The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-02

i ed and marked the fall OF the Confed
| crate government, and who is undoubt-
| cdly the best qualified living person to
| recount them. Any statement made by
| this person would require no corroborate
| proof, which. however, is not lacking, to
| substantiate it
RICHMOND EVACUATED.
Hon. jefferson Davis in his Rise and
Fall of the Confederate Government"
says: Though the occupation of Dan
vile was not expected to be permanent,
Immediately after arriving there rooms
were obtained, and the different depart
nents resumed their routine labors''
Since this was the last place at which
The departments carried on their routine
labors, and since while they did this the
capital was located here; therefore, this
place is entitled clearly to the distinc-
ton of being called The Last Capital
of the Confederacy.''
When 1t became evident to General
Lee that it would be impossible for him
to longer hold the defenses guarding the
capital, his main line of defenses at
Petersburg having been broken, which
necesSItated a withdrawal of his other
forces, he advised President Davis, in
Il telegram received by him while at
tending divine services. that Richmond
should be evacuated by the government
simultaneously with the withdrawal of
native. So with his cabinet. and at
tended by his staff, President Davis left
at once for Danville. This was on the
second of April.
Upon arriving at Danville the Presi-
dental party was met at the depot, taken
to his residence and entertaind by Major
w t. Sutherlin, a wealthy and promi-
nent citizen, who held the offices Of COM
missionary and commandant at this place
and who had been a member of the Sc
cession Convention of Virginia. Here
the President and his cabinet remained
until the tenth OF April Here also We're
tue cabinet meeting, held, the procama-
ton issued, and orders transmitted. Dur
ing the time the Sutherlin mansion con.
stituted de facto the capitol of the Con-
federate States. a house on Wilson
Street was obtained by the government
for the use of the Presidents staff and
the offices of the various departments,
and there all routine government bust
ness was transacted.
CABINET MEETING.
The last full cabinet meeting which
was ever held by the President met with
him in one of the sitting-rooms of the
Sutherlin mansion. All of the mem
bers of the cabinet attended this meeting
except thu secretary of war, Gen. ]. c.
Breckenridge, of kentucky. There were
present: Judah P. Benjamin, Secretary
OF State; Trenholm, Secretary of Treas
TRY; S. r. Mallory, Secretary of the
Navy: Davis, the Attorney General, J.
II. Reagan, Postmaster General. and Mr..
Memminger, formerly Secretary Of the
Treasury; also Mr.. Harrison, the Presi-
dents Private Secretary.
MIR. Davis, while in Danville, remained
at his temporary home aud capitol very
little He was very busily engaged in
examining into the Qualifications sur
rounding the place. which he reported
as Very faulty. both in construction and
design. He was also actively engaged
In formulating plans relating to the de-
sign which he had formed Of having Lee
retreat to the Virginia State line, where
lie could be able to form a junction with
Johnson, the army rs thus combined
making d final stand on the banks of
and in the country Contiguous to. the
Dan and Roanoke Rivers. The execu-
ton of this design which he had in his
mind, had its accomplishment proved
possible. would have enabled the lead
crs to have obtained much better terms
than an unconditional surrender. How
ever. as 1t happened, Grant was able to. 1
and did. by n flank movement which his ]
position aided him in making. prevent
the contemplated move on Lees part,