some light on the dis
position or the much-talked-Of specie
which President Davis undertook to
transport by the ordinary means OF trans
portation by wagon.
A few days after The battle OF Benton's
Church, HApril, 1865, DibrelPs brigade
Cavalry consisting of the Fourth and
Eighth Tennessee and Kentucky regi-
ments, reported at Greensboro, \. c.,
where we found Davis, j. y. Benz amin,
and others of note, awaiting us. Mr..
Davis idea then was TO enter the trans
Mississippi department and there continue
the unequal struggle. and after a short
rest, Mr.. Davis and some memb ers OF
his Cabinet, with the Confederate treas
ure, escorted by Dlbrel's brigade, started
on the march going southwark. The en-
tire command being we'll mounted,
well clothed and orderly, and
presenting anything but the aspect OF
"oare-tooted, bare-headed, bare backed
rabDle" that Mr.. BrownIow would have
you believe they were. But after few days
travel, learning that the Federals held
Macon, Ga. and all intermediate points,
Mr.. Davis deemed 1t impracticable to adj
vance with such a large force without
taking the imminent risk OF joining battle
with the enemy, concluded to continue
his journey with small band Of volun-
teers as an escort. Before leaving us,
however, he ordered us to he paid, each
private S24, land officers $32, out OF the
moneys that we were then guarding.
think there was divided amongst US
about $4,000, leaving untouched six forty
four gallon barrels and several kegs of
specie TO continue on its way southwest
ward, under the protection of this small
but honest and intelligent escort. Gen.
Dibrell then marched his command to
Washington, Ga, when he discovered that
we were surrounded by the Federals, and
without hope OF further success. This
gallant and battle-scarred command was
reluctantly surrendered to the Federal
Gen. Wilson. Thus was surrendered the
famous Dbrell brigade, being the last
body Of regular Confederate States troops
paroled east of the Mississippi river.
And not rabble of "bare-footed, bare
headed, bare-bscked and utterly bankrupt
rebels" as Mr.. Brownow asserts we
were. But gallant, brave aud generous
foe, VINO acQuiesced in the inevitable
without murmur, returning TO their
devasted homes quietly, and have since
been aboring diligently to repair losses
occasioned by a struggle so unequal.
The voices Of some Of whom are beard in
the councils Of the nation, while many OF
them nave held high and re-
sponsble positions in the legislative,
executive and judicial departments
OF their native State tennessee while
others are engaged IN proclaiming the
doctrines Of the great Master, whose teach
ing Mr.. Brownlow would do well to heed.
That is ado unto others as you would
have them do unto you" only asking as
a matter OF justice to my comrades and
myself that you give this article space in
your valuable paper, which we read with
much pleasure.
We are yours, respectfully,
+. NJ. PEMBERToN.
H1psor. EV..J''p" %. lSS6.