Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-14
THE CONFEDERATE TREASURY.
Lincoln's BrOther-in-Law Tells How the
Last $4,000 Was Divided.

Lincoln's BrOther-in-Law Tells How the
Last $4,000 Was Divided.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
DIR. C. r. C. Todd of Barnwell, 8. c., q dis
tinguished surgeon of the confederate army and
brother-in-law of Abraham Lincoln, as vel
as a connection by marriage with the Breckin.
ridge family of Kentucky, during his younger
days was often thrown with Abraham Lincoln
who married his sister. Thus, by family tie!
and by association, he is closely connected with
Breckinyidge and Lincoln, who were both presi
Dental candidates in 1860.
DIR. Todd was in charge of the confederate
hospital at Charleston under Gen. Hardee, and
was with the party of the fugitive confederate
cabinet when it disbanded. He describes the
division of the last money of the confederate
treasury matter of much discussion in the
newspapers few years ago.
"A great deal has been said about it," said
he, but. SO far as l know, no description OF
1t is on record. was there in the room when
the money paid out. and saw the whole pro-
ceeding. Indeed, l am partly responsible for
the division of it at the time. l had been with
the soldiers coming down and heard the Ken
lucky and Virginia troops saying they were
going to have some of the money or have
blood. told Breckinridge, who was the Sec
rotary of war, what had heard. and said that
there might be rioting and bloodshed.
There may be rioting,' said he, but no
bloodshed.' then suggested to him the pro-
priety OF division of the money among
the soldiers, and he replied: we will see
about it. In the party were the confederate
cabinet and the officers of the four brigades
Of troops which were with us when we crossed
the Savannah river. We had the last money
OF the confederate treasury-S7O, 900 in gold
and silver, besides some gold belonging to the
Bank of Richmond. The money was in charge
of Col. Morgan. brother of the famous John
Morgan. We crossed the Savannah river on
pontoOns and went on the road toward Wash
ington, Ga. When we had gone two miles from
the river we stopped at log cabin on the south
side OF the road, and there the $4,000 was paid
out. Mr.. Davis had gone ON about four miles
ahead of us with his staff
I'm the cabin were John C. Breckenridge
secretary of war +; Judah 2. Benjamin. who
looked as scared as the devil and appeared to be
panic stricken Gen. Bragg, the commander OF
the four brigades, and Col. Morgan, who had
charge of the money.
The division was made by caucus of the men
Those present were Vaughn's, DeBrells, Basi
Dukes and Humphrey Marshall's brigades Mar.
shall was then under arrest, and his brigade wal
in charge OF Col. w. G. p. Breckenridge. The
census of the soldiers was the reverse of Porter's
Some of the brigades returned fictitious names
IN order to get more money. The division wal
$2G25 for each man. officers and common
soldiers faring alike Some Of them. by stuff.
ing the census, got much as $50 a head
Divide $4,000 by 1854 and you will see how
many (2.666 mem were returned by the census
of the four brigades. In the paying out we
finally came to key of silver ingots-pieces 3
by inches square. They opened box of gold
belonging to the Bank OF Richmond. 1t was
about is inches long and 10 or IL inches wide.
and contained purses of gold. They made a
iough estimate Of the value of that gold and of
the key Of silver and exchanged them.
In that way 1 got some gold. Then they
carried the Bank of Richmond money to
the bank at Washington Ca. and deposited it.
They took none of it, except little box, for
which they substituted the keg of silver in
gots. While the money was being divided out
Col. Morgan paid a man IS an hour to guard it.
When we got through Morgan took the remain
ing money and drove it away in the dark.
Thence it landed in the bank at Washington
Ga. know only by hearsay, but am salts
fed that the information was correct that
the Bank of Richmond sent for its money and
on its way the men guarding it were attacked
by marauders The guard was temporarily dis
persed and the marauders got some of the
money before they were driven off,