The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-09-10
An Interesting Event that Fol-
lowed the Battle Of Richmond.

1850 CN@AA SAAAW va
lowed the Battle of Richmond.
From an article by Gen. Dukei in the August
Bivouac on the fall OF Richmond.
1t was determined that we should
resume u march that night for
Washington, Ga, one or two days.
march distant, and orders were issued
by Gen. Breckenridge that we move at
midnight. About 10 o'clock / received
a message from Gen. Breckenridge
that he desired to see me immediately,
| went to his quarters and he informed
me that the treasure which had been
brought from Richmond was at the
railroad station, and that it was
necessary to provide for it's removal
and transportation. He instructed
me to procure q sufficient number of
wagons to remove it, and to detail q
guard of fifty men under a field officer
for its protection. He further inform
ed me that there was between $780,
600 and 5000, 900 in specie-he did mot
know the exact amount-the greatest
part gold. must, he said, personally
superintend it's transfer from the cars
to the wagons. This was not a very
agreeable duty. represented that if
no one knew just what sum of money
was there, it was rather an unpleas-
ant responsibility to impose on the
party who was to take charge oft. /
would have no opportunity to count
it, nor possible means of ascertaining
whether the entire amount was turned
over to me. He responded that all
that had been considered, and babe
me proceed to obey the order. / de-
tailed fifty picked men as guard, and
put them under command of Col.
Theophilus Steele and fourof my
best subalterns. / obtained six wag-
ons, and proceeding to the station,
began at once the task OF removing
the treasure.
1t was in charge of some or the for
mer treasury clerks, and was packed
in money belts, shot bags, a few small
iron chests, and all sorts of boxes,
some of them Of the frailest descrip-
ton. In this shape | found it loaded
in open box cars. Istationed sentries
at the doors, and, rummaging through
the cars by the faint light Of a few
tallow candles, gathered up all that
was shown me, or all that | could
find. Rather more than an hour was
consumed in making the transfer from
the cars to the wagons, and after the
latter had been started off and had
gotten half a mile away, Lieut.. John
b. Cole, mi of the officers of the
guard, rode up to me with q pine box,
which may have held $4,000 or 3d.
600 III gold, on the pommel of his
saddle. He had remained after the
others had left, and, ferreting about
in q car which wethought we had thor
oughly searched, had discovered this
box stuck in q corner and closely
covered up with a piece OF sacking.
On the next day Gen. Breckenridge d.
rected me to increase the guard to 200
men and take charge of it in person. I
suggested that instead of composingit
entirely Of men from my brigade, it
should be constituted Of details from
all FIVE. / thought this the best plan
to allay any little feeling of jealously
that might arise, and insure q more
perfect vigilance, as / felt persuaded
that these details would all carefully
watch each other. My suggestion was
adopted. Nearly the entire guard was
kept constantly on duty, day and
night, and a majority of the whole es-
cort was generally about the wagons
at every halt, closely inspecting the
guard.
AT the Savannah river Mr.. Davis or
dered that the silver coin, amounting
to Sos, 900 or $11O,O 600, be paid to
the troops in partial discharge Of the
arrears of pay duethem. The quarter
masters of the several brigades were
engaged during the entire night In
counting out the money, and O. throng
of soldiers surrounded the little cabin
where they.wered iyiding 'thepile' into
their respective quotas until early
dawn. The sight Of SO much money
seemed to Danish sleep. My brigade
received $50 per capita, officers and
men sharing alike. Gen. Breckenridge
was paid that sum, and, for the pur-
pose, was borne on the roll of the bril-
gade. On the next day at Washington
turned over the residue of the treas
ure to M. III. Clarke. acting treasurer
of the confederate states, and expert
enced a feeling of great relief.