The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-04-29
THE CONFEDERATE CHIEFTAlN.
i Day with Ex-presldcnt Jefferson Davis
E.0m The Ncy York SIN.

tie Exposition races at New Orleans the
| other day with Jeff Davis" said Col. Pat
Donan recently. "The party, for whom
lI had admission tickets, included Mr..
| Payne, an old friend Of Mr.. Davis, and
| Col. Robert N. Ogden, popularly known
| as Bob Ogden, and one Of the most bril-
liant men in Louisiana. Col. Ogden had
| been telling me of Mr.. Davis's wonderful
memory, and I had often heard of it
from others, but when I met him / had
personal demonstration of it that more
than realized all that had ever been said
to me. He had never seen me but once
| ia my life, and that was nearly twenty
three years ago, when, as boy with a
face as smooth as girls, was commits
stoned in Richmond to raise battalion
| of cavalry in the mountains of Virginia
! ard Kentucky; and yet he recalled my
face instantly.
'The ex.Presidepcy of the Southern
| Confederacy is apparently in much better
health now than he was then, and looks
little older. he walks with firm step,
| and carries himself with military erect.
ness. I told him he seemed stronger
| than when had seen him all those years
| ago, and he said was right; his health
| is better and time has, all things consid-
| cred, touched him lightly. Speaking Of
| my living in Dakota, he gave me many
interesting "reminiscences of the time he
| was stationed in those then unknown and
savage wildernesses, as an officer in the
United States army, fifty.one years ago.
Then there was not a white settlement
North or South of Prairie due Chen, and
the whole vast region Northwest of Fort
Dearborn, now Chicago, swarmed with
Indians.
"I told him that never took party
of friends over the Chicago, Milwaukee
and St. Paul Railroad without pointing
out to them, near Portage City, Wiscon-
sin. tie log cabins that mark the site of
old Fort Winnebago, where he was
stationed more than half century ago,
and that, associated with his name, it
was one of the places of interest to which
the railroad conductors and brakemen
always call the attention of tourists. He
seemed pleased to learn that his name
had gone into the classics Of that beauti.
full region of lakes and dells. l did not
tell him the whole story that always
accompanies the view of the ancient fort; (;
that it was here he came after eloping
with the only daughter of old Zachary
Taylor and that the people of Prairie du
Chen, then a frontier post, showed their
sympathy with the runaways by giving
them big reception as they passed
through to the last outpost of ciriiza.
tior.
"Mrs.. Clement C. Clay, of Alabama,
whose husband shared Mr.. Davis's i'm
prisonment after the civil war, and who
is one Of the most remarkable women
the South ever produced, gave me the
sequel of this elopement scrape. Gen.
Taylor never forgave either Davis or his
daughter until the night after Davis led
the famous charge of his regiment of
Mississippi rihemen at Buena VISTA
About midnight an orderly presented
himself at Col. Davis's tent and an
nounced that Gen. Taylor wished to sec
him at headquarters Immediately. The
two men had never spoken since the one
had stolen the daughter of the other.
Davis knew the passionate temper of the
old man, and instantly copjectured that
the sudden ard peremptory summons
boded no good to him. In deep anxiety
he hurried to the Generals tent, entered
the door, and saluted, without speaking
or moving a step inside. The door was
closed in moment, and Old Rough and
Ready with his arms out-stretched rush
ed forward and embraced his long-ignored
son-in.law, exclaiming, BY - my
daughter knew you better than l did.
Forgive me forgive me p'
"The reconciliation so dramatically
brought about was lasting one, and to
the day of Old Zach's death, sixteen
months and four days after his inaugura.
ton as President of the United States, he
and Mr.. Davis were friends.
Though he is now far past the Scrip.
tural life-limit of three score years and
ten, Mr. Davis is charming companion
for an afternoon Of commonplace races,
and the range of his information seems
almost infinite. Col. Ogden gave me an
amusing instance of the effects of this
semi omniscence on an untutored native
of the Southern Swamps. Nick Duche.
neville has bunting lodge near the east
end of Lake Pontchartrain, and is
noted character in his region. He is an
expert on dogs, hunting and fishing and
all accessories to these sports, and is a
good hearted fellow, who will, now aud
then, or oftener, get on bowling spree,
and is always grotesquely profane. Out
on cunning expedition with him three
or four weeks ago, Col. Ogden happened
to mention JEFF Davis. Nick said That
airs man l want to see. l was in his
war four years, an amt never laid eyes
on him yit. What kin O. man is he,
Colonel?'
"Col. Ogden replied: Nick, Mr.. Davis
is great man, a very great man. There
is nothing he doesn't know Why, Nick,
he knows more about medicine than any
doctor you ever saw, and more about
horses than any of our sporting men.
He can tell you more about hunting and
fishing than any of Our hunters and fish
ermen. He can sail a boat or put on a
fly better than either of us. Why, Nick,
/