The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1892-03-11
Recollsctions Of the Last Days by
an Old Confederate Soldier.

"There are consultations and consulta-
tions don't you know"
And then. the grim ex-Confederate
gnmmed ont the end of an old-tIme NOUS
tache with bit of moisture from has lip.
says the Chicago Tribune.
-There are ma ny things that did that
1 wOul q do over again If all the circum-
stances surrounding were the same ahP'
And then the relic drew up his rocker
closer to the CRATE. in the office at the
Leland.
''fhat was historic scene-T shall
never forget il. should die il I were
compelled to 60 through it again though.
Ali that was an episode.
FORGET i'll Great Godl Neverl"
And then the worn warrior bit off a
piece of plug and edged up little near
or the fire.
at was at Abbeyville,, about o'clock
in the afternoon of May End, and Mr..
Davis called a council of-of-well, III
call II war. Mr. Davis presided, with
Gen, Bragg on his right and Gen. Brock
enridge on his left. Bragg Was senior
General of the Coufederacy, as Lee, john
son, Cooper and Beaureguard had surren-
dered. Then there were Gems. Dibrell,
Of Tennessee; Ferguson. OF South Ca rolf
ma, and Basil Duke of Kentucky; yes, and
there were Vaughn, of Tennessee, and Col.
W. Z. z. breckenridge, of Kentucky.
can count on every man / have
left said Ferguson; II can count on twen-
ly that would rather die ia the last ditch.
than surrender
"4 cannot speak of mine in such glow
ing terms remared Gen Dibrell, except
se-.saxes yen, Ma President, and Gen.
Breckinbridge. / will not, of my own
accord, ask my men to fight further.
The cause is lost. The C0nfederacy is
no more:5S | do not deem it just to risk
another noble life except for the purpose
as before stated
=: There are $50 men in my command
exclaimed Gen. Duke, who will follow
me wherever 60, even were it straight
into the jaws Of hell. do not know that
our cause il lost. Pardon me my friends
bot fyou feel as DO our cause Is not
lost
My command is<prepared to accept
whateyer terms are accepted by Gen.
johnson, and l shall 60 with my COM
mapd said Gen. Vaughn.
"'And / will never surrender unless or
dered. to by the President or the Secretary
of War declared Col. Breckenridge;
but my men do not share with me this
feeling. I'shaII not urge them further"
"Then Mr.. Davis addressed us, substan-
TALLY, as follows: st is useless TO keep
men under arms who do not wish
TO fight-criminal to risk the lives of the
men who are willing TO fight the bravery
of those who will not. Therefore we must
winnow the commands. could have been
at Shreveport to-day; but was not will
ing to leave those that were still in the
field. Gen. } Johnston has undoubtedly SUR
rendered. do not believe there are 500
troops that can be further depended upon
in this department. My plan now 10 to
join Gen. Taylor; and, if his army goes to
pieces, will cross the river. Aud if the
cause Is finally lost, my friends remember,
1 have done my duty to the best OF my
ability But the cause is not lost, al
though the present war M ay result disas-
trously. The noble blood shed during
these four years has not been shed in vain;
and, mark what now say: Under otter
auspices and other leaders our cause will
yet succeed
Will / ever forget thatscene? should
say not. Well it was agreedsthat Mr.. DaE
Wis should start at once for Washington
Ca, with small escort, ands go from
there as he pleased. That 6en: Breck-r-
enridge should take personal command
of the cavalry aud CROSS the Savannah
River at Vienna, where there was a pom
toon bridge. This was carried out, AID
at daylight we had all crossed the river,
and soon afterward we we're all paid, each
receiving $26 in coin from Gen Breckln-
ridge down to the hnmblest private.
This was.the third of May. The 4ih We
heard officially OF Gen. Johnston's sur
render, and then all of our comma nds
laid down our arms except Col. BreckIn-
ridge and fifty-six officers and men, and
Gen. Duke and 16O ofi2ers and men. The
9th we received the news of the Federal
possession of Athens, Augusta, Macon,
Selma, Mobile and all 'round-we were
truly in the last ditch. About nine
o'clock, Gen BrekInridge ordered Gen.
Duke and Col. Breckinridge to dIsban1
their troops, saying: Not one of these
noble Kentuckians shall risk his life for
me-. l am now only fugitive, and have
nothing left but to preserve a life dear
and useful TO my family. Good-byP
And he put spurs 10 his horse and rode
away-and in just one hour we were sur
n y