The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-10-07

.IdIoH WIZ !piio"'u itSiucUI l'iNI1
during the lark day Of the sixt;e,
and by the descendants Of those who
were here when .he president uf HE
eonfcdcracy. his wife and Iii, .aurh
ter, Miss Winnie, were bruI-h; to-
this city on the day Of hi- capture by
federal troops some 20 mile, away.
There are yet here in Macon u NUM-
Der Of persons who recall yiyid!y the
coming Of President Davis tlat April
afternoon as the shadows Of night
we're creeping over The town.
Surrounded By an escort Of blue
clad cavalryncn. the ambulance in
which the president, his wife and
daughter rode rumbling along Null
berry street to the Hotel Lanicr, where
Mr. Davis and his family were guard
ed until the president was taken north
under heavy guard.
It, was while here many events Of
interest in Mr.. Davis life which have
never been given to history transpircd.
and here still live some of those who
had prominent part in this brief
paragraph in the life Of the president
Now that Mrs. Davis is i'll, probably
fatally 80, these oldt time stories arc
being revived, and every time they
are repeated interest in them grows.
FL remember Mr.. Davis arrival"
said Colonel William A. Huff, "dis-
sinctly. In fact, shall never forget
II. IL was late in the afternoon, about
so'c''ck, and spring was just coming
IN. me body of troops came up the
street, the ambulance in the very cen
ser, at Il rambling, rapid speed, and as
it stopped in front Of the hotel there
was great throng of ladies' aud gen
tlemen there. Even the negro, who
Was tasting his first sweets Of freedom,
was on hand, and when the whites un-
covered as Mr.. Davis left the ambu-
lance the negroes did the same
II, too, remember that incident"
said one Of the best posted men of |
the city. 81 recall, too, the fact that
Major Frank S. Warren, one OF the
best known hotel clerks of the South, |
was then on duty at the hotel. Mr..
Davis was assigned to room l06, and
along with him went Mrs. Davis and
Miss Winnie: then mere tot The
hallway was guarded, and access to
Mr. Davis was obtained only by those
who could get pass from the com
manding federal officer, and it was no;
every one that could secure that much
sought for pass.
"The people Of the city, ladies' and
gentlemen, were all attentive to the
captive and did everything in their
power to make Mr.. Davis stay as
pleasant as it was possible to make it..
Every delicaoy that had escaped the
ravages of the invaders were drawn
FROM their hiding place by Maconians
and given the president of tho lost
cause and those with him. There
were many plans for rescue discuss
cd by the faithful, and so devoted were
the people here to the fallen hero that
my risk would have been taken to
have effected his release had Mr..
Davis consented. But always consid-
crate of the others he declined 10
allow them to take the risk and with
what result the written history of
that Virginia prison where Miles
disgraced the name of soldier by
lettering the helpless invalid shows
plainly.
Zone plan of escape appeals to my
memory yet" continued the Maconian,
whose whitened hair and bent form
marks his age. 'It was put in motion
by Major Warren but was nipped in
the bud by Mr.. Davis the instant it
wss brought to his attention. Major
Warren and a half dozen young, fear.
less southeTners agreed to rendezvous
at point to be agreed upon, all we'll
mounted and provided with an extra
horse. Major Warren, who on account
2t his connection with the hotel had ,
access to the rooms occupied by Mr..
Davis, was to direct the escape from {
the house, pilot the president to tho {
point where the escort would be in
weating and from that running,
fighting dash would have been made.
Major Warrep provided himself
with rope which would have reached
from the window Of the room in which
Mr. Davis was confined to tho ground.
This he wrapt around his body under
his clothing and carrying it into the
Dsesence Of Mr. Davis in that way
laid the plan before him in detail.
The nraaident liatAnad natienklu and |