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THE GEORGIA ENTERPRISE.
VOL 1.
| 'l'il E
worjjra Cntfrprisf
Is published weekly, by
DELANEY & ANDERSON,
At Covington, Ga.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
One Copy, Three Months, $1 00
One Copy, One Year, S3 00
Si* Copies, §ls 00
BATES OF ADVERTISING.
One Square, (ten lines or less of solid Brevier,)
one insertion, $1 Od
For oaeh subsequent insertion, 75
Permanent advertisements, nml those
-Occupying a qintir or of u column, or more,
will be taken by special contract.
All personal matter, double price, or,
for one square, one insertion, S- 00
For matt advertising his wife, §l2 00
Advertisements inserted without specification
as to the number of insertions, will be publish
ed until ordered out, and charged accordingly.
JOB WORK.
We are prepared to do JOB WORK, of all
kinds, with- neatness and despatch. Also, all
kinds of BLANKS printed to order at short
notice. A liberal share of the Public Patron
age is solicited.
JAMES DELANEY,
JAMES \V. ANDERSON.
t —— • ' j
|3octni
Is it Como ?
|T! e following is the poem that attracted the
attention of the Marquis of Lansdownc, and
induced him to make a present of £IOO to the
authoress, Mbs Frances Brown. —Edinburg |
jAdie* Otrn.]
Is it come ? they svid on the banks of the Nile
A\ ho looked for the world's long promised day,
And saw but the suifo of Egypt’s toll,
With the desert's salt Is and the granite grey,
from the pyramid, temple and treasured dead
We raii.lv ask for htr wisdom's plan :
Tiny tell «f the slave ami tyrant’s dread—
fet there w..s h pc when that day began.
The ChnPee came with his starry 'ore, j
That built up Babylon's crown and creed;
And bricks were stamped on the Tigris’ shore
W jtli Mens which mintages scarce can read.
Front Minus’ Temple and Nimrod s Lower
The rule of the old East's empire spread
nqd wtr— I
Buts; ill, Is it comer the Watcher said.
t
The tight of the Persian's worshiped flame
O’er tilt ancient boi.dage its splendor tlucw ;
Aa(d once on the West a sunrise came,
When Giocce to her freedom 5 * tinst was true.
With dream, to the uttermost nges dear,
AV'itli the human gods and god-like men,
No marvel the far oil' day set tin and near.
To eyes that 1-okcd through her laurjs '.lien.
The Romans c nquered asd revelled, t. o,
Till honor and faith and power were gone,
And deeper old Europe’s darkness grew
As wave alt.-r wave the Go'll einiie on. •
The gown was learning, the svvotd was law,
The people sei ved in ti e ox-*n’s stead,
But evci some gleam the W atelier .-aw,
And evermore, Is it con e '! they said.
I’oet and Seer that qttestion caught,
Above tiled tt of life’s tears jind frets;
It marched with letters—it. t, bed with thought
Thru' schools and creeds which the eailh I'urg. ts.
And statesmen trifle, and piicsts deceive,
And traders baiter our world away;
Yet hearts to that golden promise cleave,
And sti 1, at times, Is it cuiao? they say.
The Java of the nations hear no trace
Os all the sun-line so far foretold;
The cannon speaks in the teacher’s place—
The age is weave with work and gold ;
And higher hopes wither and memories wane
On healths and altars the fires at e dead ;
But that brave faith hath not lived in vain ;
And this is all our Watcher said.
Champ Ferguson's Full Confession.
It will be remembered by our readers that
during the tiial of Ferguson, we were granted
the privilege of holding inteiviews with bint,
and published a lengthy statement on one
occasion. We withheld many developments
at that time which we knew would he preju
dicial to It'S trial. It was Champ Ferguson’s
< xpress desire that the Local Editor of the
Dispatch should receive his confession, and
he frequently said to us during the progress
of his trial, if it went adverse to him, he
would “ tell us all,” —to use Lis own wotds
On Wednesday afternoon, we visited the
Penitentiary in company with Lieut. A. M.
