202 CONFEDERATE STATES. 



tary), set oat from Greensboro', on horseback, 

 to seek a place of greater safety further South. 

 Two divisions of cavalry, commanded by Gen- 

 erals Debrill and Ferguson, were detached 

 from General Wheeler's corps, to protect and 

 guard the front and rear of the cavalcade. A 

 long wagon train, containing the personal bag- 

 gage of the cabinet, and the most valuable 

 archives of the waning Government, also com- 

 posed a part of the column. It wound leisurely 

 along from twenty to twenty-five miles a day, 

 until it arrived at Charlotte, N. 0., where a 

 halt was made for four or five days during the 

 negotiations between Generals Sherman and 

 Johnston, which Mr. Davis approved, as the 

 only thing that could be done under the cir- 

 cumstances. Upon the refusal of President 

 Johnson to approve the negotiations, Mr. 

 Davis and his Cabinet set out on their journey 

 southward with all possible speed. Abbeville, 

 South Carolina, was reached on May 1st, and 

 on the same night a further advance of forty- 

 two miles was made, and on the next morning 

 crossed the Savannah on a pontoon bridge, 

 and reached "Washington, Georgia. 



On the 4th of May Mr. Davis determined to 

 dispense with his cavalry force, and on taking 

 leave of the commander of the escort, said: "I 

 expected to cut my way through to a place 

 of safety with the two divisions of cavalry along 

 with me, but they have become so much de- 

 moralized by the reports of stragglers and de- 

 serters from Johnston's army that I can no longer 

 rely upon them in case we should encounter 

 the enemy. I have, therefore, determined to 

 disband them, and try to make my escape, as a 

 small body of men can elude the vigilance of 

 the enemy easier than a larger number. They 

 will make every endeavor in their power to 

 capture me, and it behooves us to face these 

 dangers as men. We will go to Mississippi, and 

 there rally on Forrest, if he is in a state of or- 

 ganization, and it is to be hoped that he is ; if 

 not, we will cross the Mississippi River and join 

 Kirby Smith, and there we can carry on the war 

 forever. Meet me south of the Chattahoochee, 

 as this department has been surrendered with- 

 out my knowledge or consent." Six days after, 

 he was captured. (See AEMY OPERATIONS.) 



It became apparent at once to the Southern 

 people, that with the loss of Richmond and the 

 army of Gen. Lee, the war might degenerate 

 into an irregular contest, in which passion would 

 be the controlling motive ; the area of con- 

 scription would become so narrowed as greatly 

 to reduce the military strength; the civil or- 

 ganization was gone ; the treasury and commis- 

 sariat were exhausted, and all those means which 

 were necessary to sustain a cause depending 

 upon popular faith and enthusiasm. But an- 

 other and more alarming danger now began 

 to threaten them. The demoralization among 

 the slaves, produced by the war and its inci- 

 dents, had reached such an extent as to con- 

 vince the people that in a, longer continuance 

 of hostilities they would be compelled to fight 



CONFISCATION. 



not only the armies of the North, but also their 

 own slaves. The horrors of such a contest 

 were too terrible to contemplate. The only al- 

 ternative, of submission to the United States, 

 was accepted at once. Arms, and munitions, 

 and men, surrendered, from the James River to 

 the Rio Grande. Hostilities ceased entirely, 

 and the work of civil reconstruction com- 

 menced. 



CONFISCATION. Soon after the cessation 

 of hostilities, steps were taken in various parts 

 of the South to enforce the Confiscation laws. 

 Preparations were made in Richmond, Va., in 

 July to condemn the property of various per- 

 sons who came within the provision of the Presi- 

 dent's amnesty proclamation, known as the 

 twenty thousand dollar clause. Notices were 

 served upon the tenantry of several landholders 

 of supposed wealth to pay no more rent to the 

 parties from whom they rented the property. 

 These proceedings, however, were not carried 

 to the extent of condemnation. In September 

 it was said by the District Attorney, Mr. Chan- 

 ler, of Norfolk, that he bad received orders to 

 suspend all actions for confiscations. 



Grave charges were made in reference to the 

 returns made to Government as the proceeds 

 of sales of property confiscated, and it was 

 asserted that the net amount realized by the 

 Government from the confiscation sales of 

 property in New Orleans did not exceed $100,- 

 000, although the sales included valuable prop- 

 erties in that city. 



The case of the United States vs. Leroy M. 

 Wiley (see CYCLOPEDIA for 1863, p. 220), came 

 up before the Supreme Court of the United 

 States on a motion in behalf of Mr. Wiley to 

 dismiss the writ of error and appeal of the 

 United States, on the ground that the Presi- 

 dent's pardon and the acceptance and com- 

 pliance of the terms thereof by the defendant, 

 discharged and remitted the forfeiture for which 

 sentence of condemnation was pronounced in 

 the District Court, by pardoning the acts by 

 which alone, if at all, that forfeiture was in- 

 incurred. The decision was not given before 

 the close of the year. 



The case originated in an information filed in 

 a District Court of the United States, and one 

 Charles Gould named as the informer, under 

 the acts of Congress of 18G1 and 1862, com- 

 monly known as the " Confiscation acts," for 

 the confiscation and forfeiture of 1,V56 shares 

 of the capital stock of the Great Western Rail- 

 road Company of 1859, and of upwards of 

 $50,000 due on coupons of bonds of the same 

 corporation as property of the defendant on 

 the twofold ground alleged in the infonimtion : 



1. Of allegechuse of property by Mr. Wiley 

 in aid of the Rebellion, under the act of 1861 ; 

 and, 



2. Alleged treasonable acts of Mr. Wiley, un 

 der act of 1862. 



The motion to dismiss this case was an 

 nounced by Mr. Laroque, in its support. 

 It involved the question : " Does the Presi 



