Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-08


cause. These reverses and the vast
armies the Northern States had
demonstrated their ability to put in the
field, and reinforce as necessity might
demand, had most depressing effect on
the credit of Mr.. Davis government.
The battle of Gettysburg had taken
held by his opponents as di-
rectly responsible for the advance
into Pennsylvania. The army Was
poorly fed and poorly clad. Their arms
were old and out of repair, and ammuni-
ton was insufficient. Food was scarce
all over the South, and the currency was
deprecated to terrible degree. There
we're q great many Union prisoners held
in the South, but they could not be ex-
changed because Of q dispute about the
negro troops, whom the Confederacy re-
fused to recognize as prisoners of war.
At last go scarce was food that Mr.. Davis
says in his own book: "We offered to
the United States Government their sick
and wounded without any equivalent.
The year 1854 opened with several
successes of the Confederate arms in
Florida and other parts OF the South.
But these did not last. Gen. Joseph E.
Johnston was removed from the COM
mand of the army opposing
General Sherman in Georgia, and
Gen. John B. Hood was put
in his place. This was on the 18th Of
July. On the 1st Of September Hood
WAS forced to evacuate Atlanta. Davis
went in person to the front and tried in
all ways to stay the tide of battle which
had set against his cause, and to keep
Sherman from reaching the sea. Propo-
sitions to offer to treat for peace with the
North had already begun to be put for
ward. Efforts were made in this direc-
ton, but they we're of no avail. Presi-
dent Davis in all bis messages breathed
spirit of the highest hopes. He made
speeches to fire the patriotism of the
South to still greater efforts. But Sher-
man marched steadily towards the sea,
and Hoods campaign in Tennessee was
most disastrous. As Hood took leave
of his army in January, 1865, he said CT
this campaign, s'I alone am responsible
for it's conception" In the meantime
General Grant was steadily advanc-
ing on Richmond, and the clouds
were gathering thick and threatening
over the Confederate cause. On Sunday,
April Q, 1865, President Davis sat in his
pew in st. Paul's church, Richmond,
when telegram was handed him an
nouncing that General Lee had been
forced to evscuste Petersburg, and that
| the capital must be abandoned. That
evening the President of the Confeder-
acy, with his Cabinet, went by train to
Danville. In less than a week he was
forced again to move, this time to Char
lotte. Here he heard OF the sssassina-
tion of Lincoln. Davis moved south,
and on May 10Th, ct Irwinsville, Georgia.
he and his entire party were captured by
q body of cavalry under Lieutenant.
Colonel Prichard. He was taken to
Fortress Monroe and kept in confinement
for two years.
Congress ct various times attempted
to force the trial OF MIR. Davis on q
charge Of treason, with completely in the
assassination of Mr.. Lincoln added.
Various reasons for the delay we're given
by the President and Chief Justice
Chase. On the Sth of May, 1866, he was
indicted for treason by Grand Jury of
the United States Court for the district
of Virginia, sitting at Norfolk, under
Judge Underwood, the charge of com.
plicity in the death of Lincoln having
been dropped. On the 18th of May, 1867,
he was brought before the court at Rich
mond ON writ of habeas corpus, and
admitted to bail in the sum Of 500, 900
The first name on the bail bond was
that of Horace Greeley. The ex-Presi-
dent of the Confederacy was enthusias-
tically received at Richmond. He
then visited New York, then Canada,
and during the summer of 1868 he went
to England. He was never brought to
trial, nols prose9ui being entered in
the case by the United States Govern.
ment in December, 1868.
For awhile he was President of life
insurance company at Memphis. In 1879
Mrs. Dorsey, of Beauvoir, Mississippi,
bsqueathed to him her estate. There he
quietly lived to the time Of his last ILL
before Congress to remove all political
with the South in the war, James G.
from the benefits of this act Mr.. Davis.
of this said Davis was the
and crimes at Andersonville. Senator
DCAJol ILL, Ok uolChobu
Davis. In 1869, when a bill was pro-
posed pensioning the veterans of the
Mexican war, Davis was specially ex-
cepted also from this. Mr.. Davis last
public appearance was at the great
meeting Of Confederate soldiers in
Montgomery, Alabama, on the 2S!h Of
April, 1886, at the dedication of the
monument to the Confederate soldiers.
During the past three years his life has
been very retired, and his last illness Of
few days is fresh in the minds of all
readers of the papers.
There are two biographies of the dead
statesmen, both written by southern
men. One is by Frank H. Alfred and
represents the sentiments of those
friendly to Mr.. Davis. The other is by
Pollard, editor of the Richmond Esam-
liner, which opposed Davis while Presi-
dent and which held him personally re-
sponsible for the result Of the war. Dur
ing his years of retirement Mr.. Davis
wrote book. "The Rise and Fall of the
Confederate Government"
THE RAiN.
Report OF the Sig nal Office COM
pared With Last Year.
The Signal Station of this city reports
a total of 1915 inches of rainfall thus far