Coddington. On entering the prison through
the massive iron doors, we found Champ sit
ting by the stove in the hall or chamber
which surrounds the cells, lie was permit
ted to go out of the durgeon with a ball and
chain. Champ met us in a very pleasant
manner, and after conversing a few moments
on important matters, we retired with him
to his cell. lie appeared very anxious about
his family, and had some feats of their not
getting here in time to see him. He was ex
peeling them hourly.
We opened the subject of his confession
to him, and he told us that it might not be
discreet in him to make a confession unli]
the last day. However, he proposed to give
it to us with the understanding that it should
not be published or mentioned in the paper
until alter his execution. He commenced
with
TIIE KILLING OF REUBEN' WOOD.
The testimony in this case was, with very
few exceptions, false. Reuben Wood and I
were always good friends before the war, hut
after that b 6 was connected with same
company in which my brother Jitn was oper
! ating. I knew that he intended killing me
if he ever got a chauce. They both hunted
me down, and drove nio fairly to desperation.
On tlie day that he was killed, we met him
in the road, and lie commenced on me, using
the most abusive language. 1 knew his dls^ 1
position toward me, 31*1 I bqlieve he intended
j to shoot nte. Ine touching story about his
piteous appeals to me—that he had nursed
me when a babe, and tossed me on his knee
—are false, and were gotten up expressly to
create sympathy, and set me forth as a heart
ies* wretch. If I had not shotßeuben Wood
I would not l.kely have been here, for he
would have shot me. I never expressed a
regret for committing the act, and never will,
lie was iu open war against me.
THE KILLING OF FtiOGO.
The killing of Frogg is another in which I
am falsely pluctid. The circumstances are
well known to many in that neighborhood.
He wits with the Home Guards, and instiga
led my arrest while I was peaceably pursuing
my avocation a3 a farmer. Not satisfied witli
this, ho laid iu wait on the highways to kill
me. lie even went so far as to 'make his
threats to the neighbors that he iptendvd to
kill me. On the day that I passed down the 1
road leading to Frogg’s house, Mrs. Pleasant
Realty called to me, and warned me that
Frogg was watching for an opportunity to
kill me. I had been cautioned by a number
of persons. There were two men with me
at the lime Mrs. Beatty spoke to us, and I
told the boys that I would settle the matter
by going direct to Frogg’s Louse and killing
bim. His wife was at the door peeling ap
ples. I dismounted and went iu. He was
lying in bed, and seising me, pulled the cover
over Lis face. I then shot him twice. His
wife ran awav, and its I passed nut I mol Miss
Russell, who lives near there. She asked mo
w hat was the matter 1 I told her that Frogg
was killed, and that site had better go and
loak aftet him. No words whatever were
passed between Frogg »td myself. I consider
mvself justified in killing him.
THE SAI.TSVILLE MASSACRE,
As it has Laui termed, was no wotk of mine.
I was not in the fight, and did not kill any j
negri es as charged. I acknowledge, however
that 1 killed Lieutenant Smith in Emory and
Henry ho-pital. 1 had a motive in commit
ting the act. He captured a number of my
tuen at different times, and always killed the
last one of them. I was instigated to kill
him, but 1 will not say by whom, as I do not
wish to eliminate any of my friends. Smith
belonged to the 13. h Kentucky, and opera
ted around Duiksville. I will say this much
—he never insulted my wife or daughter as
was reported, lie was a relative of my first
wife, and always treated my family with re
spect. He is the only man that I killed at or
neat Sal.sville, and I am not sorry for killing
hitn.
ESQUIRE ZACIIERY.
I suppose that I am resonsible for the kill
ing of E-quire Zicbeiy, hut I was not the
man who shot him. I shot at him, but one
of my men fired the hall that killed him. He
was in command of a company of bush
whackers, and was seeking my life. We
went to his house for the purpose of killing
him in order to save my own life. He was a
clever man before tbe war, but got over it
soon after the war broke out, and arrayed
himself in deadly hostility to his old friends
and neighbors.
KILLING or DR. m’gLASSON.
I am entirely ignorant of such a man as
Dr. McGlasson, and never heard of him until
the charges were read against me. He was
no doubt in a fight way up the river, in which
several were killed on both sides. I recollect
of chasing a man to the verge of a bluff, and
he ran down the bank to a fence. As he was
getting over it, f bhot him. He might have
been Dr. McGlasson, hut 1 hardly think so,
for they say that the Doctor was killed sev
eral miles from the creek. I know that he
was never captured by me or any of mv
men. The story of my taking him out and
telling him to run for his life and then shoot
ing him is a lie manufactured of whole cloth.
