The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-24

observing us, Hlthongll We were EorBeous
in full uniform, but without side arms
or announcements save small haVersne NJ
IN which we had stored all the crack
ers VIC could got BY means OF loconio-
tive obtained ,ndor compulslcii,I and
with the nssistai1ce OF Two army OIL
cers, we rode twenty-five miles from
Richmond, and then, having no expert.
cnced engineer, nnd the steam, boins
exhausted We phandofed 1t OF, q slide
track and reached the Valley OF virginia
after Gays OF louapIhe progress on root,
THE CONFEDERATE TREASURY.
Going back now to tho departure OF the
mldsliipmen from the warehouse, We can
trace tho connection OF tho naval acad-
envy with the fleeing treasury Of the
Confedcracy. For the following accurate
narrative. Nc are Indebted to the diary
OF Midshipman II. III rioming, then q
Jealous and efficient young officer, and
now II Presbyterian minister Of promi
mes y Virginia. He says:
we left our quarters 4, nt the tobacco
.ceeded rapidly to the Danville, depot. on
reaching It We We're formed IN line and
were addressed by GIa Y n u f,owal, the
Wa bad Wo ts od se Us
retars'becauNe he believed Us e q DO nI brave,
honest and discreet young officers and
gentlemen, for u service OF peculiar dan.
Ship was to b committed ! valuable
train, containing the archives Of the gov
eminent. with It's money We were Then
marched into The depot, where our train,
freight. Guards Wero placed ut all en-
nets, cleared tile building 81 lonfers and
citizens.
THE train loft the depot at midnight,
and two midshlpmnn, with loaded rc,olS-
,crs were PLACED in cucllScar conts iniDs the
government boxes, one 10 sleep wnile the
government clerks. with several ladies,
their wives, and their personal baggage,
The next daNWe, reached Danvllle and
on the 9Th Of April Admiral senmes, with
(the ironclads had been blown up on the
night of the ed),. reached the point and
We're assigned to It's defense. Midshpnlan
staff. and Midshipman breckenridge ac
companiocl his father tSecretary of War;
as his ncrsonal aid, Our train stood on
the track not far from the depot, and Our
cncampinent was In n grove not far from
the train.
"on tic 9Th Of April we left Dany u
and an ! reached he Greensboro. n. c., about !
While there tho money WIS placed in the
mint and the midshipmen feasted at the
leading hotels. On tho 13tl we were of
for Chester. s. G Here the governmse,n r !.
wives, etc, were placed IN wagons for
q march across country to the railroad d t
K NewbcrrS ] saw The. cargo transferred
square boxes, which we supposed con-
tanned gold or bullion, and Kegs rescmb-
ling beer Kegs, which. we inferred con.
one. Mrs. Davis and child and nurse DC.
cupled Il large ambulance, ] do not know
whether she Joined lis. at Greensboro or
Charlotte. We marched to Newbcrry,
the same dav took cars for Abheville,
Left Abbovillo with wagon train on the
18TH. ,o and reached washington. Ga, on
the goth. and here the money was placed
In the vaults of bank. Some OF It. J
know not how much. was sold to citizens;
at least, men crowded around with Con-
26th we were yer ordered Back s to Wishing
ton. Ca, the things going along with
us. Ct seems that the 'middles had
playfully dubbed the specie boxes the
things.D
THE COIN.
"On the 9th the midshipmen who de-
sired them were offered rurloughs, which
were acccp.ed py al but I'VE yirslnians,-,
Tnanies HHso saugniSr Garter ana
marched on the 18th Of April 10 Abbe.
vile, $. c.. where the things were put
leaving Washington, Ga. On May the I'd
President Davis and staff and Cabinet
reached. Abbeville, coming, Imagined,
from Charlotte on horseback. On thnt
day we five Virginans were discharged,
as per the following order, probably the
last official act of the navy Of the Coz
federate States ,o,.
I. slr.--You are hereby detached from,
the Naval School, and leave is, granted
Su e visit 10 y ins hone SHe ny pHs
Navy ms soon as practicable. Paymnster
Whelcss will issue you ten days atoms,
ana all puartermasters arc requested 10
furhsiia transportation sa
:" Commanding
In continuation Mr.. Fleming does not
know when the money left Abpevlle, but
thinks It was on tho morning Of the lst
of May. Some money was paid TO tho
soldiers at Greensboro h9w much 81 ne , dla
en- route home rafting CONS In their
pockets and singing "Onee, dollar and AZ H.
teen CENTS for four years service; me
the "a, a committee OF ,hye discharged
midshipmen. through Captain Phrker 70.
nucsted Secretary Reagan before tayin,R
t IL ai 10 ' reach home me- lie STAINED several
hundred dollars TO be distributed pro ratn
among the naval officers, and the mid
they remained in Apbeyllle until May 7,
when they started homeward. A few
days before the remaining specie had been
placed i'll charge OF some general OF the
army, and there personal knowledge OF 1t
ends,
This is the high testimony Of man
who had followed closely the fortunes of
the Confederate cause In its death throes,
and who adhered until the last feeble
nucleus OF an organization had dissolved.
In, the close OF a private, communication
recently received from him he says, re-
ferrlng to tho imputntions against Presl-
dent Davis and his connection with the
government money: ~ have no word or
commentator for his accusers, Mr.
DAYS was never with the specie train n
single day during our connection with II.
We contribute this as n subject which
has never been referred To In any written
records OF the war, and II possibly con-
tains a more succint history of the routc
pursued by the heads of the government
after tlla 3d or April than any yet s.vniL.
we have ever regarded the safe transit
OF this treasure through so large an area
OF country AS a tribute to the honesty and
laN-abidns spirit OF the Southern people,
IL will moi be forgotten that the region
through Which II passed, with It's little
guard OF forty boys, was nllcd win strag-
giers and unolileered bands OF scattered
and suffering soidiers--lnen knowing all
tho pangs OF munger and destltution of
clothing and utterly hopeless OF tie sue
cess Of their cause, vel men Who obeycd
through their sense OF rigH when no law
existed and kept their hands free from
tie stain ~ robbery while boxes OF this