The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-09-09

There were present the brigade commanders
| | have named, also the President, Gen
Bragg, Gen. breckenridge, and i think Inc
other members of the Cabinet Then IN Anhe
vile and possibly some citlZenS ol WciSh'
and influence.
Beginning with the Junior in rank, and
ascending, chch commander IN turn was
questioned aS 10 tn number, condition
couipm.nt etc Of hiS command. and most
particular as tn how many could he depend
ed upon implicitly TO accompany The preSl-
dent 10 the TrauS-M isSissippl dc"artmcnt ana
there continue the war. All the commhnd-
ers vOucEcd Tor their entire commands, that
they would go with the President to The bit.
Ter end, until IL came last 10 my tnrn, When i
had to say most reluctantly that had not
dozen men for whose crossing tne mississippi
River / would vouch.
This statement was a surprise and Fl DAM
per- My statements had weight, however,
and a movement forward was begun AT once.
| was ordered to bring up the rear. The Pres
ident aud his party passed through my camp
en- route 10 the pontoon bridge at II O'Clock
that night.
Calm and dignltied, as always. With
heavy heart I wrung his hand in what |
feared was last farewell. ren!Ming in lis
bitterness thai our cause was indeed lost.
When Gen. Breck eurige and crossed the
pOntoun bridge next morning, we i0und hil
ihe cavalry which had marched the night
before there encamped. The specie for the
troops was distributed, and the brigades ht
once paid OIL, except niue. The next morn
ing when moved out OF camp on the fnHTcn
TO Washington the strange spectacle or white
flngS all around the camps, tokens OF surren-
der me; my eyes. These were the com mands
that were to go TO the TransMississippi.
hunting for some one 10 whom they could
surrender.
My own brigade acted In a similar manner
the next day, but thank God, | had not
vouched for them, but had really done them
some injustice. for when the END came,
more than one hundred and twenty. remain
I'd true as steel, ready To follow the President
wherever he might go.
have their names on the Confederate
paper of the day to me, precious roll Oh
honor.
The extract from my journal under date OF
May 6, refers to the disbandment OF my bril-
sade. which took place the night before.
when after they had received the cash allotted
to them and were ordered TO move toward
ihey refused to obey, claiming that they had
been included in the surrender OF Gen. John
stou.
When reported TO Gen. Breckenridge that
l no longer had "A brigade, but only handful
Of men, he directed me TO have them paroied,
saying that 1t WAS useless to p:oiong the
offered 10 accompany him. but he
declined my offer, saying that he would take
no one with him. but his two sons, so we
parted, he to make his way'to Cuba, to r.
turn 10 Sonth Carolina where had left Mrs.
Ferguson. | moved leisurely To Washington.
aud thence to Pendeton without encounter
ing any of The enemy.
A few words aoout Gen. Breckenridge. /
met MIN first at Bowling Green, Ky, when
going from the headquarters OF Gen. Beau
regard 10 those OF Gen. Albert sidney John
,ton. AS we passed on the sidewalk he saiut-
I'd most cSureteously and / recall feeling very
much ashamed of having allowed one or his
age and rank to have given the first Saluta.
tion and having been much attracted by his
magnificent appearance.
Returning to Gen. Beaureguards qrarters,
| there met the distinguished stranger. to-
whom was presented 10y my general.
Again at the battle OF Shiloh, rs he was
going into action gave him from Gen. Beau.
reguard his order Tor battle, with the request
that he repeat 1t to Capt Chisolm and myself
50 that there could not be possibility Of mis-
iake or misunderstanding. lie did 80 with
aourtsey and clearness which with his
knlghtIy appearance, made an Impression
never TO be etlaced.
On the next day, after we had been driven
back some distance and everything looked
desperate Gen. Beaureguard was in the act of
giving me orders to 90 with all haste TO Cor
NTH, and have the place fortified, when Gen
rode up ana Saluttd, having
ueen summoned: Gen. Beaureguard paused
N his instructions 10 me, In order TO place
Gen. Breckenridge in command OF the rear
guard.
l heard every word that passed between
them, and admired the quickness with which
he srasped the situation, can never forget
the magnificent appearance of the perfect
norseman on his matchless steed. rode OIL
feeling sure that no better selection for a des
peraie post could have been made.
The statement that President Davis was
overcome at the council of was and had to be
from the room on receipt OF report
81 the officer commanding his guard, Is en-
tirely mistake, no such incident occurred.
[ was present aud was the only one TO make
An uniavOrable report and would most surely
nave observed and remembered the incident
[ had never heard Of such Il report having
been circulated until read the article of Mr..
W. =. Calhoun in the Abbevlile Press and
Banner, which has led TO this letter.