He never fell into my hands, and I am inno
cent if he was killed in the fight, as he no
doubt was. lam charged aith killing many
1 persons, who fell in battle, and a good many
COVINGTON, GA., NOL 9, 18G5.
killed by other commando are fpt* at nty
door. V
FOUNT ZACHERT. I
I coufess that I shot the lad, Ffust Zach
ery, and stabbed him after he f*II to the
ground. We were out on a *cgLi, and ex
pected a fight that night. Jim MJlenry was
in command, and had given U 9 orders to shoot
down any persons who might be s»tn with
guns. As we neared a creek, the l;d emerg
ed from a thicket with a gun on his*boulder.
I shot him on sight in obedience l ' irders.
THE SLAUGHTER OF TIIE TWELVE SOIDTERS.
I am charged with killing
at Saltsvilie. ; lam innocent y UHSkaige.
I know they were killed by Htljpea’ and Bled
soe’s commands, and they were fidrlvTcilled
in battle. There were thirty instead of twelve
that fell on that day, and it was in a regular
fight.
JOSEPH STOVER AND OTHEIjS.
I killed Joseph Stover after he hjtd slmt at
me twice. He was taking a third aim when
I shot him iu the mouth, and Feuut Firost
shot him in the side at the same tiuie. q’tn.
Johnson was run over a cliff, and cine of‘the
boys shot him. I shot and killed Pieicel as
ho was running, with a double barreled shot
gun. They were all Home Guards, «nd seek
ing our lives.
ALEXANDER IIOUOH. '
I am innocent of the killing of Altxanßer
Hough. He was a cousin to my ni.ther, Aid
I always liked him. 1 protested against Ijis
being killed, and guarded him myself in the
rear, until he broke and run, when one *f
Bledsoe’s men shot'and killed him.
ELISHA KOGIER.
I killed Elisha Kogier, and dotie a good
trick when I did it. He watched my house
day and night, and sometimes until ho was
neatly frozen, to get to kill me. Ue was a
treacherous dog, and richly mcrileil his fate.
A number of very affecting stories are told
in connection with his death.
ELAM IIUDD ESTON.
I did not kill Elam. I was along, howev
er. I think Ab. UiMrelh shot him. I kuow
that E arn shot at me, and the balhgazed my
J-'--*- • •*" ”VfK*
PETER ZACIIERV AND OTHERS.
I killed Peter Ziehery after one of the most
desperate struggles I ever had in my life. We
fell to the floor, and he kept shooting, whih
I would kick the pistol aside. I finally got
out my knife and stabbed him a few times,
killing him. There were several in the house
and we had ordered them to surrender. Allen
Z iehery was killed by one of the boys. John
Williams was shot by Ben. Barton, and David
DJk was shot by another of our boys, all at
the same time.
JOHN CRABTREE.
I killed John Crabtree. I went to Piles’
house in the night and stabbed him, and did
a good job when I killed him. lie was a
murderous villain, and had went to men’s
houses and shot them to get their money.
OFFEV WILLIAMS.
I killed Offey Williams and a negro man
in the mountains. I shot and stabbed them.
They were scouting nfter my command, and
they found the head of it.
BOSWELL TABER.
I killed Boswell Taber as a biishwaeker.
He had killed three of rav men a few days
previous. He was in front of his house when
I shot him. lie ought to have been killed
sooner.
DUVAL AND HURT.
I shot at Duval and Huit, but did not kill
either of them. I don’t know who did kill
them. Hurt shot through my coat and into
my saddle.
I say before my God that the statements 1
have made comprises all the killing in which
I have figured, and I have told the whole
truth in every case. I give them freely and
without reservation.
I told my lawyers, and you will recollect of
my telling you, that that Court was bound to
convict me. I was not fooled on that. I
think the Judge Advocate run things entirely
too far. My counsel did well, but it was use
less, for every point of law in my favor was
overruled, and they intimidated. But I am
about as well reconciled to my fate as any
man could possibly be.
