Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-09
Library,
S1a1MmrM1m1aGaas N aHzmzMza1mzas NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


children are all we'll JEFF has gotten we'll.
May God in His mercy have you in
His holy keeping prays your devoted
wife.
p. Show comes It that my dear Joe
did not go to YOU as soon as paroled'
Everything is mystery"
The next letter OF Jefferson Davis is a
very long one. 1t deals not only with
the military situation. but also with the
hope which Mr.. Davis had of escaping
to Europe Parts OF 1t are full OF pathos.
and. as will be seen by the letter from
Mrs. Davis which follows. it was one
OF the few letters which was received
the others having been intercepted on
their way.
This letter reads:
Charlotte. \. c.. 23rd OF April, 1885,.
My Dear Winnie: | have been detain
ed here longer than was expected when
the last telegram was sent you. I am
the necessity Of being with you. even
for brief time, under our altered cir
cumstances.
Your own feelings Will convey to you
an idea OF my solicitude for you and our
family. and l will not distress you by de-
scribing It.
The dispersion OF Lees army and the
surrender of the remnant which remained
with him destroyed the hopes l enter
tanned when we parted Had that army
held together | am now confident We
could have successfully executed the
plan which I sketched to YOU and would
have been today on the high road to in
dependence. Even after that disaster If
the men who 'straggled-say thirty or
forty thousand in number-had come back
with their arms and with disposition to
hight We might have repaired the dam
age: but all was sadly the reverse OF
that They threw away their arms and
were uncontrollahly resolved to go home
The small guards along the road have
sometimes been unable to prevent the
plilage of trains and depots. Panic has
seized the country. j. +. Johnston ano
Beauregard We're hopeless as to recruit
ing their forces from the dispersed mer
of Lees army. and equally so as to their
ability to check Sherman with the force:
they had. Their only idea was to re
treat. OF the power to do SO they were
doubtful. and subsequent desertions from
: their troops have materially diminished
their strength and. learn. still more
weakened their confidence. The loss OF
arms has been so great that. should the
spirit of the people rise to the occasion
it would not be at this time possible
adequately TO supply them with the weap
o1s OF war.
Gen. Johnston had several interview
with Sherman ard agreed suspension
OF hostilities. and the reference of terms
of pacifcation. They are secret and ma,
i, be rejected BY the Yankee government
To u.s. they are hard enough though
freed from wanton humiliation and ex
pressly recognizing the state govern
ments, and the rights of person and prop
erty, as secured by the Constitution O
the United States and the severa
states.
The issue Is one which ii is very pain
ful for me to meet. On one hand is tn
long night of oppression which will fol
, low the return of our people to tn
Union On the other, the suffering o
: the women and children. and carnag
among the few brave patriots who woul
still oppose the invader. and who, unles
, the people would rise en- masse to sustain
them. would struggle. but to die in vain
| think my judgment is undisturbed b.
any pride of opinion or of opinion
Il have prayed to our Heavenly Fathe
, to give me wisdom and fortitude euua
to the demands of the position in whicl
Providence has placed me. / have sacri
feed so much for the cause of the Con
, federacy that l can measure my abilit,
to make any further sacrifices required
and am assured there is but one to which
] am not equal-my wife and my chill
dren. How are they to be saved from
degradation or want is now my care.
During the suspension of hostilities
you may have the best opportunity to g
, to Mississippi. and thence either to sal
!. from Mobile for foreign port or t
: cross the river and proceed to Texas
as the one or the other may be more prac
ticable. The little Sterling (money) yo
: have will be very scanty store, an,
) under other circumstances would not b
, counted. but if our land can be sold, tina
will secure YOU from absolute want. Fo
: myself. it may be that our enemy will
prefer to Danish me. Or it may be tina
devoted band of cavalry will cling t
me. and that ] can force my way acros
5 the Mississippi and If nothing can b
done there which it will be proper to dc
then | can go to Mexico, and have TIL
world from which to choose a location.
Dear wife. this is not the fate t,
which | invited when the future wa.
rose-colored to us both. but | know
You will bear it even better than my
self. and that, of US two / alone viii
ever look back reproachfully on my pas
career. | have thus entered on the
questions involved in the future to guarC
against contingencies My stay will no
be prolonged day beyond the prospec
of useful labor here. and there is every
reason TO suppose that | will be will
You few days after Mr. Harrison ar
riyes. Mrs. Omelia behaved very