Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-07-23
CONFEDERATE WAR STORIES.

CONGRESSMAN CUMMINGS HEARS
SOME GOOD ONE IN WASH
| IEGTOH.
GENERAL DUKES EXPERIENCE IN BUR.
BRIDGES RAID-A NEW STORY OF JUDAH
P. BENJAMIN. SOUTH CAROLINA CAP
TAIN UNDER FIRE-MARTrN RILEY's
FRIENDLY TRIBUTE.
Special to New York Sun.
| WASHINGTON, July 12.-Gen. Basil Duke,
of Kentucky, stood in the rotunda of the
Ebbitt House the other day conversing with
Col. Dick Wintersmith, Col. Cummings, of
Louisville, the Hon. Asher G. Caruth, and
other distinguished Corncrackers. A men,
| ber of Congress was introduced to the Gen.
eral. The representative saw slight gen.
tlemen, shaped like pipestem, with fash
| ing eyes and hair and beard barely streak
ed with silver. His head was crowned with
bright straw hat, with rim about an
inch wide. There was broad white rib
bon around the hat. The congressman re-
marked that in physique Gen. Duke hardly
filed his ideas. 81 fancied," F" said he, sifrom
what had read, that Basil Duke was at
least six feet tall and as broad shouldered
as the late Senator Beck"
At this Gen. Duke smiled. 1t reminded
him of story of the war. He speaks with
great exactness and rapidity. The best
stenographer would find it hard work to
"take him down." He said that the con-
gressman was not the first man who had
been disappointed in his personal appear
ance.
"When Burbridge made his last raid in
Kentucky" said General Duke, "my COM
mand was quite active. While ! was in
| camp camp one -morning an old mountaineer
walked into my tent. HeHsas lie vas six feet tall
and as thin as shadow. He haIf> sharp
gray eyes, with shaggy brows and beak
like an eagle. He carried a long-barrelled
rifle, and was arrayed from head to foot in
buckskin. To tell the truth, he looked like
hickory rammer in buckskin sheath.
The weather was quite cold. Without say
ing word, he sat down in front of the fire.
He made such an impression upon me that
l can see him at this moment just as clearly
as saw him then. He gazed at the blaze
for minute or two, wiped bead from his
nose with the back of his hand, and then
glanced at me. / thought that the boys
had been appropriating one of his horses,
and that he had come to seek satisfaction.
The Confederacy needed horses just then,
We were like st Paul-in want of all things.
l was cogitating as to what was best to do.
l wanted, if possible, to satisfy him and yet
keep the horse. He was evidently man of
few words and of action. He sat gazing in
to the fire some time longer, cast another
glance in my direction, emptied his month
Of tobacco juice, and then said: 'This is
General Dukes headquarters, take it.'
Eyes, sir, / replied, 'it is.
"He clagped his hands over his knee,
ia mi ft,1l
scrutiny, said: swell, sonny, reckon the
old Giner'l must be at breakfast jist now,
hain't hep
"His GOODNESS unnerved me. | was rat
tied. There was no doubt of the old mans
honesty. He had taken me for an orderly.
He seemed SO positive that, for the world,
l would not have had him know that was
General Duke. replied firmly: yes, sir,
the old General is in at breakfast. I'll go
and call him for you."
81 went into an adjoining tent, where
Gen. Davis, my adjutant, sat. The General
was the personifcation of dignity. He had
a bald head, a massive face, grizzled
moustache, broad shoulders, and hearty
bearing. asked him to represent himself
to the old man as Gen. Dukeend hear his
complaint At first he demurred, but final
ly consented. He was gone some minutes.
urged him TO play the role. Pledging him
to secrecy, told him all the circumstances.
Gen. Davis was a man of honor. He un-
doubtedly kept his pledge, but the next day,
when mounted and rode to the head of
my brigade, every man in it shouted well,
sonny, l reckon the old Giner'l is in at
breakfast, jist now, hain't hep "
Gen. Forney, of Alabama, told good
story of the war not long ago in cloak
room of the House of Representatives. He
heard it from the lips of Confederate Of
ficer, who got it direct from Judah P. Ben
jamin, the Confederate Secretary of State.
Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet were at
some little town in western North Carolina
on their way to Texas, after Lees surren-
der, when they heard of the assassination of
Abraham Lincoln. The news appalled,
them. A council of war was held. All felt
that the indignation of the North over Lin
coins death would be so great that sum
mary vengeance would be wreaked upon
any members of the Confederate Cabinet
who were captured. Benjamin struck out
for himself. He tried to make his way to
the saacoast and take his chances of escap-
ing to Europe. He had little money. At
first he was assisted by members of bis own
religious faith. But 10 time his supplies
ran out, and he had anything but "a pleasant
experience. He understood that there was
large reward offered for his arrest. The
country was secured by Federal cavalry,
and several times he narrowly escaped cap.
ture. He finally reached the boundary of
Florida and Georgia. 1t was unsafe for him
to apply at plantations for shelter. He slept
in thiekets and wherever he thought it
would be safe. One night, hungry and
footsore, he went to sleep upon bed of
pine needles in scrub of saw palmettos.
Soon after daylight he awoke. A sharp
falsetto voice shouted: "Hurrah for Jeff?"
1t startled him. At first he thought that
it came from some Yankee trooper on his
trail, and trying to lure him out. The
mocking birds were singing in the pine trees
above the palmettos, and finches were twit.
tering in the tops. Occasionally cardinal
groesbeak flew over him. At the time,
however, he heard the words: "Hurrah for
Jeffp' uttered in the shrill falsetto tone.
At last he ventured to raise his head and
cautiously peer over the scrubby palmettos.
Nobody was In sight. He raised himself to
his full height, which was very short, and
looked around him.
'tHurrah for jeff - was repeated. He
saw, few yards away, parrot sitting up
on the limb of a burned pine. He quickly
concluded that the owner of the bird could
be trusted. He approached the parrot,
which gazed at him with apparent interest,
and then began to whisper "Away Down
in Dixie" A moment afterward the bird
flew hundred yards or more, and again
shouted, "Hurrah for jeff!
Benjamin followed, and soon arrived at
plantation in the edge of hammock, shad
ed with live oaks. Its owner lived in a
large log house, with cartway through the
middle. The chimneys were built upon the
outside of the dwelling, and there was a
row of negro quarters near by. A tall
cracker sat upon the stoop dandling halt
naked boy upon his knee. Benjamin asked
him if he owned the parrot. He replied
that he did, and added: "That birds a rale |
old rebel, like the rest of us''
Thereupon Benjamin made himself
known, and was treated with the utmost |
,Ecl, Il.