The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-08-28

iiVSuiHc our uIdICH tIlut uiEHt IDl
Washington, Ga. one or two DAYS
march distant, and orders were
issued by Gen. Breckenridge tina,
We move at midnight. About II
O'Clock ! received 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
road station, and that it was neces.
sary to provide for its removal and
transportation. He instructed IN.
to procure a sufficient number OF
wagons to remove it, and to detail
guard of fifty men under field
officer for its protection. He further
informed me that there was
between 100000 and 100000 in
specie-he did not know the exact
amount-the greater part gold. |
must, he said, personally spperin-
tend its transfer from the cars to
the wagons. This was not very
agreeable duty. ! represented that
if 10 one knew just what sum of
money was there, it was rather
an unpleasant responsibility to
impose on the party who was to
take charge of it. | 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. | detailed fifty picked men
as guard, and put them under
command of Colonel Theophilus
Steele and four of my best subal-
terms. / obtained six wagons and,
proceeding to the station, began at
once the task of removing the
treasure.
1t was in charge of some of the
former Treasury clerks and was
packed in money belts, shot-bags
and few small iron chests, and
all sorts of boxes. some of them
being of the frailest description.
In this shape l found it loaded
in open box-cars. / stationed SEN
tries 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 l could find. Rather more
than an hour was consumed in
the transfer from the cars
to the wagons, and, after the latter
had been started off and had got
ten half a mile away, Lieut.. John
b. Cole one of the officers of the
guard, rode up TO me with a pine
box, which may have held $4,000
or So, 900 in gold on the pommel OF
his saddle. He had remained after
the others had left, and, ferreting
about in a car which we thought !
we had thoroughly searched, had |
discovered this box stuck in q
corner and closely covered up with |
a piece of sacking. The next day !
Gen. Breckenridge directed me to
increase the guard to 200 men and
lake charge of it in person. | sug-
gested that instead of composing it
of men from my brigade it
should be constituted of details
rom all five. | thought this the
pest plan to allay any little feeling
IF jealousy that might arise and
insure a more perfect vigilance, as
felt persuaded that these details
would all carefully watch each
,ther. My suggestion was adopted
Nearly the entire guard was kept
constantly on duty day and night
md a majority of the whole escort
vas generally about the wagons at
very halt, closely inspecting the
guard
At the Savannah river Mr.. Davis
ordered that the silver coin.
mounting to $10S,000 or $4,000,
'e paid the troops in partial dis
barge of the arrears of pay due
hem. The Quartermasters of the
everal brigades were engaged dur
NC the entire night in counting
ut the money, and a throng of
oldiers surrounded the little
abin where they were dividing
the pile " into their respective
uotas until early dawn. The
light of 50 much money seemed to
anish sleep. My brigade received
32 per capita, officers and men
haring alike. Gen. Breckenridge
as paid that sum, and, for the
urpOse, was borne on the roll of
ne brigade. The next day at
ashington | turned over the
esidue of the treasure TO NJ. ii.
larke, Acting Treasurer of the
confederate States, and expert
need a feeling of great relief
len. Duke, in August Bivouac.
Missionary Work ia Iowa.