The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-10
follow the fortunes of their leader
further" as stated in the article copied
by the Chronicle.
Would Still Have Followed.

Hollow the fortunes or their leader
further as stated in the article copied
by the Chronicle.
Would Still Have Followed.
The men of the escort followed till
halted by tho Secretary of War, who
was their chief commander, and who
was doing all in his power to insure
the safety of Mr.. Davis. They would
have followed their leader to Texas had
such n proceeding been necessary tc
save him from his enemies, or had ii
alloroed an opportunity of continuing
tho wal. with reasonable hope Of sue
Cesa. :,
The writer IF the article says further:
when Mr.. Davis arrived at Abbeville
he discovered that there was universal
Justification among his escort, and that
they We're determined to make no resist
ance In the event they were attacked
no matter how small or how great the
attacking force might be-"
Paragraph with Two Falsehoods.
This paragraph contains two unadul-
terated falsehoods which, because of
their pernicious character, deserve spe-
cial NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that can and
must be refuted by surviving members
OF the escort.
More than one-half the men composing
the escort We're included in the surren-
der of Johnston's army; the remainder
may have been included in Lees surren-
DER All were veterans, tried and true,
familiar with the rules of warfare, and
they fully realized the fact that if taken
after refusing to submit they could not
reasonably hope for liberal terms. With
this knowledge, and without compulsion
OF any kind these men chose to follow
the fortunes of the Confederacy while it
existed and they lived. But in less time
than one week, according to the Chroni-
cle's article, there was universal dis
affection among the escort and they
We're determined to make no resistance
in the event they We're attacked no mat
ter how small or how great the attack
ing force might be- This absurd story
Will receive the condemnation of all in
telligent, fair-nlinded people who desire
a true history of the great Civil War.
Writer with the Escort.
The writer of this paper was a mem
Der OF Breckinridge's brigade, and he
was with the escort every day of its
existence; he knew the Kentuckians and
Dibreils Tcnnesseeans we'll, having
marched and fought and starved with
them through half dozen States. and
lie knows that they and the Tennesseeans
and Mississippians of the other brigades
were faithful TO the obligations they took
upon themselves after the surrender OF
Lee and Johnston; and he knows that
at any time while President Davis was
with them they would have fought a
force of the enemy much greater than
their own Just as cheerfully as ever
they fought equal numbers.
What Mr.. Davis Says.
a. u ,,
concerning President Davis's escort
are refuted by the President
himself and who is better au-
thoritN than he? In his "Rise
and Fall of the Confederate Govern
nent, second volume, page $50, Mr..
Davis, writing of his escort says: ITO
the troops OF this command, whose gal
lantry had been displayed on MANY fields,
there is due from me a special aclSnowl-
edgment for the kind consideration
shown to me on the march from Char
lotte, when the dark shadows which
gathered round US foretold the coming
night
Crossed On Pontoon Bridge.
After Mr.. Davis left the cort the
brigades of breckenridge, Dihre.ll ana
Vaughn crossed the Savannah river on
"a pontoon bridge that had ESCAPED the
enelny's notice, moved short distance
| in the direction of Washington, Ga, and
| halted. Here, by order of the Secretary
OF War, General Breckenridge, vino was
| personally in command of the escort
i each member of the escort was paid 81;
! In specie. The brigade commanders were
then advised by the Secretary either Il
disband their men or surrender and lie.
them be paroled, as they could proceed
4 farther h,,l
being then the same $4,000 Yankees IL
their front and 5000 in their rea,.
Men Of Escort Paroled.
j Acting on this suggestion, General Fer
guson's men We're paroled at Augusta
General Dukes at Woodstock, Dbrells
/ Breckinridge's and Vaughans at Wash
ington.
/ While Breckinrldges Kentucklans wer,
waiting to be paroled a party of then
waht up TO Washington and opened fir,
on the Yankee provost guard stationed
| there, driving them to cover. The affai
Being reported TO General Upton, at 4Au
susta that officer promptly dispatched
back that IL the Kentuckians were no
satisfied with what they had receive'
he would send n division of bluecoats I,
entertain them Nothing in this to indi
cate that all the spirit OF resistance ha,
been whipped out of the escort,
Sad Day for Kentuckians.
Some years ago, in writing OF the sur
render OF the escort, l said OF Colone
l3rccSinridgd's brigade:
THAT WAS Il sad day for the Kentuck
iens, Men who had faced death in hal
a hundred battles wept like children
indeed, there was scarcely y dry eye i
. that little brigade. These men had see
their comrades fall in battle in NOR
than half ~ dozen states, and they burle
! them out OF sight, far from home an
I, those who loved them, and there wa
: sorrow IN their hearts; but the saddle.
death of all was that or the Souther
! Confectionery They did not know tia
: they would lie permitted 10 return
= Kentucky, for they were outlawed, b,
/, LET them 20 where they might, the
I would carry with them tho consciousne,
OF duty well DONE
j. MILFORD OVERLY.
+ Lieut.. 9th Ky. Cav. G. S. A,
7. Lexington, KY January, 1907.