The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-06

SENATOR JEFFERSON DAVIS.
What is Said of Him by One Who
Watched His Senatorial Career.
Olirer Dyer in Great Senator'S"


who deserves notice was jefferson Davis,
whose subsequent career has made his name
known throughout the civiIizsd world. Mr..
Davis was son-in-law TO Gen. Taylor, the
incoming President. He was 40 years old
1o4s), and in vigorous health, but lame
from wound he received only twepty-one
months before in the Mexican war. in
which he greatly distinguished himself.
Indeed, his gallant conduct at the desperate
battle of Buena Vista, where he received
his wound, had made him, next to Scott
and Taylor, one of the most popular heroes
OF the day.
/ have spoken of the excitement caused
IN LocRport on the reception of the news of
the tragic events which occurred during the
Texan war for Independence. A similar.
but a much deeper excitement was felt
throughout the entire country, with regard
to the fate of Gen. Taylor aud his army,
Tor several weeks before authentic news of
the battle of Buena Vista was received. 1t
was reported that Taylor'S forces had been
greatly reduced by the mismanagement of
the administration at Washington. and
that "Old Rough and Ready" as Gen.
Taylor was afectionately nicknamed, had
been purposely left to be destroyed to pre-
vent his coming into the field as a whig
candidate for the Presidency. This rumor
"nSs "a SOuiso IdISe, OUT IL was De-
lleved, and gave additional intensity to the
interest which was felt in the uncertain fate
OF the old hero. 1t became known that
Santa Anna, seeing his opportunity, had
rushed to Taylors destruction with over
whelming force. Our little arm was be-
yond the reach of all ordinary chan
nels OF communication, and so the
country was left in terrible suspense
as to its fate. Their ear of the nation
was turned with agonizing solicitude to
catch the first tidings from that devoted
| little band. And when the news at last
| came-the news of bloody victory, gained
after two days of desperate fighting against
overwhelming odds-it came with a rush
and roar, and an outburst of rejoicing.
such as the country had never before wit
| messed or heard. the news was brought
across Texas to New Orleans by pony
express, and was conveyed through the
| country by the same slow means, ex-
! cept where navigable rivers gave an op-
| portunity to send it by steamboat. AS the
newspaper reporters and the bearers of dis
patches scurried through the country they
told the news along their routes, and the
entire population broke out with rejoicing
in their wake City after city, village after
village, hamlet after hamlet was illumi-
mated, and the whole nation reveled in re-
| joicing. Every particular of the battle
was infinitely described, and the descrip-
lions were eagerly read. Among
these descriptions was glowing ac-
count of the gallantry of Col. Jeffer-
son Davis Of the First Regiment of
Mississippi Volunteers, who, though
badly wounded, refused to quit the field,
but grimly sat on his horse at the head of mis-
regiment, and held vital position against
vastly superior force, until victory was
assured.
Col. Davis, who was graduate of West
Point, and had served several years in the
regular army, was an accomplished soldier.
His regiment, the First Mississippi, was
attacked by force that outnumbered it
six to one, ard was sorely pressed. But
Davis, knowing that if they we're
driven from their position, the Ameri-
can line of battle would be SO
weakened as to imperil the safety of the
entire army. held his ground with invinci-
Bile resolution. When he was SO badly
wounded that the surgeon told him he
must retire. he refused to go. He had his
wound dressed while he sat in his saddle,
and held on. Santa Anna, growing desper-
ate at the successful resistance of the Mis-
sissippians, finally ordered a brigade of
cavalry to charge them. Davis, seeing
what was coming, formed his regiment in
the shape of V, opening toward the
enemy, while he sat at its apex. According
to the descriptions of the battle published
on and rode in the V. The MISSISSIPPI
plans stood with their rifles at their
shoulders and their fingers on the triggers
awaiting the orders of their colonel. When
Davis saw that the critical moment had
come, his clarion voice rang out the one
word, "Firel" His troops spontaneously
responded, and blew the Mexicans from
their saddles. The end soon came The
surviving foes, appalled, by the slaughter,
galloped wildly from the field; the victori-
Gus Mississippians had a respite from their
desperate struggle, and their sorely wounded
colonel was able to seek the relief which he
80 much needed. 1t was the wound thus
and then received which caused the lame
ness of Jefferson DAVIS when 1 first saw
him in Washington, in December, 1S4S.
Mr.. d avis was handsome man, with
symmetrical figure. well up TO the medium
size, piercing but kindly eye, and a gamy,
chivalric bearing. He had fine, sonorous
voice, and was always fluent and some
times an eloquent speaker. He was ready
and skillful in debate, animated in style,
occasionally vehement in manner, but
always courteous.
I, then young man of "a, and only a
few years out of the woods of Niagara
county, became attached to Jefferson Davis,
on account of his genial personal kindness.
Sometimes there were bills before the
senate full of Indian names, or Mexican
names, or Spanish names, that the senator's
could not pronounced correctly and which
the reporters could not catch; hence. it was
necessary for us to get sight of the names
in print, in order to write them out cor
rectly in our reports. Whenever discus
sion on such bill took place. [ used to ap-
ply to Mr.. Davis for copy of the docu-
ment, and he would always get me one, no
matter how much trouble it gave him to
do so. And he did it with such genial
courtesy and kindness that his manner
went straight to the heart and stayed there.
In fact, l used to notice that it seemed to
give jefferson Davis pleasure to do an act
of kindness for anybody.
1t is not probable that Mr.. Davis remem-
bers any of these things Tor that he even
remembers my name) but they are fresh in
my recollection. | often thought of Mr. |
Davis kind personal traits in after years,
and especially during the war, when any
of us northern men would have been |
glad to have had him slain as an
enemy of the country, whlcE sentiment he |
doubtless fully and naturally reciprocated. |
Now that all that is passed, and the asper-
tiles of war have given place to the anne
mites of peace, / find only friendly feelings
in my heart toward Jefferson Davis. and
would gladly reciprocate, if opportunity
should offer, the kindness which, all those
years ago, no showed to me, an obscure
Young man, when he was q distinguished
aud ,1owarfi11 sanator of tina TInitad Statas