The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-10-10
McKISS1CK'S ADDRESS.
OF HISTORIC INTEREST
Marshaling of Facts Concerning Last Cabinet
Meeting of Value to Abbeville Citizens.
Evidence Collected Bears Out
Long Held Claim.

war entered into by himself and Gen
eral Sherman and that, therefore,
the armistice prevailing since April
fs would be terminated in forty-eight
hours. Consequently, on April 26'
President Davis rode out of Char
lotte, attended by all members of his
cabinet, except Attorney General
Davis who had gone to- see his fami-
ly and Secretary of the Treasury
Trenholm, who, because of illness,
resigned his portfolio shortly after
the party quilted Charlotte, Postmas-
ter-General Reagan having been ap-
pointed acting Secretary of the. Treas
ury in place of Mr.. Trenholm. The
President was escorted by his per.
sonal staff and the cavalry who had
been concentrated at Charlotte. The
route of the journey was by way Of
Yorkville, Union and Cokesbury to
Abbeyille. H.
"Their, cause was lost, but the peo-
pie along the road travelled by the
President of the Confederacy did not
fail to do him reverence. One Of the
members of the cabinet accompany
ing him, Secretary Mallory, noted
that wherever Mr.. Davis went, he
found the people Of the towns and
hamlets at their doors, or outside
their gates, ready to greet him and
offer flowers and strawberries It
was the only delicacy they had to give
them; they had little in their larders.
As Gen. Lee said, the only unfailing
friend the Corfederacy ever had was
cornfield peas The same undiminish-
ed and undaunted loyalty Of the Pal
'metto State to the Confederate Pres
ident was expressed in another man.
ner by the action of General Wade
Hampton. When he feared that john
ston's army would be surrendered,
he wished to withdraw the cavalry
and report to President Davis and
the latter gave him permission, but
it was too late-the cavalry had al
ready been included in the terms of
the surrender. Among the very last
documents of the Confederate gov
ernment IS telegram to the Secre-
tary Of War from General Hampton,
in which he declared that he felt that
he was not personally bound by john
stonrs surrender. He intended to
collect what stragglers he could and
offer his services to Mr.. Davis at the
risk of being proclaimed an outlaw
and a public enemy. he had no op-
portunity to do it, however, The
attitude of the superb South Carolina
cavalier was warmly appreciated by
President Davis especially since it
contrasted sharply with the position
of other eminent Confederate mill
tary leaders at that time. .s
s'Mrs. Davis and her family had
arrived in Abbeville in advance Of
her husband, but did not remain
there until he came. Burton Harri-
son, private secretary to President
Davis, had the Davis family in charge,
end in his narrative he says:
"tAt Abbeville Mrs. Davis and her
family were the guests of the Presi-
dents esteemed friends, Colonel and
Mrs. Burt, and there, too, were the
/ daughters of Mr.. Trenholm at the
house of their brother. Abbeville was
! beautiful place on high ground
and the people lived in great content,
their houses embowered in vines and
roses, with many other flowers every.
where. We had now entered the
Sunny South
president Davis himself said: .
"At Abbeville she (Mrs. Davis)
was the guest of our esteemed friends
Colonel and Mrs. Burt. She had heard
of threats made by the enemy that
any house which gave shelter to
myself or family should be burned
she was unwilling to expose oul
friends, the Burts, to such possible
loss to them and gave them that rea'
son for declining their invitation tc
remain in their house. Colonel Burt
magnanimously said there was nc
better use to which his home could