Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-09-08
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
THE LAST TREASURE.
Dramatic Incidents of the Closing Da
If the CnnfederacY.


iansburg we were surprised with the
first intimation of the surrender by
struggling paroled prisoners on their
way home. Gen. Echols then disbanded
his Virginia troops, but Gen. Basil w.
Duke, who had but recently been ex-
changed, took command of his old Ken
lucky squadron, Morgan's kentucky
command, and made his way south to
Charlotte, y. C. Near Statesville. n. c.,
we encountered Gen. Palmers (Federa)
command, and our captain Quirk, and
Lieut.. Hanston Hopkins came in con-
tact with scouting party from Gen.
Palmer's command, and in the fight
which ensued federal Lieut.. Campbell
was killed, and this lieutenant was said
to be the Sergt. Campbell who had
killed Gen. John II. Morgan at Green
vile, Tenn.
We quartered in Charlotte several
days, during which the most eventful
periods of the dying confederacy oc-
Cured
| was present and heard the last
speech of the president def Davis be-
before the end came. He stood on the
door ''stoop' Of one Mr.. Johnson, and
told us, (about seventy-five men) that
5000 stands of arms surrendered by
Gen. Lee were not the southern army,
and that we would make Thermopyla
of every mountain pass and continue
the war indefinitely" But before he
got warmed up in his speech Mr.. John
son handed him telegram. The un-
usual disturbance caused a breathless
silence and a suspicion that all was not
right. Mr.. Davis turned deathly pale
and showed evident signs of deep emo
ton. AT last soldier spoke out loud,
Read it" Mr.. Davis read in a trembling
voice:
DURHAM STATION, n. c., April Is, 1865
President Lincoln was assassinated last night
at Fords theater." J. c. BRECKENRIDGE
1t has been said that we cheered when
this news was received. but such is not
the case. Mr.. Davis sad spirit was
participated in by the crowd but when
Mr.. Davis turned to retire into the
house we called loudly Go on" Go
on, but he never spoke as president to
confederate soldier again.
We remained in Charlotte several days
for Gen. Breckenridge and others of
the cabinet to come up, and about the
goth we moved west with an accumulated
cavalry force of about four hundred,
but many dropping out of the ranks en-
route to the Savannah river Whenever
we made a halt of any kind Gen. Breck-
inridge (then secretary of war; would
lie down in the road and fall asleep and
we had hard time to awaken him
when ready to start His recent work
had completely exhausted him.
When we arrived at Abbeville, :. c.,
we took charge of the famous treasury,
with other effects and archives of the
confederacy. We were in the night be-
fore we could go on, and in the hurry
to get off one of the cartouche boxes
was left on the platform at the railroad
depot. w. p Cole, little red-headed
lieutenant 'of Company | in Morgan's
squadron, was commanding the rear
guard that night, and came upon the
box and took it up on his horse in front
and carried it about fifteen or eighteen
miles to give it to the guard who had
charge Of the treasury We all knew
whatit was and We're waiting inpatient
ly FOR a division, which came in part at
Morse's landing, on the Savannah river,
about eighteen miles east of Washing
ton, Wilkes county, Ga. Private soldiers
got thirty dollars or thirty-two dollars
in silver. l have now twelve of the
identical dollars got there. The officers
got more Gen. Bragg got five thousand
dollars in gold and grumbled because
he got no more. 1t was said that
Breckenridge got $4,000, but l think
he got much more in trust. and here
are my reasons for thinking so. While
at Morse's Maj. Clark (adjutant) came
from jeff Davis at Washington with an
order about u o'clock at night, and
had to take the answer immediately
Clark did not return l reached Wash
ington at about day-break, delivered
my message, and was ordered to wait
for reply, and as it was the custom
for carriers to read dispatches when not
sealed l read mine, and this is what it
contained:
Why has not Gen. - come up with
his regiment as escort? The country is
being secured by marauding scouts Of
the enemy, and fear we will suffer
violence at their hands if we meet with
them. JEFF DAVIS, President
| met Gen. Breckenridge about four
miles from Washington, coming west,
and delivered the dispatch, when he re-
marked to me:
Captain, you must be very tired"
He halted his command and studied
the paper fully thirty minutes. rode
back and looked in the wagon for the
money, but it was non est and some Of
the bravest and most daring men of our
command were conspicuous by their alb
sence-namely; Charlie Semple, ord
nance officer for Breckinridge; Calvin
Morgan, brother to J. II. Morgan; VIM.
b. Davis Acknowledgement for secretary
of war; and the Maj. Clark already
mentioned.
left about five wagon-loads Of mon
ey on the gallery of Morse's house, and
believe it was put into boat and car
ried down the Savannah river and was
shipped via Cuba to France. 1t was re
ported that Mr.. Trenholm was sick and
did not come west of Greensboro. n. c.,
b1+ | saw him in WASHINGTON tocrat ber