The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-10-12

business, simply because there was
nobody else to 60. He was furnished
with the necessary letters and the
permit of a slave to travel. and put
aboard the Creole Belle, a fine packet
running from New Orleans to Cincin-
natl. Just before he started, Mr..
Davis gave him $4,000. 1t must be
confessed he did this with little
trepidation. The boy was young, had
never travelled by himself much, and
then, above all, he was going into a
free State.
"Ben," said Mr.. Davis, 81 am
trusting you with a good deal Of
money. l have told you to whom you
are to deliver it. Be sure and take
receipt, and don't forget what a
terrible loss this money would be to me
if you should happen to lose it,
"Good by, Marse Jeff" said the
negro the tears coming to his eyes.
az understand all you has told me,
and l won't lose your money, and
won't let anybody know I have it,
EXECUTED HIS MISSION.
So he went to Cincinnati. The
captain of the boat sent him up to the
house where he was directed to stay.
He transacted his business so promptly
and intelligently that the boat was
able to take back the engine and cot
ton gin on its return trip. By some
means-who can tell how ?-the fact
that Jeff Davis had actually "sent Ben
Montgomery to Cincinnati with SO, 900
in money" leaked out in the neigh
borhood. This was most startling
and amazing incident. "I'll be-
if don't think Jeff Davis is crazy"
said old Colonel Jim Bruce, a leading
planter Of the neighborhood, one
Saturday when all the planters of the
country side had gathered at the
Palmyra landing to wait for the Sat-
urday steamboat from New Orleans.
But Montgomery's account was
straight to penny, and the planters
reluctantly allowed tha: Davis had
done "mighty wise thing when he
sent Montgomery to Cincinnati for
his cotton gin instead of waiting a
month for it and writing letters about
it,
1t was when Mr.. Davis entered into
active politics that he began to realize
the usefulness Of Montgomery. The
negro was by this time II years of age
He was the ideal of a body servant
neat, well-dressed, respectful. But he
was more than that. When Mr..
Davis was gone on his long campaign
tours, Montgomery had authority to
open all letters not marked private
and TO answer them. He had authority,
in writing the answer, to transact any
business necessary for the plantation.
By this time Mr.. Davis was a planter
on pretty large scale himself, because
his brother had given him Briarfeld.
1t was royal gift, this estate of 5000
acres of rich Mississippi cotton land.
The force on the place was about 12o
hands. And as the negroes then, good
field hands, were worth about $1,000
each, it will be seen that Briar6eld was
no trifing gift, even though it was
from an elder to a younger brother
whom the elder loved as a son.
This estate Montgomery had abso-
lutely in charge. He never interfered
with the management of the negroes
or with anything which was under the
overseer's purview. But all relating to
the general business of the place he
transacted without consulting the
overseer or anybody else except the
master. In 1874 Mr.. Davis came to
Washington to his first session of Con-
gress. He left Montgomery at home
with the same authority that he had
had for several years. Every weeE
Ben made written report of the
expenditures and receipts of the plan.
tation, and wrote generally of all tha
had occurred there which would be
interesting to its owner. Thus Mr.
Davis was able to keep in accurate
touch with the home life while he was
away in Washington.
In 1916 Mr.. Davis resigned his sea,
in the House to accept the colonelcy
of the First Mississippi Regiment o
Rifles, that had been raised for the
Mexican war; 1t was understood tha
he would accept the colonelcy onl,
upon the condition that the regimen
should be armed with a new rifle that
he himself, as Chairman of the Mill
tarY Committee of the House, ha6
caused to be introduced into th'
United States service. 1t was the frs
percussion lock rifle our army had. l
was 32 inches in the barrel and $.
. calibre. After its efficiency wa
demonstrated in so distinguished :
manner as it was at Buena Vista, i
was always known thereafter through
out the country as the Mississippi
rifle.
As Mr.. Davis's regiment was mus
tCkCO lIllO llC S(1SlAC lOl kuC Wal, dul
it was impossible to say how long tn
war would last, it was deemed bette
: that his brother Joe Davis should tax
charge of Briarheld during his absence
4 Montgomery was not disturbed in an
way nor his functions altered. He wa
to do as he always had done. H
only reported to Mr.. Joseph Davi
instead of Master Jeff" Colone
Jefferson Davis was away about
;: year. He was wounded in the foot a
! Buena Vista, and, his general healt
having given away, he thought
better to come home. 1t was evden,
S too, that the heavy fighting Of the wa
was all over. So he left the regimen
in command of Major Bradford
Lieutenant Colonel McClung bein
a severely wounded and unfit for duty
and returned home. He was re-electe