The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-11-11
The Last Confederate Council.


eral Duke:
At Abbeyille, S. c., Mr.. Davis held
conference with the officers in COM
mand of the troops comprising his es-
cort. which he himself characterized
as council of war, and which | may
ing. 1t was, perhaps, the last Confed-
crate council of war held east of the
Mississippi River, certainly the last in
which Mr.. Davis participated.
We had gone into camp in the vicin-
ity of the little town, and, although be-
coming quite anxious to understand
what was going to be done, we were
expecting no immediate solution of the
problem. We were all convinced that
the best we could hope and do was to
get Mr.. Davis safely out of the coun-
try, and then obtain such terms as
had been given General Johnston's
army. or, failing in that, make the best
of our way TO the trans-Mississippi.
The five brigade commanders each
received an order notifying him to at
tend at the private residence in Able
vile where Mr.. Davis had made his
headquarters about o'clock of that
afternoon. We assembled promptly at
the hour indicated, and were shown
into room where we found Mr. Davis
and Generals Breckenridge and Bragg
No one else was present. | had never
seen Mr.. Davis look better or show to
better advantage. He seemed in ex-
cellent spirits and humor, and the I'M
lon of dignity, graceful affabillty, and
decision which made his manner usu-
ally so striking was very marked in
his reception OF us. After some con-
versatiOn of general nature he an
nounced the purpose which had in
duced him to call US together
- 1t is time" he said, that we adopt
some definite plan upon which the fur
Their prosecution of our struggle shall
be conducted. / have summoned you
for consultation. l feel that | ought
to do nothing now without the advice
of my military chiefs
He smiled rather archly as he used
this expression, and We could not help
thinking that such a term addressed
to a handful of brigadiers, command
ing altogether barely three thousand
men, by one who so recently had been
the master of legions, was a pleasant
ry, yet he said it in a way that made
it compliment
After we had each given, at his re-
quest, statement of the equipment
and condition of our respective com
mands, Mr.. Davis proceeded to declare
lost any more than hope of American
liberty was gone amid the sorest trials
and most disheartening reverses of the
revolutionary struggle; but that ener-
gy, courage and constancy might yet
save all. Even" he said, eff the troops
now with me be all that / can for the
present rely on, three thousand brave
men are enough for a NUCLEUS around
which the whole people will rally
when the panic which now affiicts
them has passed away" He then ask
ed that We should make such sugges-
lions in regard to the future conduct
of the war as We deemed advisable.
We looked at each other in amaze
ment and with feeling a little akin to
trepidation, for we hardly knew how
We should give expression to views so
Numerically opposed to those he had
uttered as we entertained Our respect
for Mr.. Davis approached generation.
and, notwithstanding the total dissent
we felt and were obliged to announce
to the program he had indicated, that
respect was rather increased than di-
minished by what he had said. We
recognized that his high and dauatless
spirit abhorred submission, not from
personal considerations so much as be-
cause of the patriotic love he bore his
cause and people.
/ do not remember who spoke first,
but we each expressed the same opin-
ion. We told him frankly that the
events OF the last few days had re-
moved from our minds all idea or hone
that a prolongation of the contest was
possible.
The people were not panic-stricken.
but broken down and worn out after
every effort at resistance had been ex
haused- We said that an attertpt to
continue the war, after all means of
supporting warfare Were gone, would
be cruel injustice to TIE people of
the South We would be compelled to
live on country already impoyerisb-
ed, and would invite its further de-
vastation. We urged that we would
be doing great wrong to our men If
We persuaded them to such a coursee:
that IL they persisted in a conflict so
hopeless, they would be declared and
treated as brigands, and would forfeit
all chance of returning to their homes.
He asked why. then, were we still
I'm the field? We answered that we
were DESTROYS of affording him an OBJ
portunity of escaping the degradation
of capture, and perhaps fate which
be direr to the people than even to
himself, in still more embittering the
exasperated feeling between the North
and South. We said that we would
ask our men to follow us until his
safety was assured, and would risk
them in battle for that purpose, but
would not fire another shot in an eff
fort to continue hostiltiies.
He declared, abruptly, that he would
listen to no suggestion which regarded
only his own safety. Resuming his
previous tone, he appealed with an elo-
quence that was sublime to every SEN
timent and reminiscence that might be
supposed to move a Southern soldier,
and urged us TO accept his views We
remained silent, for our convictions
were mistaken; We felt responsible for
the future welfare of the men who had
so heroically followed US, and the pain