The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-03-01
WHEELER'S BOLD PLAN
How Southern Veteran Designed
to Rescue Jefferson Davis.
STORY OF THE GENERALS FRIEND

STORY OF THE GENERALS FRIEND
Carl Guthurz, Who Related Incident
Recently Made Public, Said Confed-
crate President, However, Would
Not Countenance Mutiny Scheme ON
Union vessel-EscaDe to Bermudas
Was Carefully Planned.
The death Of General Joseph Wheel
er Of Alabama, the hero Of two great
wars and personal friend Of President
Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy.
has brought to light plan to rescue
the imprisoned head Of the Confedera-
cy, which was not put into execution
because Of the objection Of Davis, says
a special dispatch from Memphis,
Tenn, to the St. Louis Republic.
Wheeler was the author Of this plan.
The story which was recently given
to the American public for the first
time was related by General Wheeler
to his friend and confdant, Carl
Guthurz, the noted artist of Washing
ton, who has been in Memphis engag-
ed In painting some portraits for the
historic Semmes family. Mr.. Guthurz
was formerly a resident Of Memphis
and Is we'll known to the older citizens
there.
Il painted General Wheeler's por-
trait several years ago." he said while
entertaining some friends In his stu
dio recently, "and it was during his
sitting one day that be told me this
story. I knew him intimately for
years. We. occupied adjoining houses
In Washington, and he never visited
the capital without coming to see me.
II shall not attempt to give you his
words, but will merely outline the sto-
~ as he told it to me, sitting facing
me as worked over his portrait and
talking with that wonderful animation
which always possessed him when in
terested.
"You know he was with President
Davis on board the transport by which
that official, after his capture by Cen
eral Wilson, was carried to his incar-
ceration in Fortress Monroe. do not
now remember the names Of all the,
Confederates who accompanied their
president on that voyage, but among
them were General Joseph Wheeler, his
adjutant, General Rails; Major Moran,
Captain Moody and President Davis
private secretary, Burton N. Harrison.
There were, If my memory serves
me right, somewhere between fifteen
and twenty captured Confederates who
were permitted, or required. to accom-
pany their chief as sort Of body
guard, and Of this bodyguard General
Wheeler was, as understand it, the
recognized leader.
1.-The vessel In which they were be-
ing taken to Fortress Monroe, as the
event proved, although they imagined
at the time that they were destined for
Washington, was, as President Davis
himself has declared, AN old transport
ship, hardly seaworthy.' She had on
board In addition to the mariners re-
auired for her management a compile
ment Of Union soldiers, who went along
as guards for the captured Confeder-
ates.
"You know what daring man Cen
eral Wheeler was. believe no situa-
ton ever became so desperate that he
was not ready to face it, and we who
know the story Of his life can testify
that he won out In his UNDERTAKINGS,
too, however desperate they might
have appeared to others at times.
"The fertile brain Of the gallant ht'
tie fighter conceived the project Of over
powering the Union guard, capturing
the vessel by force and making on
with her to the Bermudas. Once land
ed there they would be on British soil
and out Of reach Of the federal govern
ment.
II remember wildly how his eyes
sparkled and glowed and how nervous
" enthusiastic he became as ne de-
scribed to me IN detail how be had
planned it all out; how certain mem
bers Of the body guard were to tnrot-
tie the guard at the head Of the COM
panionway and disarm him and now
certain others were to attack other
guards stationed in different parts OF
the transport ship at the same moment:
"As he conceived the plan 1t could
not have failed Of success. All It re-
nuired was that President Davis should
assent to It. But Davis absolutely re-
fused to countenance the plan when It
was laid before him. It was In vain
that they pleaded and argued and rea-
soned.