Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-18

Of them he gave to me. on the Diduo
and hilt Is chased the cotton ana TO-
bacco plants, with the drsD ConleueIdee
flag on one side of the blade ana the
naval coat-of-arms, crossed cannon ana
anchor on the other side. The sword
which is in good preservation wore
throughout the cruise Of the Confederate
cruiser Georgia, commanded by CON-
mander W. l.. Maury. We cruised III
company with the Alabama from Bahla'
in Brazil. TO the Cape of Good Hope, IN
South Africa. on the coast Of Morocco,
where the Georgia went for the purpose
OF giving her battery TO the Confederate
States ship Rappahannock. The MooTS
attacked a boat containing Lieutenant
Sidney Smith Lee and other officers, ana
the Georgia bombarded them. In lsoi'
in July. I ran through the blockade INTO
Wilmington I'm the Lillian, in broad day
light and under a terrific fire from the
United States feet. / was sent TO klch-
mond and served in Battery Semmes, III
front Of Dutch Gap canal. where, lot
seven months, we were under an almost
continued fire. Just before the eyacua-
ton OF Richmond the Secretary or the
Navy sent for me and ordered me TO ac-
company Mrs. Davis and her party out
OF Richmond. That memorable journey
has passed into history. On that occa-
sion | wore this sword. I was passed
midshipman then, and Mr. Burton y.
Harrison. Mr.. Davis's private secretary,
and myself were the only men In the
party. I was just 10 years Of age then.
The object of this letter is to ask you
II the ladies' of the Confederate Memo
rial Literary Society would care 10 have
this relic of the war. 1t seems 10 me
that its having been so near Mrs Jener-
son Davis az such an interesting epoch
of her life. that the Confederate White
House would be its proper resting-place.
l make this offer all the more willingly,
as 1 have no son Of my own TO leave the
relic TO. and / make the offer now, as
think il adds TO the interest OF these
relics that their authenticity can De
proven by the people still living VINO
are chiefly concerned. In the Century
Magazine of November. 1883, Mr.. Burton
Harrison has an account OF that memo
rable Journey from Richmond TO Able
vile. S. c., in which he mentions me
and Mrs. Jefferson Davis still lives.
Please excuse this long letter. My only
excuse is that I thought even the
triling incidents ] have mentioned con-
corning the life of your distinguished
father would interest you. A striking
popularity about your father was that
the great sailor (althouSh ne paSScb
nearly the whole of his life in the navy
never put his foot upon ship without
being seasick. and / firmly believe that
he was the only human being who ever
lived who could be seasick and amiable
at the same time, and attend TO duty
while suffering its tortures, with the
same firmness and kindness which cha
racteriZed his Intercourse with men on
shore. You have, indeed. proud heritage
in being the daughter Of so pure. as wei
as so learned, a man. | have omitted
TO state that the Commodore's son, Mat
thew. whom he called Brave" accom-
panied him on our journey 10 Europe
He was then a very little boy. nave
also omitted telling you that l am
native of Louisiana, and should the So
ciety accept my sword, l would like it to
hang in the Louisiana Room.
| have the honor to remain, your obe-
dent servant, j. NJ. MOhGAN'