The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-22
NR.:V.H.PARKER
And Last Cabinet Important and
Very Valuable Contribution
to Controversy Now On.
AN EYEWITNESS TALKS.
This gentleman Gives Testimony as
TO What He Saw and Heard-Cir-
cumstances Under Which Mr.Davis
Left AbbevfIle.
Ahheville q q JuIv II

cumstances Under Which Mr.Davis
| Lett AbbeviIle.
Abbeville. 8. c., July 10th. 1903.
Editor OF Augusta Chronicle, Augusta. ia
| Dear Sir:-When consented to give VIM. 2.
| Calhoun, Esq, some items of Information
Davis and his cabinet at Abbeville. had no
expectation Of being drawn into the contro.
versy about the place OF the last meeting OF
the cabinet, but MIR. Ernest Callan, OF Sparta,
my attention has been called by friend, has
charged me with "having gotten dates and
places Mixed" In reference to Mr.. Davis
movement from Abbeville. and request th 9
privilege of limited space In your paper TO
correct bis erroneous conceptions.
Permit me TO say, in the first place, that
take little interest In the question as TO the
last place Of meeting Of the Davis cabinet
Ga, and II the Daughters OF the Confederacy
in the state OF Georgia desire to invest their
money in the ancient Heard House" to pre-
vent It's being torn down, because 1t was the
last root to shelter the fugitive president, l
would certainly make no objection to their
doing 30, and respect the sentiment moving
thereto.
held at Abbeville. as stated by MIR. Burt, In
his residence, at which only four members OF
the cabinet were present TO Wit: Mr. benJa-
min, Mr.. Reagan, Mr.. Mallory and Gen.
torney General Davis having separated from
the party before reaching Abbeville. Mr..
Benjamin left the party before reachipg
Washington, Ga, so that nut three OF the CAD
met remained with the president when he
reached Washington,
Mr.. Reagan seems to have overlooked the
absence of the above three members, as Mr..
Callan says he subsequently wrote me that
Mr.. Benjamin was not here" having pre-
viously stated that "all the members OF the
cabinet were with the president at AboeVllle
and were also with him at Washington:
In fbo ~
the cabinet with the president at washing.
ton, did not necessarily import caolnet
meeting, and no statement to that enect, 30
far as 1 have seen. has been made by either
one of them. Mr.. Reagan was from Texas,
Mr.. Mallory from Tennessee, and Mr.. Breck-
enridge from Kentucky; and the route oy
Washington would be naturally taken oy
appears that Mr. Mallory aud MIR. Brecken
ridge promptly separated from the party be.
fore President Davis LETT Washington. Mr..
Callan says the ''disbandment OF the troops
If 80, how was Il then hat the presidents
party left Abbeville with ..I1ly "about one
hundred and fifty men" when, as he himself
states, "be rode out OF Charlotte attended oy
all but two members of his cabinet, bis per-
sonal staff and escort, the whole number be-
ing about two thousand" Perhaps Mr.. Cal.
Ian can suggest what became of the remain:
ing seventeen hundred or eighteen hundred
mounted men. Contemporaneousr rumor had
il that about halfway between Abbeville and
Washington, Ga, raid was made upon
some Of the wagons having money OF Inc
Confederate government, and cavalry scat
tered with what coin they could lay ttelr
hands on. MIR. Reagan says General Breck.
enbridge left Washington With remnant"
What became of the remaining troops?
Now as to the "Great Seal," no statement
was made that at was last seen at Abbeville."
but Mr. Perrin's statement as TO the consulta-
ton what to do with II, and his recommends
ton, would not be questioned by anybody
who knew his high character and punctillous
the statement that Mr.. Benjamin turned over
the "Great Seal" OF the Confederate govern.
ment to "private person., with all the pa,
pers Of the office. and that 1t has remained all
these years. "in one OF the departments at
Washington"-that certainly is myth"
What gold mine that private person. :" who
sold all the papers TO the United states gov
bartered the "Great Seal" OF the Confede.
raoy.
parture of the presiden tial party from Abbe-
In my letter to Mr.. Calhoun, saw President
Davis when he rode through the town and
went to Mr.. Burt's residence. My family
we're then living with my mother al her plan.
nalf mile from the Vienna road leading TO
Washington. Ga. In the afternoon Joined
my family at the plantation. In onversa-
ton. II was suggested that. II federal force
certain valuables we had stored there, might
be In danger OF spoliation and loss. and re.
turned 10 Abbeville. in my mothers two
horse wagon, accompanied by our faithful
carriage driver, Dave, arriving there about
IL O'Clock or q little later. About two miles
from Abbeville, met scouting party Of cav
sIry with an officer In com mand, and 1t WAS
suggested to me that II would be safer not to
60 through the cavalry encampment with
such horses, and turned off the main road
and going by the poor house farm, entered
the town 1roin different direction. l learn
ed then that the presidents party were still
in Abbeville and did not know that they In.
tended leaving Abbeville that night. Having
secured what / came for, left Alb beville
about twelve o'clock and would have known
OF the departure Of the presidents party II 1t
had taken place before that time, as was,
with my wagon and team, at the premises OF
Judge Wardlaw (my wife's father) which was
Mr.. Perrin's residence and lot, and the party
would have necessarily passed by Judge
Wardlaw's house. 1 reached my mothers
place, as near as l can guess, between two and
Abbeville at an early hour. I had either eaten
or was ready for break fast about seven O'Clock
or little later. when l distinctly heard the
rumoling OF the wagon train. coming down
the long red bill near the White place about
a half mile across from my mothers planta-
tion. / am satisfied 1t was after seven o'clock.
distinctly remember that regret was ex.
pressed at the time that we had not known
The president and the party would pass at
that time, as we would have offered them
break fast. They actually took break fast with
a wel-known citizen about three miles furth-
er on after crossing CalhOuu's mill bridge,
over Little River, / did not see The presi-
dents party or the wagon train but unless
the party had preceded the wagon train some
hours, l am satisfied ! am approximately
correct.
This. Mr.. Editor, will close my connection
with the question or the place of the last cab.
met meeting, and after having carefully read
and the last of July 4th, see nothing TO
prove that any cabinet meeting was held at
| Washington, Ca. though Mr.. Reagan. Mr..
| Mallory aud Gen. Breckenridge did arrive
! there with President Davis. OF whom the last
| two took their departure before the president
Yours very truly, VIM. IL. Parker