What became of the "vast" sums
in the Confederate treasury, estimated
as high as SI 3.000.000. which followed
President Jefferson Davis in his flight
through the Carolinas and into Georgia
after the evacuation of Richmond on
April 2. 1865?
(apt. William H. Parker, C.S.N..
and 60 naval cadets look charge of
the boxes, crates and canvas sacks into
which the remnants of the treasure
were hastily stuffed. Parker never saw
any of the gold and silver he carefully
guarded for 30 days and had no true
idea of its total, though he wrote in
his autobiography, “The senior teller
told me there was about half a million
dollars in gold, silver and bullion."
Parker followed Davis' party to
Danville. Va.. on the next train. Here
some money was "taken for the use
of the Government” but Parker didn't
inquire how much.
Ordered to convey the treasure to
Charlotte. Parker proceeded by way
of Greensboro, where he remained
one day while President Davis held a
cabinet meeting. Some $75,000 of
treasury funds was left in Greensboro.
The cabinet retained $35,000 and
S39.000 was set aside to pay Genl.
Joe Johnston’s army.
"As we approached Salisbury."
wrote Parker, "we saw cavalry de¬
scending the hills in the vicinity and we
stopped to reconnoitre — for the time
were troublous; but it turned out to be
some of our men and we passed on."
In Charlotte Parker stored the
money in the former United States
Mint, which stood on West Trade
Street. "Having left it in the custody
of its proper officers. I thought I was
rid of it forever."
However, when he tried to tele¬
graph the Secretary of the Confeder¬
ate Navy for instructions Parker
learned the wires had been cut by
General Stoneman who with his band
of Union cavalry raiders was then in
possession of Salisbury, having barely
missed capturing the treasure at that
point. Stoneman was believed to be
still on its trail, headed for Charlotte,
where there were no troops to oppose
him.
Parker found Mrs. Davis in Char¬
lotte. and for her further safety per¬
suaded her to accompany his parly on
their flight southward. "I feared she
would be captured, and I could not
bear the thought of that. Wc found in
the naval storehouse large quantities
of sugar, coffee, bacon and flour, and
I took enough to support my command
several months. ... A company of
uniformed men from the navy yard,
under Capt. Tabb, volunteered to ac¬
company us . . . and they remained
with me to the end."
They left Charlotte on the train
April 1 1 and upon reaching Chester.
S. C, packed the money and papers
in wagons and headed for Newberry.
Parker's midshipmen would lead the
advance one day and the naval com¬
pany from Charlotte the next.
At Newberry they transferred the
treasure to railroad cars and left for
Abbeville. Here they formed another
wagon train and set out for Washing¬
ton, Ga. Because the news they re¬
ceived grew steadily worse as they
advanced they began throwing away
record books, stationery and. finally,
even Confederate money.
After reaching Washington, Parker
decided to take the treasure to Au¬
gusta. Ga., "where there was a general
in command and also a Naval of¬
ficer senior to myself."
On April 18. while cn route, they
learned that Lee had surrendered on
the 9th. They didn't even unpack the
money front the cars in Augusta and.
after four days, returned to Washing¬
ton. Ga. Here Parker again formed a
wagon train and went back to Abbe¬
ville, to await President Davis' arrival
from Charlotte.
After holding his last full cabinet
meeting in Charlotte, in the old Phifer
house on North Tryon Street. Davis
(Continued on
рчце
The Confederacy’s
Last Treasure
The chronicle of the flight of gold
through the Carolinas and Georgia.
By ASHTON CHAPMAN
THE STATE. January 21. 1961
9