The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-04
A WAR TIME TALE.
The Story of a Meeting Between Jc6-
ersOn Davis and Gen. II. IL. Lee.

The Story of a Meeting Between jeff
erson Davis and Gen. *. IL. Lee.
The following interesting sketch of
a famous interview between jefferson
Davis and Robert E. Lee is taken from
the Century War Book" and de-
scribes an incident of the battles
around Richmond:
When Con. Lee had crossed tho
Chickahominy, President Davis, with
several staff officers. overlook the col
umn, and with the Secretary OF War,
and II few other non-combatants forded
the river just as the battle of Mechan-
icsville began. General Lee, surround
ed by members of his own staff and
other officers, was found q few hundred
yards north of the bridge, in the mid
die of the broad road, mounted and
busily engaged in directing the attack
thcn about to be made by q brigade
sweeping in line over the fields to the
east of the o IA and toward EllersOn's
Mill, where, in q few minutes II hot en-
gagoment COMMENCED. Shot, from tho
enemy's guns out of sight, went whiz-
striking every moment nearer the
group of horsemen in the road, as the
gunners improved their range. Gen
eral Lee observed the Presidents ap-
proach, and was evidently annoyed at
what no considered u foolhardy cXpc-
dition OF needless exposure OF the head
OF the government whose duties wcro
elsewhere. He turned his back for u
moment, until Colonel Chiffon had bccn
dispatched at a gallop with the last di-
r%ection to the commander Of the attack
ing brigade; then, facing the cavalcade
and looking like the God of war indig-
mint hn nvp1,an1n1 ,y;tl> %L~ D,o,,
dent q salute, with the most frigid re-
serve Of anything like welcome or COR
diality. In an instant, and without al
lowancc of opportunity for u word from
the President, the General looking not
at him, but at the assemblagc at large,
asked in Il tone of limitations:
"Who are all this army of people,
and what are they doing here?"
No n moved or spoke, but all eyes
ore upon the President; everybody
perfectly understood that this was only
an order for him to retire to q place of
safety, and the roa Of the guns, the
rattle of musketry and the hustle of u
battle in progress, with troops contin-
into action, went on. The President
twisted in his saddle, quite taken
aback at such a greeting-the General
regarding him now with chances of
growing severity. After a painful
pause the President said, depreciating-
ly: "It is not my army, General" ct
certainly is not my army, Mr.. Presi-
dent" was the prompt reply, ''and
this is no place for TIN an accent
Of command. Such a rebuff was Il stun
ner to Mr.. Davis, who, however, soon
regained his serenity and answered:
"Well, General, If | withdraw per
haps they will follow" and, raising his
hat in another cold salute, he turned
his horses head to ride slowly toward
the bridge, seeing as he turned a man
killed Immediately before him by a
shot from Il gun which at the moment
got the range Of the road. The Presi-
dents staff officers followed him, as did
various others: but he presently drew
rein in a stream, whore the high bank
ana the bushes concealed him from
Cen. Lees repclling observation, and
thcro remained while the battle ragged.
The Secretary of War had also made a
show of withdrawing, but improved
t." opportunity offered by rather Il
deep ditch on the outside to conceal
himself and his horse there for Il tine
from G;ln raj Lee, who, at that time,
WIS more Ia be dreaded than the enc
ny's guns.