Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-16
Confederate Geld and Silver Bullion
That Was in the Treasury.
TRANSPORTATION SOUTH
History OF the Trip by the onicer In
Chsrgs-Amsunts Paid and Those on-
accounted Fer-The Box story.

navy from lS4l 10 1901. III thV AaV'SA s'~A
entered the Confederate navy as lieu
tenant.
During the years 18S3IGil65 ! was the
of the Confederate States
Naval Academy. The steamer Patrick
Henry was the school-ship and the seat 1t
the academy. On the 1st day OF Aprh,
1865, we were lying at wharf on the
James river between Richmond and row
hatan. We had on board somo sixty mid
shipmen and full corps of professors.
The midshipmen were we'll drilled IN in
fautry tactics, and all of the professors
save one hsd served in the army or navy;
On Sunday, April % 1865, | received
about noon dispatch from MIR. y. X NAL
lory. Secretary OF the Navy, to the follow
lug effect Have the corps OF midsnlp-
mel. with the proper officers. at the Dan
vile depot to-day at 6 7. NJ; the com"
manding officer 10 report to the quarter
mAster-G General of the army
Upon calling at the Navy Department /
learned that the CITY was to be evacuated
immediately and that the services OF the
corps were required 10 take charge OF ana
guard the Confederate treasure.
Accordingly at o'clock was at the
depot with all my officers and men-per-
haps something over one hundred, all
told-and was then put in charge OF tram
of cars. on which was packed the Con-
tederate treasure and the money belong
ing to the banks of Richmond.
ABOUT HALF A MILLION.
will here remark that neither the Sc
cretery Of the Treasury nor the treasurer
were with the treasure. The senior officer
of the Treasury present was cashier. and
he informed me, TO the best OF nv recol-
lection. that there was about S50O.0OO IN
4 - / ~ "a TtK -
containing it many times IN the weary
thirty DAYS | had it under my protection,
but never saw the com.
Some time in the e ening the President,
his Cabinet. and other officials lett the
depot for Danville. The train was we'll
hacked. General Breckenridge. Secretary
of War. however. did not start with the
President. He remained with me at the
depot until got OF. which was not until
somewhere near midnight. The General
went out OF the city on horseback.
Our train being heavily loaded and
crowded with passengers-even the roofs
and platform-steps Occupled-went very
slowly. How we got by Amelia Court
house without falling in with sheridan
men has been mystery to me To TINS day.
We were unconscious of our danger, how
ever. and took matters philosophically.
Monday April Sd, in the afternoon, we
arrived at Danville, where we found the
President and his Cabinet, save General
Breckenridge. who came IN on wednesday;
On Monday night Admiral Semmes arrived
with the officers and men of the James
River SQUADRON. His was the last tran
out of Richmond,
We did not unpack the treasure from
the cars at Danville. Some, L DeheVe
was taken for the use of the government;
and, 1 suspect, was paid out to General
JOhnston's men after the surrender, Dul
the main portion of the money renamed
with me. The mldshlpmen blvouacked
near the train.
IN THE MINT.
About the 9Th of April 1 received order:
from Mr. Mallory to convey the treasure
to Charlotte. n. c.. anu deposit it in the
mint. Somewhere about the Sth we ar
rived at Charlotte. [ deposited the
from the proper officials. and supposed
that nv connection with 1T was at an end
Upon attempting TO telegraph back tc
MIR. Mallory for further orders, however
found that Salisbury was in the hands ol
the enemy-General Stoneman's men,
think.
The enemy being between me and the
President Cat least such was the report al
the time, though am not sure now that
it was sol. and the probability beng thai
he would Immediately push for charlotte
II became necessary TO remove the money
| determined on my own responsibility te
convey it TO Macon, ia.
Mrs. President Davis and family we're II
town. They had LETT Richmond a weel
before the evacuation. | called upon her
represented the danger of capture, ant
persuaded her to put herself under oul
protection. A company OF uniformed mel
under Captain TRbb volunteered to ac
company me. These men were attachel
TO the navy-yard in Charlotte. Most o
them belonged to the game little town
Portsmouth. Va, and better set or mer
never shouldered musket They were a
true as steel.
Having LAID in from the naval store
house large quantities OF coffee. sugar
bacon, and flour, we started in the car
with tho treasure and arrived at Chester
S. G. This was, think, about the 18th
April.
FORMED TRAIN.
We here packed the money and paper
in wagons and formed train. we started
the same day for kewberry, >. y. Mrs
Davis and family were provided by Gene
raj Preston with an ambulance. SeVars
ladies In our party-wiyes OF oincers-WeI
in army wagons; the rest or the commah'
!
The first night we encamped at cross
roads meeting house." 1 here pubilshe'
orders regulating our. march ana inad
| every man carry musket. Inc Ireasur.
| clerks. bank officers. and Others made III
n third company, and wo mustered som
one hundred and fifty hghtlng men
| Supposing that General Stoneman woul'
| follow We held ourselves ready to repel al
attack by day and night.
- hA
| into camp about thirty miles from New
| berry, s. c.. and breaking camp very earl
| the next morning we crossed the beauti
| tul Broad river on pontoOn bridge
noon. and about Z. Nj. arrived at New
| berry. The quartermaster lmmedlatel
prepared train OF cars and we starte
| for Abbevllle. S. c., as soon as the treasur'
could be transferred.
ALWAYS AHEAD.
On the march across the State of Sout
Carolina we never permitted traveller l
| 90 In advance of us, and we were not on
| line OF telegraphlc communication; ,ye'
! sinpular TO say, the news that we had tn
| Confederate money was always ahead 9
us. lSee Sir Walter Scotts remark on TN
point in Old Mortality.I We arrived O
| Abbeyille at midnight. and passed the re-
mainder of the night IN the cars. Mr.
| DAVIS Ruu ltulltf uCiO 1NLS A.S ".'N "~-'
| the house of the Hon. Mr.. Burt, forme
member Congress. In the morning W
| formed wagon train and startedtor WASH
ington, Ga. The news we got at olneren
| places along the route WAS bad; unmel
| ciful disaster followed fast and followe
faster.p We "lightened ship" as we wen
! aIoug-throwin away books, stationery
and perhaps Confederate money. On
could have traced us up by these, marx:
| and have formed an idea OF the characte
of the news we were receiving.
| From Abbeyille to Washington IS abou
forty miles, and we made two.days' marc
| of il. The first day we crossed the SayaI
nah river about z. NJ. and went int
| camp. The next day we arrived at Wast
| ington. Here we learned that Generi
| Wilson. Unitel States army, with 1000
cavalry, had captured Macon, and was
his way north.
After DAYS deliberation and a. consu
tation with some of the citizens OF Wasl
| ington, determined TO go to Augusta
HEARD or THE SURRENDER.
On. tho 18th of April. or thereabouts.. "
left IN the train. and at the junction
while we were waiting for the wester
rain 10 pass, we heard of General Lee
surrender. This we did not at the tin
credit. We arrived at Augusta Ia gu
time, and made my report to Gener
Birkie Fry, the commanding, genera
General Fry informed me ne could oner 2