, 1889-12-12
VIEWS OF A SOUTHERN ADMIRER.
The Home Life of the Leader
Of the Confederacy.
The DAUGHTER OF THE CONFEDERACY."
Mr.. Davis Estimate of the Abili-
ties OF the Confederate
Generals.
lAtlantn constitutional |

On the way TO the southern For
estry congress in February, 1897, !
found that had u days leisure and
II occurred to ME to accept an often
repeated invition to visit Mr.. Davis
At Beauvoif, Miss, railroad sta
ton about half way between Mobile
and New Orleans. IL chanced that
] had been on the committee which
escorted him to Montgomery in
1851, and our relations became some
what intimate during the war, con-
tinuing 1t without interruption to
this time.
In the afternoon the train left me
at the little depot, which is also the
local postoffice--the ex-president be-
ing the chief patron. A young
Englishman in the service Of Mr..
Davis politely guided me over the
devious country road to the family
residence half a mile distant.
THE BUILDINGS AT BEAUvOIR
form quite a group, having been
built at considerable cost for luxu-
rious Southern home. Situated on
. high blum Of white sand, about a
hundred yards from the Mexican
gulf, blown over by the salt sea
breeze, 1t must be a healthy place.
The soil seems incapable of produc-.
ing anything but the superb live
oaks, msgnolias and pines, which
shade the grounds of about fifty
acres All the buildings are wood
one-story and slatecovered-the
principal one is quite cspa cious, con-
tanning probably ten rooms, with
lofty ceilings and all handsomely
frescoed. A very wide hall runs
through the center and broad ve-
randa surrounds the whole. On
either side, some fifty yards distant,
are cottages of similar design, in one
of which is Mr.. Davis' office and
reference library, his daughters
studio Miss Davis is fine artist
and sleeping room. The other
cottage is an Overflow" guest
chamber building; cluster of out
houses huddle In the rear. All the
houses are painted white and show
pleasantly under the evergreen foli-
age.
Soon after sending I'm my card
THE VENERABLE EX-PRESIDENT
greeted me with hearty cordiality,
and IL was gratifying to notice that
this remarkable man still retained
the dignified bearing, high courtesy
aud gentle manner of the "old
South" That this man, now about
so, conspicuous I'm the Black
Hawk, Seminole and Mexican wars,
secretary of war under Pierce,
United States senator from Missis-
sippi for two terms, president of the
confederate states during the great
est conflict of modern times, state
prisoner in u damp case-mate of
Fortress Monroe for two years, could,
during all the stress which must
have pressed upon him, still retain
his erect carriage, wonderful men,
DRY and accurate knowledge of eur
rent events Is beyond my compre-
hension.
Drawing some restful chairs to
the parlor windows, through which
came the soft breeze, had the hap
piness OF a free conversation with, l
think, the greatest man ever knew.
Many tender memories of person al
interest were recalled and many his
toric points discussed. With the
exception Of John G. Calhoun, Mr..
Davis Is
THE MOST INTERESTING TALKER
ever met. i supposed he is the
only man living who knows and re-
members accurately the inner histo-
ry of the confederacy. In speaking
Of the Blackhawk, Seminole and
Mexican wars he related many in
teresting incidents and mentioned
the singular fact that all the COM
mands in the Mexican war We're
from the South, as Scott of Virginia,
Taylor of Louisiana, Worth of
North Carolina, Briggs of Georgia,
Pillow of Tennessee, Quitman OF
Mississippi, besides Bragg, Davis,
Butler and Others who held subord-
mate positions. Quitman, however,
was born In the North.
asked him who he thought was
the greatest confederate COM
msnder. After some thought he
said General Lee, explaining that
Albert Sidney johnson was un-
doubtedly the equal of Lee, but
having fallen carly In the war, he
had no opportunity to demonstrate
his great capabilities. After these two
he mentiOneds5tonewaI Jackson, j.
r. Johnston, Gordon, LOngstreet,
Stewart, the Lees, the Hills and
many Others. / asked him whom
he considered the greatest Union
general. He answered unhesitat-
ingly-MCClellan. Said he was an
intense Union man and he respect
ed him as such, but that he fell
under unjust suspicion at Washing
tOn--for political reasons-and con-
fusion ensued. When secretary of
rar, Mr. Davis had sent Mcclellan
TO survey the bay of SANTANA, in st.
Domingo, with the hope of securing
= harbOr and coallng station In the
West Indies for the United States
navy. His map and report are now
oil file i'm Washington. The work
was so well done that he detailed
him to visit St Petersburg to report
upon the military establishments of
Russia. In twelve munths he sub
mitted exhaustive reports and also
translated a technical work, which
Is now In the war Office at Wash
tngton.
HE SPOKE KINDLY
and appreciatively of many North
ern generals, saying General Grant
was a good man and a great general,
who came to the front with the re-
sources of the world at his back
when the confederacy was ex-
hausted. He also spoke In the most
kindly way of President Lincoln,
who, II his life had been spared,
would have been of great service Ia
the South and the whole country.