In every way possible,
without directly opposing his commanding general, the big-hearted
President at Washington managed to smuggle Southern prisoners back into
the South unknown to Grant and take an equal number of Union soldiers
home.
A crowd of Southern boys from the prison at Elmira, New York, were
announced to arrive in Richmond on the morning train from
Fredericksburg. Among them Jennie expected her brother Jimmie who had
been captured in battle six months ago. She hurried to the station to
meet them.
A great crowd had gathered. A row of coffins was placed on the ground at
the end of the long platform awaiting the train going south. A dozen men
were sitting on those rude caskets smoking, talking, laughing, their
feet drawn up tailor-fashion to keep them out of the mud.
With a shiver the girl hurried to the other gate.
Her eager eyes searched in vain among the ragged wretches who shambled
from the cars. A man from Baton Rouge, whom she failed to recognize,
lifted his faded hat and handed her a letter.
She read it through her tears and hurried to the Confederate White House
to show it to the President. Davis scanned the scrawl with indignant
sympathy:
"_Dear Little Sis_:
"This is the last message I shall ever send.
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