Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-01-22
Civil War Stories
he Last Confederate treasure.

9th Of April, 1865, was in Gen.
Echols cavalry in Southwest Virginia
on our way to Gen. Lees army, and at
Christiansburg we were surprised with
the first intimation of the surrender by
struggling paroled prisoners on their
way home. Gen. Echols then disband
Ell his Virginia troops, but Gen. Basil
W. Duke, who had but recently been
exchanged, took command Of his old
Kentucky squadron, Morgan's (Ken-
tucky) command, and made his way
South to Charlotte n. c. Near States
vile, N. c., we encountered Gen.
Palmer's (FederaD command, and our
captain, Quirk, and Lieut.. Hanston
Hopkins came in contact with q scout
ing party from Gen. Palmer's command,
and in the fight which ensued Federal
Lieut. Campbell was killed, and this
lieutenant was said to be the Sergt.
Campbell who had killed Gen. John H.
Morgan at Greenville, Tenn.
We CHARTERED in Charlotte several
days, during which the most eventful
periods of the dying Confederacy oc-
Cured.
l was present and heard the last
speech OF the President (Jeff Dav1s)
before the end came. He stood on the
door "stoop' Of one Mr.. Johnson, and
told us (about seventy-fve men) that
5000 stands of arms surrendered by
Gen. Lee were not the Southern army,
and that we would make Thermopyln
of every mountain pass and continue
the war indefinitely" But before he
got warmed UP in his speech Mr.. John
son handed him a telegram. The I'M
usual disturbance caused GREATNESS
silence and suspicion that all was not
right. Mr.. Davis turned deathly pale
and showed evident signs of deep emo
ton. At last soldier spoke out loud ::
Read it," Mr.. Davis read in trem-
bling voice:
"Durham's Station, N. c., April u,
1S65.-President Lincoln was assas-
sinated last night at Ford's Theater.
u. C. BRECKENRIDGE"
1t has been said that we cheered
SNNNA
is. not the case. Mr.. Davis sad spirit
was participated in by the crowd, but
when Mr.. Davis turned to retire into
the house we called loudly, go on, ~
''Go on but he never spoke as Presi-
dent to a Confederate soldier again.
We remained in Charlotte several
days for Gen. Breckenridge and others
Of the Cabinet to come up, and about
the goth we moved west with an ac-
cumulated cavalry force Of about 400,
but many dropping out of the ranks
en- route to the Savannah River. When
ever we made halt Of any kind Gen.
Breckenridge (then Secretary of War;
would lie down in the road and fall
asleep and we had a hard time to
awaken him when ready to start. His
recent work had completely exhausted
| him.
| When we arrived at Abbeville, S. c.,
we took charge of the famous treasury,
with other effects and archives Of the
| Confederacy. We were in the night
before we could go on, and in the
boxes was left on the platform at the
railroad depot. w. P. Cole, q little
red-headed lieutenant of Company ]
in Morgan's squadron, was command
ing the rear guard that night and
came upon the box and took it up on
his horse in front and carried it about
fifteen or eighteen miles to give it to
the guard who had charge of the treas
uIy We all knew what it was and
were waiting impatiently for a division,
which came in part at Morse's Land
ing, on che Savannah River, about
eighteen miles east Of Washington,
Wilkes County, Ga Private soldiers
got $50 or $32 in silver. l have now
twelve of the identical dollars | got
there. The officers got more. Gen.
Bragg got $4,000 in gold and grumbled
because he got no more. 1t was said
that Breckenridge got $4,000, but I
think he got much more in trust, and
here are my reasons for thinking SO.
While at Morses a Maj. Clark (adju-
tant) came from Jeff Davis at Wash
at night, and l had to take the answer
Immediately. Clark did not return. l
reached Washington at about daybreals,
delivered my message, and was ordered
to wait for a reply, and as it was the
custom for carriers to read dispatches
when not sealed l read mine, and this
is what it contained:
"Why has not General come
up with his regiment as escort? The
country is being secured by marauding
scouts of the enemy, and l fear we
will suffer violence at their hands if
we meet with them.
JEFF DAVIS, President"
I met Gen. Breckenridge about four
miles from Washington, coming west,
and delivered the dispatch, when he
remarked to me:
Captain, you must be very tired"
He halted his command and studied
the paper fully thirty minutes. l rode