Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-12-09
miss WINNIE"

miss WINNIE"
Charming Sketch Of the Popular "Daugh
ter Of the Confederacy."
WHERE SHE FIRST HEARD THE "REBEL
YELL"-HER LIFE IN GERMANY.
The Ladies' Home Journal for December
has an interesting sketch of Jefferson
Davis's daughter. 1t is by Alice Graham
EcCollin and tells much that is new to the
public. 1t Ia in the "Clever Daughters of
Clever Men" series. Miss Winnie was born
in Rtchmond-her birthday being January
81, 1854.
HER FIRST ADVENTURE.
When she was bnt nine months old-a
short time before the evacuation Of Rich
mond-Mr. Davis arrangedIthe departure of
bis wife and children from that city to
Charlotte, iu North Carolina, where fur
pished house had beea rented. No prep
s.ations for their arrival had been made
the house aud its contents being locked Sc
curely; the baggage which they had brought
with them was largely ruined from the ill
repair of the cars in which 1t had been trans
ported, and discomfort reigned supreme.
They remained here until Mrs. Davis re-
ceived the news of General Lees retreat
and OF the continuous i'll fortune Of the Con-
federate forces, when, acting under instruc-
tions given her by her husband while in
Richmond, Mrs. Davis arranged to leave
Charlotte. The treasure train of the Con-
federacy aud that OF the Richmond banks
came through Charlotte at night, and as
among their escort was Mrs. Davis's BROTH
er and granddaughter of the husbands, it
was decided that the Presidents family
should leave on it. The railroad track was
in running order only as far as Chester,
s. c., which place was reached in the morn
ing. An ambulance was here secured for
Mrs. Davis and her:family, and wagon for
their luggage, and after dark they started
to follow the treasure train to Abbsville.'
''CHEERFuL LITTLE BABY"
The mud was so deep that it was found
impossible to pull the heavily-laden ambu
lance, and Mrs. Davis, with her cheerful
| little baby"-as she calls Winnie-iu her
arms, trudged for five miles through mud
over her shoe tops. About 1 O'Clock they
reached in safety the church in which the
treasure guardians had taken refuge, aud
here they rested until daylight, when the
Journey was resumed. The children, as the
grown people, suffered for food before Alb
| beville, where the little party remained for
few days. was reached. Here Mrs. Davis
received the aegs of General Lees surren-
| der and of President Lincolu's assassina-
i ton. Desiring to facilitate Mr.. Davis in
his movements by leaving him fee of any
necessity to secure safety and shelter for his
family, Mrs. Davis -ook her children and
etarted for Washington, Ga. She remainec
! there only !: few hour: and teward night
fall left that place. About sa ten miles from
town ths little band hal.. acc snss%psa bsra
Ior the night. Mr.. Davis joineu ' :s-.s va
and travelled with them for two or .n
Gays, at the end of which time he WAS ran.
Macon, Ga. 0 p"''y' !"
from tnere they were removed BY vessel
TO Hampton Roads, where thew Law at
ancnor for few days until after Mr.. Davis
nao been removed to his prison at Fortress
monroe. The vessel containing Mrs, Davis
ana her children was sent, a few days after
Mr. Dsvis's removal, to Savannah, Ga.
wHooPINe COUGH.
While at Savannah, Winnie cauobt the
whooping-oough, and Twas ILL., +" writes Mrs.
laws, almost unto death for some days
with the fever which precedes the cough.
Mrs. Davis sent her older children to Cana. |
ga and intended to escape from Augusta ito |
"nich place she had been sentl to join them |
with Winnie, but she was told that if she |
Quilted the country for any purpose what. |
ever she would not be allowed to retu. n. and
so abandoned the project The removal of
Augusta vas change much for the better.
and here both Mrs. Davis aud the baby
became stronger and in better health than
for long months before. Soon after this
Mr.. Davis's release was obtained, and, af
ter rejoining his family and making short
visits with them in Canada, Cuba, and the
South, the party went abroad, whence thew
returned some months later to make their
home in Memphis.
EDUCATION ABROAD.
Winnie remained with her parents unit! !;
1871, when she was taken to q school al
karlsruhe, in Germany, where she remain
I'd for five years, OF her life there uot a &
great dsal can be said. She was educated |
u drawing teacher, and was also gi7a., 1
pecial dramatic training. The former has {
borne fruit in the clever sketehing and land. {
'cape painting which che does and the lat Il
or in an extreme f3ndness for the theatre
md good dramatic representations. The {
principal result of her education here, Miss {
Davis thinks, was TO convince her, after her 9
eturn to America. of the folly of educating
am6Ilcdn cuiiOfon ABROAD.
From Germany she went to q boarding
chool in Paris, where she was soon Joined /,
" her parents. A few months later she J
eturned with them to Now Orleans, which s
vas then their home, and where she made I
Ter debut at the Mardi Gras Ball the fol- {
owing spring, receiving her first taste of
American social life.
'THE REBEL YELL"
The people of Alabama invited MIR. Davis
o visit them soon after this, and with his
laughter be understook the journey. They
we're received with 30 much enthusiasm
bat the trip was extended TO Atlanta and
savannah. 1t 7yas at Atlanta that Govern
# Gordon presented Mas Davis to an ep
husiastic gathering under hsr nam de
,lume, "The Daughter of the Confeder- {
Icy." On this trip also Miss Davis heard
,fr the flrst time the famous '.Rsbel YELL"
fheir itinerary included stop at Green
'ille, Ala, where they were received by
me of the southern regiments with the
peculiar "Rsbel Yell"