The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-10-10

only Of gathering together body Of
troops to make head against the foe
and so arouse the people to arms. His
friends, however, saw the urgent ex-
pediency of getting farther South as
soon as possible
| $50 President Davis himself came
to Abbeville inspired by the soldiers
with the hope that the war could
still be waged.
Something occurred at Abbeville
which must have destroyed any rea-
sonable hope he may have until then
entertained for the continuation of
the conflict.
What was it?
"Let us consider first the full tes-
timony of one Of the brigadiers COM
manding the secort of the President,
the valiant Basil w. Duke of Ken
lucky. He wrote in 1886: !
"'At Abbeville, South Carolina,
Mr.. Davis held conference with the
officers in command of. the troops
composing his escort which he him.
self characterized as q council of
war, and which I may be justified,
therefore, in so designating. It was
perhaps, the. last Confederate coun-
Gil Of war, held east of the Mississ-
ippi River, certainly the last in which
Mr, Davis participated. We had
gone into camp in the vicinity Of
the little town, and although becom-
ing quite anxious to understand what
was going to be done, we were expect
ling no immediate solution of the
roblem. We were all convinced that
the best we could hope to do was to
e: 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, to make the
best of our way to the Trans Mis-
sissippi. The five brigade COM
manders Is. W. Ferguson, George C.
Dibrell, ]. C. Vaughn, Basil W. Duke,
and w. C. P. Breckinridge) each re-
Rceived an order notifying him to at
tend at the private residence in Alb
beville, where Mr.. Davis had made
his headquarters about 4 o'clock ip
the afternoon. We were shown into
ia room where we found Mr.. Davis
and Generals Breckenridge and Bragg
No one else was present. had new
er seen Mr.. Davis look better or
show to better advantage. He seemed
in excellent spirits and humor; and
the union of dignity, graceful affa-
bility and decision, which made his
manner usually so striking, was very
marked in his reception of us. After
some conversation of a general ma
ture, he said: 1T is time that we
adopt some definite plan upon which
the further prosecution of our strug-
gle shall be conducted. have sum-
moned you for consultation. feel
that I ought to do nothing now with
Iout the advice of my military chiefs.
He smiled rather archly as he used
this expression and we could not help
thinking that such team addressed
to a handful Of brigadiers command
ing altogether barely three thousand
men, by one who had so recently
been the master Of legions was a
pleasantly, yet he said it in way
that made it compliment.
"After we had each given, at his
lrequest, statement of the equipment
and condition of our respective COM
McKISSICK Speech Galley Three =
mands, Mr.. Davis proceeded to de-
clare his conviction that the cause
was not lost any more than hope of
American liberty was gone amid the
sorest trials and most disheartening
reverses Of the Revolutionary strug-
lyle; but. that energy, courage and
constancy might yet: save all. Even,
he said, if the troops now with me
be all that I can for the present rely
on, three thousand brave men are
enough for 9 nucleus around which
The whole people will rally when the
panic which now afflicts them has
passed away He then asked that we
should make suggestions in regard to
the future conduct of the war.