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309]
Threats made to seize it.
Upon our arrival at
Abbeville, which was, I think, about the 28th, we stored the treasure in an empty warehouse and placed a guard over it. The town was full of paroled men from
General Lee's army.
Threats were made by these men to seize the money, but the guard remained firm.
On the night of May 1st I was aroused by the officer commanding the patrol, and told that ‘the
Yankees were coming.’
We transferred the treasure to the train of cars which I had ordered to be kept ready with steam up, intending to run to
Newberry.
Just at daybreak, as we were ready to start, we saw some horsemen descending the hills, and upon sending out scouts learned that they were the advance guard of
President Davis.
About 10 A. M., May 2, 1865,
President Davis and his Cabinet (save
Messrs. Trenholm and
Davis) rode in. They were escorted by four skeleton brigades of cavalry—not more than one thousand badly—armed men in all. These brigades were, I think,
Duke's,
Dibrell's,
Vaughan's, and
Ferguson's. The train was a long one.
There were many brigadier-generals present—
General Bragg among them—and wagons innumerable.