CHAMP ON DR. HALE.
I wish to say for Dr. Hale that he is a
mean, low flung dog, and he only persecuted
me to speculate on tny blood by publishing
pamphlets woiked up in lies from beginning
to end. I never gave him any reason iu thl
world to seek ray life. I hope, however, that
God will forgive him for the wrongs he Las
.done me. I could well imagine how Dr. Mc-
Giasson wanted me prosecuted, for he honest
ly believed I killed his brother.
j lam iu good health and spirits. My sleep
I is undisturbed by dreams, and I havo just
concluded to give myself up to these good
fiieuds of mine around here, and if they are
determined to hang me, it is all light. J,
would like to live for my family, for they
have lost ail. I leave them penniless. lam
not worth a dollar. Ido not fear death, but
1 love my family, and am grieved to leave
| them on the world without means. I have
a firm belief in God and the future, A min
ister of the Presbyterian church was hero to
day. lam pleased to meet and talk with
I him. I was not surprised when the sentence
j of death was real! to me. 1 looked for it"'
daily. If my family had plenty I could die
without a murmur.
Champ was furnished with some brandy.
He requested th t Lieutenant to get him a
| bottle of pure brandy to take on the morning
j ho was to be hung. He also requested that
i a raised cherry coffin be furnished him. In
! answer to a question, he remarked that he
was considered one of the best marksmen in
his part of the country, and rarely aimed at
anything but Tinker Dave but which he
brought down.
We had a second interview with Champ on
Thursday. He appeared lively and talked j
freely. He resumed by stating that he be
lieved he ought to have had a trial by a civil
court. That he did not desire to criminate
any of his friends, or he might say a great
deal. He that his wife and daugh
ter had arrived, and that he had had an in
terview with them. lie told its that his re- j
mains would be given to his wife, and |
that sho would tako them to the pure soil
of White county, two miles above Sparta,
lie said in answer to a question, that “if he
lived ” until the 20. h of November be would
be 44 years of age. He retraiked that he
had no choice of the manner of death ; it all
amounts to the same thing in the end. He
had been shaved just before we came, and
looked well. His health was never better, he
told us, than at that time.
He requested the Lieutenant to ascertain
from General Tbotiias if his horse and equip,
tnfflsw|'di —U. ibii-pmoJi. 1 of iJrsreAfltm'J”
will be turned over to bis wife, lie thinks
that they are his property, and his wife should
should have them.
We wore exclusively admitted to see Champ
in his cell yesterday, tty his own request, and
he made the following statement in additiou
to what he bad previously given us, swearing
before God that every word is true :
I surrendered to Gen. Thomas, on the let
ter or order sent to all armed bands, me with
the rest. I did not think they would treat
me a6 they, have done. I am the same man
I was before the war, and my intentions ate
the same, and will be to the very last minute
of my life. I don’t know what men in high
office can think of sending out such men as
Col. Blackburn and others for the purpose of
hanging me. lie told me I was no worse
than the rest, and that I should bo protected,
and that be was glad to see me.
I was a Southern man at the start. lam
yet, and will die a Rebel. I believe I was
right in all I did. I don't think I done any
thing wrong at any time. I committed my
deeds in a cool and deliberate manner. I
killed a good many men, of course. I don’t
deny that, but never killed a man whom I d>d
not know was seeking my life. It is false
that I never took any prisoneis. I have ta
ken a great many, and after keeping them
awhile paroled them. I tried to prove this
during my trial, but they would not give me
time to do it.
I don’t think I had a fair or just trial. I
wish to thank Mrs. Blackburn for her kind
ness to me during my trial. One of the
witnesses against me, (Louis Davis.) told the
truth in every particular. Also Miss Dowdy,
except in one or two words. I had always
heard that the Federnls would not take rao
prisoner, but shoot me down, wherever found.
That is what made me kill moje than I should
have done. They never got a man that be
longed to my command or Bledsoe’s company
but what they killed, and of course they
might expect that I would not miss doing the
same with their men.
Except the Dowdys and Louis Duval, of
the witnesses against me, I have little faith
in them, or anything they would swear to.
1 will repeat that I die a rebel out and
out, and my last request is that my body be
removed to White county, Tenn., and be
buried in good rebel soil. My own witness
es were true to me. —Nashville Dispatch.
