The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-29
SOME HISTORIC DOCUMENTS.
VALUABLE COLLECTION FROM THE
PAPERS OF GEN. GILMER.

connection With the Flight of
President Davis and the Secretary
of War-OrlginaI Order for the Bat
tie of shiIOh-An Interesting Let
ter From Gen. Beauregard.
Mrs. ]. Florence Minis has just contrib
MED to the Confederate Museum at Rich
mond one of the most valuable collections,
A. not the most valuable that will be found
in the Georgia room at that institution.
1t is a magnifcently prepared book con-
tanning many of the original papers relat-
ing to the operations of the Confederacy,
which were In the possession of her father,
Mai. Gen. ]. f. Gilmer. and besides letters
between Gen. Gilmer and President Jeffer-
son Davis, and other prominent officers of
the Confederate states. The book in itself
is a magnificent work of art as well as the
receptacle of this most valuable collection
of historic papers. Upon the front cover
appears in gilt letters this inscription:
In memory of
Jeremy Francis Gilmer,
Captain of Engineers, U. S. A,
Mai. General and Chief Engineer, C. IS. A.
Presented by his daughter,
Louisa Porter Minis
of Savannah.
The book contains sixty-tWo valuable
letters and documents each of which has
an historic interest. Beginning with Gen.
Gilmer's photograph, and the notices from
the Morning News announcing his death
and funeral, there follow first his various
commissions, the first being that of a sec
ond lieutenant of engineers signed by
President Martin VanBuren Next is his
commission as first Lieutenant of engin-
GERS United States army, signed by Pres
ident James K. Polk and Secretary of
War w L. Marcy. This third and last
commission from the United States was as
a captain of engineers signed by President
Pierce, and Jefferson Davis as Secretary of
War
Gen. Gilmer's first commission from the
Confederate states was as a lieutenant col
onel Of engineers and is signed by j. p.
Benjamin as Secretary of War. This is
dated Dec. 10, 1861. Then follow his commits
sions first as a colonel OF engineers and
then as major general and chief engineer
of the Confederate states, the latter being
dated Aug. Is, 1868, and signed by James
A. Sedden, Secretary of War. His origi-
nal parole, dated May 8, 1866, his pardon
by President Johnson, and a certified copy
of his acceptance of 1t, follow Gen. Gil
mer found unfortunately, however, that
his pardon was of little value in that 1t did
not restore to him a citizens rights, his
rank being that of a major general. Those
rights were restored, however, in his later
years by an act of Congress, which includ-
ed those officers of the Confederate states
who We're excepted under the first act
Perhaps the most interesting document
in the book from an historical standpoint
is the original order for the battle of
Shiloh, signed by Thomas Jordan acting
adjutant general. 1t covers six pages and
is closely written, and accompanying it is
the original plan of the Shiloh battlefield
drawn in Gen Gilmer's office. After Civ
ing detailed orders the document concludes
as follows:
THE troops Individually so intelligent
and. with such great interests involved in
the issue, are urgently enjoined to be OBJ
servant of the orders of their superiors
in the hour of battle. Their officers must
constantly endeaVor to hold them in hand
ana prevent the waste of ammunition by
needless and aimless firing-the fire should
be slow, always at a distinct mark. 1t is
expected that much effective work Will be
done with the bayonet."
The order was issued from the head
quarters of the army of the Nississippi
and is dated Corinth, Miss April g. 1862
Then follow some other original pa
pers, and a Confederate voucher for the
payment of $50, a months salary to James
LOTUS, messenger in the engineer office
There is a pocket map such as officers used
TO carry, showing the location of the Con-
The great confidence which the officers
OF the Confederacy had in its success was
no better illustrated than the manner IN
which they put most of their spare cash
into Confederate bonds. There is in the
book a letter from Mai. A. Porter from
savannah to Gen. Gilmer telling him Of
the sale of some gold he had here at a
large premium and Suggesting that he in
vest IL at once in Confederate eight per
cents. Following this letter appear three
certificates of the purchase Of Confederate
bonds, aggregating $4,000 These pur-
chases were made by Maj. Porter
rms letter from Gen. Beauregard to
Gen. Gilmer with regard to the defense of
fort Sumter is one of the most interest
ing documents in the book:
Office New Orleans and Carrollton Rail
road Company New Orleans, June 10, 1872.
My Dear General; I had occasion lately
in answering an officer who claimed the
credit of having ordered and constructed
the defenses of Island No. 10 and New
Madrid bend, when that credit properly
belonged to our lamented friend Col. Har-
ris' to use the following language relative
TO the defense of Fort Sumter:
About the time July 1859 I determin-
cd to remove the artillery garrison from
Fort Sumter whose guns had been dis
mounted or silenced,' except one Ca 24-four
FOUNDER in one of the retired angles the
commanding officer and his principal sub
HillSitNS PRONOUNCED lUdN lori no longer
tenable under the terrible artillery fire
kept up night and day by the enemy's
land and naval batteries against its crumb-
ing ruins. l concluded at once TO substi-
tute an infantry command to the gallant
artillerists whose services were absolute
~ required for the inner harbor defenses,
etc Mr.. r. B. Rhett, Jr., whose memory
appears to be short IS now inclined, it
seems, to doubt the oorrec tness of the por-
ton of the extract underlined (namely
from the commanding officer to artillery
nre). AS you and Col. Harris were my
Two officers of engineers who visited the
Tort regularly several times In the week.
and had cognizance of all the faes bear
ing on the defense of that important p6-
sIuon viii you have the goodness to in
form me IL the statement referred to be
not perfectly correct
among other events that wish to call
10 your recollection is the following:
rev nights before relieving the artillery
garrison of that fort by an infantry force.
sent an officer of my staff at about mid
hight 20 order you and Col. Harris to re-
port TO me forthwith at Mr.. Mills house.
Where | was then residing. On your ar
rival | informed a Mr.