El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-10-01
WINNIE DAVIS
The Daughter OF the Confederacy

knovn as Winnie, and always referre
10 "a the Daughter of the Confederacy,
was the favorite child of the late JEFF
fe, son Davis, president Of the southern
south, which surv we'd as a memory af-
ter the surrender of Appomattox.
Miss Davis was born in the white
house of the coufederscy, situated on
one Of the Hottest hills Of Richmond,
overlooking the valley OF the James
Ri err, and several OF tue famed battle
fields which N ,rked the incidents tn at
preceded the close of the war between
the ststes-the fall of Rich mond.
IL was amid the environme Is OF war
while the guns were still thur derirg
around the capital of tie confederacy,
that Miss Davis was DO n, and from
su"h thrilling clrcumsta ceS she re-
csived the tide which has chung TO her
ever since, the daughter OF the con-
federacy
While yet little more than an infant
shs was AIKEN with the her members
OF the ID wis family on that historic
light southwark, which ended in the
cap ure OF Mr.. Davis by the northern
forces. All these observation-disclosures
which had so much to do with the his
tory of the United States at its most
trying period-have con-pired TO make
conspicuously picturesque the life OF
incident with the decline OF the
''storm-crad ed nation that fell.
At the age OF 10. after the days OF
Reconstruction" had passed. aud Mr..
Davis b I'D retired TO private life at his
picturesque sou hern home, B.auvior,
near the gulf In NJ ssisslppi, Mi Da-
Wis was sent TO q seminary in Carlsrube,
Germany, where she spent several
years in the requirement. of a thor
ough and finished educatiou. On her
return she berame, and re-
manned until short time previous to
his death, her fathers chosen
companion aud assistant in
his correspondence and literary work.
The We y circumstances OF her birth
had always made her the idol Of her
father. and when Mr.. Davis was i'm
prisoned In Fort Nor roe, directly after
the fall of the coufederacy, Mrs. Davis,
with her little ''Winpie,n had joined
him there, sand the child WAS his COM
fort and Joy 10 the prison room. After
her father was liberated, the child
spent several years with the family in
England, aud on their return they
lived in Memphis, Tenn.
AT an unusuallyiesrlys age she showed
. taste for reading, and her parents en-
couraged her literary taste. Her father |
was particularly proud of Der precocity |
and was never happier than when !
reading to her and lis'eniug to her |
wise and neatly put compliments. When |
she had returned from 81 hool abroad |
she shared with her father his love of |
horsesand out-of-door amusements, !
and many were the long rides and |
drives they had as diversion from their |
studies at Beauvoir. 1t was not Ions |
after her return from Europe that Miss |
Davis made her debut in n ew Orleans,
where she was ''queen OF the carnival" |
I,r th
ly after this she accompanied her faith
or to Atlanta to attend the unwilling /
OF the monument to the late Senator
Benjamin II. Hill, and here she was in
PRODUCED by Gen. John B. Gordon as
the daughter Of the confederacy."
Miss Davis was twice reported rs en-
gagged TO be married, but the rumored
engagements never materializ q. In
later years Miss Davis devoted much
time TO writing. and several OF ner pro-
auctions awak interest in The ] te-
rsry world. Among her writir Ga are
IAN Irish Knight OF the Mi eIeenIh
Century: Sketch of Robert Emmett"
THE Yelled Doctor and her last
work published shortly before her
death, "a Romance OF Sumner Seas
She possessed Gle ar style, a sprightly
manner that Was almost witty, and u
remarkable flow OF story telling power.
IL IL PROBABLE that much broader aud
more enduring fame awaited her ma
turer work. Dying at u is time OF life,
her memory will be that of the darling
OF half u nation in arms, then in Rtief
and despair. and finally in renewed
hope, but not forgetful of the past.
Miss Davis was not, in the general
acce ptance OF the term, n ''bsautiful'
woman, but she wa distiugu- h d-look-
ing. Her face was orientally oval and
her complexion olive. She had dark
brown hair and large. Intellectual,
brown eyes, that grew eloquent with
expression whenever she discussed
subject 10 which she was intere sted.
Her voice was of the soft, sweet,
southern variety, and was partic-
ulsrly fascinating, as it seemed to
have gained slight French
accent during Der sojourps abroad. In
repose her face was grave aud thought
full, even solemn at times, but when
lighted up by smile IL was girllsh,
vivAcious. She was tall and graceful,
her figure well rounded, and her car
riage stately. Her hands and feet
were small, the latter being pa-ticu-
larly noticeable by gracefully srched
insteps, all Oh sracteriZinx her as q
type OF the southern woman. Her man.
ner was cordial, her nature sincere aud
generous, and 10 whatever society she
was thrown she won admirers and
friends.
HOW SHE GOT HER TITLE.
When the news OF the death of Miss
Winnie Davis was convey ed To General
John B. Gordon, IL sffec ted him deep
ly, go much so that he could not ven
ture an expression of his feelings AS |
10 was Gen. Gordon who had conferred :
on Miss Davis the title of Daughter :
OF the Confederacy." the story OF that :
event was wildly recalled. Il was In '
1886 that jefferson Davis made his last =
trip through the southern states. The q
occasion was the laying of the corner
stone OF Q monument to the con- '
federates In Montgomery, Ala At I
the time, Mr.. Davis was in very |
feeble health, and il was only upon {
the personal call at Beauvoir OF w. s. 9
Reese, the mayor OF Montgomery, a
that he consented to take the trip,
Mrs. Davis exacting OF the mayor his I
pledge that he would himself
be the attic ndant of her husband. AT {
the last moment. Miss Winnie decided i
10 accompany the party. 1t was on the g
next day that the demonstration in