The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-16
THE OLD DAVIS MANSION.
TO BE CONVERTED INTO A
MUSEUM.


s-ao-2tcn Of Richmond -as used IS he
headquarters OF the union army.
Though more than thirty pears have
elapsed since L"s laid down his sword ~
AppomsttoX n is only in ire last two years
that any movement has been started to
perpetuate the memory of the cOnfederacy
by the preservation Of its famous spots at
the capital Of the nation which lives but
as a memory. And by a wise choice the
formal opening of the new museum. the
house in which Jefferson Davis lived as
president is TO take place on Feb. -. the
same day on which is celebrated the birth
of Washington.
The old Davis mansion stands In Rich
mond, Va, on a corner. at the intersec-
ton of May and Twelfth streets. 1t is
on high HILL from which one has a view
of deep ravine covered with rambling
shanties and waste lots on one side, while
on the other the ground rises toward the
west, where the street looses itself in the
more fashionable quarter OF the town.
The mansion faces the north and it's front
covers the entire portion of the occupied
block, but just opposite is a long red brick
building, which completely shuts out the
view in that direction.
The house which is an immense brick
one mas been recently painted light gray.
II was built about seventy years AGO by
a Judge Brokenborough. whose family
iiVed there for some time. Here it was
That the cabinet Of confederate states
met, here that Lee and Davis discussed
the fate of the cause and here too were
enacted some Of the most brilliant and,
later on. some Of the most pathetic
scenes OF the civil strife. 1t was IN So
the mansion, and Mrs. Davis set to work
TO make 1t a comfortable and attractive
nome. She gave state dinners, and once
a week there was a large reception, for
society at the capital was gay, in spite
Of the thunders of war that echoed from
the distant hills.
In 1871 the residence, then in possess
sion Of the city, was turned into a school
room known al the Central" The fur
niture was sold and thus scattered about
the country. OF late years the mansion
has fallen into decay and it was fast be-
coming a desolate ruin, when its aspect
attracted the attention of some ladies of
the city, who Immediately formed an az
ISOLATION TO restore it and convert It into
a museum.
one enters the house by series Of short
steps which lead to small, semi-cir-
eular hall. On each side of this hall are
inches in which stand bronze statues of
feminine figures. This entrance has two
left but Just in front, It opens into a
large, lofty room which was one of the
parlors used by Davis. At the back of
the house and on level with the second
floor is a wide porticO whose roof is sup
ported byten white pillars
The cost of repairing has so far been
anOut $l4OD, which was covered by the
$4,000 proceeds Of a bazaar held in tho
city several years ago. Half of that fund
was donated to the monument erected
in honor of the soldiers and sailors and
the rest was kept to work on the r1i-
scum. A room has been given to each
one of the confederate states a regent
from that state being appointed to secure
relics and place them in the right cham
Der. Maryland and Kentucky. though
they dld not secede, are represented, be-
cause Of the large number of soldiers
which they sent to the southern armies.
Miss Mildred Lee and Miss Winnie Davis
are amongst the ladies in charge
Those who have in their care the coll
iecting of relics have succeeded in secur-
Ing large number of valuable curios,
These viii be catalogued and assigned to
the rooms belonging to the states from
which the relics came, and will be in place
within a few weeks; though it is doubt
tul II all viii be within the house by the
day OF the formal opening on Feb o.
The most valuable of any collection pos
Sessed by the association Is that which
was donated by the late Mrs. Du Reunne
OF Savannah, Ga. In this collection is the
greatest treasure owned by the south.
sutution with the interlineations and
erasures. 1t is about the size of the Dec
laration of Independence and will be kept
under glass and carefully guarded
In the museum also reposes the last
missive ever written by Gen. Stonewall
Jackson. 1t was to Lee. and was written
"a
fore the fatal ride in which he lost his
life. Gen. Jacksons old sorrel horse
which has been mounted by a taxerderm-
list and is now at the soldiers home will
find its way to the museum and So will
the saddle of Lee, which is at the same
place. Jackson's rusty little quadrant is
also shown.
Gen. Custiss Lee presented to the mu-
scum pistol which was worn by his
father, Gen, Robert E. Lee throughout
the war. of the belongings of Gem Jeb
there xrh
nodded over his head, and the old haver-
sack which he always took with him on his
An order of Lees to Pendleton, stained
by the blood of the courier who was
wounded in carrying the dispatch, will be
placed on view, and so will the flag of the
confederate ship Shenandoah, winch
cruised about in the waters of the North
ern Pacific four months after the surren-
der. Probably the most quaint of all Gu
rios is flag made from the bridal robes
of Mrs. Gen. A. p. Hill, who devoted her
handsome silken gowns to fashion PEN
nant for soldiers. Then there is the flag
now all torn and almost falling into pieces
of the famous band Of Culpepper minute
men, whose banner shows the coiled rat
tlesnake and the familiar legend: Don t,
tread on me. in dimmed letters of gold.
memento of the great Kentucky raid
er, Morgan, is in the museum, and consits
OF a small rope formed by plating pieces
of bedticking This rope was used by Nor
gan and seven of his men in their escape
from the prison in Ohio, where they were
NS.tllltSNt nut tile lnOSL DaIneIlC tnlHg is
a little handful of coffee, not more than
three tablespoonfulS; yet this was the last
OF the rations issued to the men under Lee
at Appomattox, and on these few grains
the whole mess of nine men were to exist
during several days march. The coffee is
untoaSted and was not used because the
men did not have time to dismount and
prepare food. The scrap book kept by Ma
son while he was prisoner at Fort War
rem, Massachusetts will be in one of the
cases, and in another is a book contain
ing the autographs of all the confederate
generals. About the rooms in cases will
be guns, swords, pistols old uniforms.
photographs, letters, shells, flags tents
and everything which was in any way
connected with the war. All over the south
people have promised to send in their treas
ures, and within few years time this mu-
scum will hold one of the most valuable
collections in the world.
The opening exercises and will be of an
interesting character and will be free 10
the public, refreshments being served in
the house. The museum will be in order
by that time, but not absolutely complete
till all the various collections are in from
those who have promised to make such
gifts. V. Stuart Mosby Coleman
The Duke of Orleans Is a siugularlv
unfortunate young man. He seems al
WAYS to he in trouhlA oF sor,a 1-;,4S