The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-28
Museum of the Southern Con
federacy Established.
THE JEFF DAVIS HOUSE
The Old Mansion Restored TO its
Former Grandeur.
PROGRAMME OF The REUNION
The Parade of Confederate Veterans
This Week to be the Greatest
Pageant Ever Witnessed in
the South.

the SCUM.
Richmond, Va, June 27.-A few
weeks 4ssago. was seen the com
pletioa OF a project of the greatest
interest 10 the South, namely, the
establishment of museum of the
Southern Confederacy-a repository
of manuscripts and relics, and col
lection of objects illustrating the life
of the South in war times in the old
jeff Davis house in Richmond, Va
June -. the Executive Mansion of the
Confederacy. The idea originated
about i've years ago among body OF
loyal Richmond women, and loolvsd
merely TO the preservation of the old
Executive Mansion, which in itself is
one Of the most interesting spots in
this former capital OF the Confederacy.
But since the inception of this idea,
the project increased to such proper
tons that 1t has now assumed ma
tionaI Importance, and the museum
will be Of invaluable historic interest.
ssThe Jeff Davis House, as it is com
monty called, stands at the corner OF
North Twelfth and Clay streets, about
three blocks from the Capitol, and
uIson The crown of the hill which was
y
in its day. although now the wealth
of the city has spread further to the
souah and west. Apart from the
great historic interest of the house,
it is we'll worth a visit, for it is fine
type of TIE mansion OF the "Old Do
minion." Three stories in height, with
huge, loft rooms. some fully forty feet
square. It's broad windows command
view OF the deep valley beneath, like
those of fortress overlooking IT'S de-
pendent city. Across the rear of the
maiasieflz is a -celonade of pillars ar
ranged in pairs and reching from the
first story to the roof, enclosing a
port;eo overlooking the garden. This
formerly extended on a level full
square back from the house itself, and
was surrounded by high brick wall,
while another series of gardens eX-
tended down the hill almost to its
base, the declivity being broken by ter
races, groves of trees, orchards and
shaded walks. Clay street terminates
opposite the front of the mansion, and
across its head, but on lower level
than the house itself, extends line OF
low buildings containing the stables,
kitchen and slave quarters.
Tosthis house jefferson Davis, Presi-
dent of the Southern Confsderacy came,
with his family from Montgomery,
Alabama, shortly after the outbreak of
the war, and the establishment of tine
Confederate government. The house
had been bought by the city of Rich
mond from Mr.. Louis ID. Crenshaw for
use as the Executive Mansion of the
new government, the purchase being
part of the concessions attendant upon
the selection of Richmond as the capi-
tai city. 1t was known at the time as
the ..Old Brockenbaugh Mansion" and
its interior finishings and the furniture
with which it was embellished made it
worthy of the uses to which it was
about to be put.
President Davis and his family occu-
pred the house until the evacuation of
Richmond, shortly before the close Of
the war. and during those fieeting
years she old walls looked down upon
incidents embracing all the comedy,
pathos and deepest tragedy that con-
eentrated themselves about the Chief
Executive in the capital city of lost
but CALAMITY contested cause. 1t was
story of official cares, mingling with
home pleasures and children's laughter
OF state festivities with the rumble OF
Battle in the distance, of feigned gaiety
while hearts were as heavy as mill
stones. One of the greatest delights
OF Dir. Davis children was to climb up
the nlantels OF Carrara marble and kiss
~ seulptured heads of heather god
desses that peeped from among the
traceries. Before these same nantels
General Lee consulted With President
DAVIS regarding the trials Of the cam
paign, while the attendants warmed
his tea before the fire, and the General
would turn for nome ut from his rou-
tine Of entertainments, sIlirmishes.
bombardmemts, priyations and camp
hariships TO comment, with a sigh,
upon the elegancies that then surroun-
ded him.
President and Mrs. Davis held weekly
leyees. which toward the end of the
war became known as poverty par
ties, for food was so scarce that no
refreshments were served: the uni
forms of the officers were shabby with
wear and the women had been forced
TO knit or improyise the articles of
their apparel from discarded rags of
former finery Those were the DAYS
when the cotton print dress cost $45,
a pair of shoes several hundred and
meats and bread-stuffs ran up in price
to enormous figures. The carpets on
the floors were cut up for army blan-
kets, old pieces of silk were unraveled
and re-spun to furnish yarn for stock
1ngs. and women plundered barnyard
fowls for feathers for their millinery.
In spite of this undercurrent of trag-
edy, the State gatherings in the old
mansion could be frivolous enough, but
the men who danced there of an even,
ing were frequently called to the
front before the night had waned, and,
when the day ended, were lying cold in
death upon the battlefield.
President Davis vacated the Execu-
tive Mdnsion early in April, 1865. Lee
was forced to withdraw from Peters
burg, and this led to the evacuation
of Richmond by the Confederate au-
thorities, President Davis going to
Danville, Virginia, a distance of about
one hundred and forty miles The
Executive Mansion was left in charge
of housekeeper. but was seized inn |
mediately upon the occupation of the
eitg by the Ed ties. Tt
was used as an army healailaptPre 80