Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-12

cabinet together and directed the removal
of the archives and treasure OF the Con-
federate government to Danville On Lees
surrender he moved 20 Charlotte and
when he learned that the Washington
authorities refused to recognize the terms
of surrender given by Gen. Sherman TO
Gen. Johnston he started by wagon train
to join Taylor and Forrest In Alabama.
accompanied by his cabinet. his personal
staff and an escort of 5000 men COM
manded by Gen. John G. Breckenridge.
Among the other officers were former Con-
gresham w. c. p. Breckenridge and Basil
w. Duke. Progress was very slow. only
about fifteen miles per day. At Abbeville.
S. c.. Mr.. Davis called q conference of
his officers. or what he afterward charac-
terized as a council of war" Those
present were the five brigade commanders.
Gen. Bragg and Gen. Breckenridge. Col.
Basil w. Duke gives a graphic descrip-
ton of the conference in his book called
THE Last Days Of the Confederacy."
He says Mr. Davis would listen to no
suggestion concerning his own safety. but
after he retired. both Gen. Breckenridge
and Gen. Bragg assured the officers that
they would urge Mr.. Davis to avoid the
serious complications that might result
from his capture. Imprisonment and per-
haps execution.
1T was determined that we should
resume our march that night for Wash
ington. Ca. one or two days distant"
says Gen. Duke in his narrative. land
orders were issued by Breckenridge to
move at midnight.
The Confederate Treasure.
about 10 o'clock I received a message
from Gen. Breckenridge that he desired
to see me Immediately. I went to his
quarters and he there informed me that
the treasure brought from Richmond was
at the railroad station and that it was
necessary to provide for its removal and
transportation: and instructed me to pro-
vide sufficient wagons and to detail a
guard Of fifty men under a field officer
for its protection. He further informed
me that there was between five and six
hundred thousand dOllars-he did not
know the exact amount-the greater part
in gold l must he said. personally
superintend the transfer. which was not
an agreeable duty. l represented that
II no one knew what sum of money was
there 1t was rather an unpleasant duty
to impose on the officer who was to take
charge Of it: that 1 would have no op-
portunity to count 1t, nor any means of
ascertaining whether or not the entire
amount had been turned over TO me- Ne
stated that this had been considered and
bade me proceed to obey the order.
Il detailed fifty picked men as guards,
placed them under command Of Col.
TheOphilus Steele and four of my best
subalterns. obtaining six wagons, and
began at once the transfer of the treas
ure. The money was in charge of some of
the former treasury clerks and was packed
In money belts. shot bags. a few small
iron chests and all sorts of boxes. many
Of them Of the frailest description. in
which shape 1t had been loaded into open
box cars. BY the light of tallow candles
I gathered up all that was shown me
and that 1 could find. Something more
fer. and after the wagon train had started
off and gotten about half a mile away
Lieut.. John 3. cole. one OF the officers
Of the guard. rode up to me W n a pine
box. which may have held 81 600 or 81, 900
in gold. on the pommel of his saddle.
Lieut.. Cole had remained after the others
one car which we thought had
been thoroughly searched discovered the
box in a corner closely covered with a
piece Of sacking.
Paying or the Troops.
AT the Savannah river Mr.. Davis or
dered that the silver coin. amounting to
some one hundred to one hundred and ten
thousand dollars, be paid to the troops in
partial discharge of arrears Of pay due
them. The quartermasters OF the several
brigades were engaged during the entire
night in counting out the money. and un-
til early dawn a throng Of soldiers sur
rounded the little cabin where the d.
VISION or the Pile was mace up INTO tnelf
respective quotas. The sight Of SO much
money seemed to Danish sleep. My bril-
gade received SD per capita, officers and
men sharing alike. Gen. Breckenridge
was paid the same sum. and. for the pur-
pose his name was borne on the roll Of
my brigade.
Upon arrival at Washington I turned
over the residue of the treasure to Mr..
NJ. II. Clark. acting treasurer OF the Con-
federate states, and experienced feeling
Of great relief.
1.-The amount Of money carried was ex-
aggerated by Gen. Breckenridge. AS a
matter of fact, instead of $500 900 to 5000,
COO the train contained about $3.50. 600
some $4,000 in silver coin. some gold
coin and the residue in gold bullion: $685.
600 Of the silver coin was used in paying
the troops.
Capture Of the President.
Mr.. Davis and his party. consisting of
his family. Postmaster General Reagan.
Miss Howell, Mr.. Davis wife's sister, and
Midshipman Howell her brother, re-
manned at Washington about thirty-six
hours and then. on May T. with an escort
of twenty picked men under command OF
Lieut.. Hathaway, made their way toward
the southwest They were intercepted
and arrested at Irwinvlle. Ga. about 80
miles southwest of Washington. about
daybreak May 10. and the balance of the
coin and bullion was captured and carried