In the Mint.
About the 6th of April, I received orders from
Mr. Mallory to convey the treasure to
Charlotte, N. C., and deposit it in the mint.
Somewhere about the 8th, we arrived at
Charlotte.
I deposited the money-boxes in the mint, took a receipt from the proper officials, and supposed that my connection with it was at an end. Upon attempting to telegraph back to
Mr. Mallory for further orders, however, I found that
Salisbury was in the hands of the enemy—
General Stoneman's men, I think.
The enemy being between me and the
President (at least such was the report at the time, though I am not sure now that it was so), and the probability being that he would immediately push for
Charlotte, it became necessary to remove the money.
I determined, on my own responsibility, to convey it to
Macon, Ga.
Mrs. President Davis and family were in town.
They had left
Richmond a week before the evacuation.
I called upon her, represented the danger of capture, and persuaded her to put herself under our protection.
A company of uniformed men, under
Captain Tabb, volunteered to accompany me. These men were attached to the navy-yard in
Charlotte.
Most of them belonged to the game little town of
Portsmouth, Va., and a better set of men never shouldered a musket.
They were as true as steel.
Having laid in, from the naval storehouse, large quantities of coffee, sugar, bacon, and flour, we started in the cars with the treasure and arrived at
Chester, S. C. This was, I think, about the 12th of April.
