The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-09-08
Division of G.. S. A. Coin.

Judge Lewis Shepherd, one Of the
leading lawyers of Chattanooga, and
for years the attorney for the Cincin-
natl Southern Railroad, gave a CORES
pendent Of the Courier-Journal the
following interesting story, the details
of which have never before been print
ed, and for the truth Of which he and
Judge Eakin both vouch. Judge
Shepherd was an officer in Vaughn's
brigade, as was Judge Eakin, and they
were both of them with the army at
the time the incidents narrated occur
red:
"When the Confederate Govern
meut abandoned Richmond as its Cap
ital, all it's archives and treasures
were sent, 'undcr strong military escort,
to Charlotte, N. G. The banks Of Rich
mond sent away their treasures under
the protection of the same escort.
President Davis and his Cabinet also
came to Charlotte and established
temporary headquarters.
"Before they reached Charlotte,
Richmond and Petersburg hand fallen
and Lee surrendered, and in a very few
days Sherman and Joseph E. John
ston had agreed upon an armistice by
their celebrated paper, under which
it was proposed that peace should be
made and that the seeding States
should resume their relations to the
Government.
''This treaty, if it had been carried
out, would have obviated reconstruc-
ton, under what is known as the Re-
construction Acts Of Congress, for it
covered the ea,ire subject Of restora-
ton of peace and return of the South
ern States to the Union and Of their
Senators and Representatives to Con-
greBs. This armistice was repudiated
by President Andrew johnson and
his Cabinet on the ground that these
military commanders had exceeded
their authority in undertaking to set
tie the terms on which the erring
States might resume their political
functions with the General Govern
ment.
ut may be admitted that these gen
erals went a little further than they
had a right to go, but it cannot be de-
MED that they displayed a profound
craftsmanship in their comprehensive
yet terse settlement of a question
which afterwards so sorely disturbed
Congress, SO nearly caused the convic-
ton upon impeachment Of the Presi-
dent, and SO completely bankrupted
the Southern States.
"Mr. Dayis, being advised that
President johnson had brought an
end to the armistice, and repudiated
the Sherman-J Johnston treaty, immedi-
ately began efforts to prevent the cap
ture of himself and the treasures Of
the Confederacy; the gold and silver
of the Confederacy and that of the
Richmond banks was loaded into wa
CONS, and the President Of the, Confed-
crate States, with his cabinet minis
ters, started South with it, guarded
by three brigades of cavalry DID
BELLS, Vaughn's and Dukes.
when we arrived at Washington,
Ga. it became apparent to MI. Davis
that he could not with such a %retinue
escape the vigilance of the Federal
cavalry which was rapidly closing in
on him from every direction, so the
money kegs belonging to the Govern
ment we're opened and the silver d.
vided among the boys, each, without
regard to rank, receiving S26.50, and
they were granted indefinite furloughs.
Mr.. Davis with his family and a much
smaller escort pushed on further
South, and was, a few days a%fterward,
captured by the Federals.
"Meanwhile the officers of the
banks sought the aid of the Federal
commanders to return their specie to
Richmond, and from them obtained a
permit to return with it to Richmond,
and also a guard Of soldiers to protect
it on it's return trip.
"Some of the officers and men of
Gen. Vaughn's brigade became ap-
prised that a train of specie was be-
ing carried North under Federal escort
and they jumped to the conclusion
that it was the property Of the Con-