A large number of female Tost Masters
were appointed during the last month to oc
cupy offices in the Southern Slate*.
Jefferson Davis.
No one in Georgia heard with more pleas
ure the news of Mr. Stephens’ release from
confinement than we. In so doing, Mr,
Johnson not only performed an act of justice
and humanity, but one calculated to advaueo
bis popularity and go far towards restoring
the brotherly feelings that existed iu the purer
and earlier days of the Republic. There is
one mote act of humanity—one more act of
forgiveness that yet remains to be done—the
full and complete pardon of Jetfersou Davis.
The Southern people must be either hap
f-py, law-abiding, or ffise&p/.etited ci.Uwns. — -
God knows we have suffered enough in (he
past. Our homes and cities have been burn
ed, our fields devastated, our skives emancipa
ted, and many of the flower of our chivalry
lie upon more than one hundred battle fields
and in the cemeteries of Northern prisons.
Add to this the keen mortification felt at our
final defeat, and we ark, in the name of all
that is just, is not the picture dark euougb !
If the Government can, consistently with
its dignity and power, alleviate our sorrows
and sufferings, who would be so bard hearted
as to say nay ? It is useless to deuy that in the
hours of prosperity Mr. Davis possessed the
admiration and love of this people, and in
adversity he has their sincere sympathy.—
Neither pen nor tongue can describe the joy
and gladness that would be felt at the news
of his restoration to freedom, friends, and
family. If he erred, we erred with him ;
and until God shall change tho heart and its
affection, the greater his sufferings the greater
our sympathy. Who is Jefferson Davis?
Docs history place his name among those of
the cowardly, brutal, and depraved men
of the earth ? Ah 1 well do Americans re
member that on Buena Vista’s bloody field,
after the flight of an Indiana regiment, his
skill and daring contributed largely to the
achievement of victory and the salvation of
the army. As U. S. Senator and Secretary
of War he upheld the dignity and glory of
his country. When he gave his voice for
secession be did what millions besides him
self thought was riidil. During his admin
istration as President no *act~o? wanton cru
elty cau be charged against him ! On the
contrary, many men now living owe their
existence to his unshaken firmness and love
of mercy. Has he not ensured enough ?
llis wealth and position aro gone, and his be
loved children wander in a foreign land. Are
those who were lately our enemies so clam
orous for blood that they must have one
more victim ? What earthly good can re
sult from his longer imprisonment and final
execution ? Would these things make
stronger the bonds of Uuion ? Could fra
ternal affection find in them nourishment?—
Shall the American prove itself severer and
sterner than the English government, which
prefers exile to execution !
Not only in our own land has Jefferson
Davis sympathizers, for across the waters his
messages and proclamations were read with
delight and pronounced equal to any ever
written by aU. S. official. Ills release would
be a source o( delight to these admirers, and
show to the world that ours was not only a
gieat but a merciful government.
The past conduct of President Johnson
gives us assurance that the day that will wit
ness the release of Mr. Davis is not distant
in the future. We anxiously await its ap
proach.—New nan Herald.
A Washington correspondent of the New
Yoik Herald says:
Many air using incidents might be reported
of pardon-seekers at ibo White House. A
day or two since, Mr. Hilliard, of Georgia,
former Minister to Belgium, rushed up to tho
President, seized bis hand and “hoped his
pardon would not be delayed.” The Presi
dent quietly remarked to the ex-reverend
gentleman that “ hope was tho reward of tho
righteous,” and vouchsafed no other reply.—
On another occasion a rebel of some notori
ety raised quite a laugh by saying, “ I thank
you, Mr. President, for my pardon ; I am now
a good Union man, am emphatically one of
you ; but didn’t Stonewall Jackson give m
b—li in the Valley 1”
In Maryland, the other day, a negro
having applied to a lawyer to get his son
released from legal servitude, was asked
if he could take care of the boy. He re
plied : *• Well, massa, I think I’s capable
as him, for you see dat old massa has done
gone and hire de boy out fur fuu' dollar a
month, and put de money in his pocket,
and I spec I’s caperbla of dat kind ot
kore anyways!”
NO 1.
