DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now settle in, because this one starts in the thick of the Civil War and rides hard all the way to Georgia before it's done. We're talking about Harvey C.
Sanders, born in 1837 in Kentucky, who would live long enough — all the way to 1925 — to carry a story most men only read about in books. He fought at Shiloh. He fought at Chickamauga.
He fought at other battles the marker doesn't even name, which tells you something right there about how much ground this man covered. And after being wounded not once but twice, he was made a guard at the Confederate White House. That's where his story really turns.
When Richmond fell on April 3, 1865, Harvey Sanders wasn't sent home. He was placed in the escort for the departing president — Jefferson Davis himself — riding out of a collapsing capital with the Confederacy crumbling behind them. Now here's where it gets something close to a tall tale, except every word of it is true.
That escort rode for five weeks. Five weeks, heading toward Florida, where President Davis was planning to sail for Mexico — because the plan, and the marker lays this out plainly, was for Davis and many other Confederate leaders to regroup an army, march north into Texas, and keep fighting for states' rights. They were not ready to quit.
But the road south had complications. Thieves were following the party, trying to steal the Confederate treasury, the horses, and the wagons. And then came April 14 — the assassination of Abraham Lincoln — and with it a reward offer of one hundred thousand dollars for Jefferson Davis.
One hundred thousand dollars. That kind of money has a way of putting a great many adventurers on your trail in a hurry. So there they are, five weeks out, riding hard, running low on options.
Then, just before dawn on May 10, near Irwinsville, Georgia, Federal forces closed in and captured Davis and his entire party. Among those taken were two Texans — Postmaster-General John H. Reagan and Presidential Aide F.
R. Lubbock, who had served as a former Governor of Texas. Mrs.
Davis and the children were freed before long, but all the men were imprisoned. Harvey C. Sanders sat in that prison for a year before he was released.
And when he finally came out the other side, he made his way to Texas, settling near this very site after 1887. For years he was honored as the last man of the Davis bodyguard — the last living witness to that desperate five-week ride toward a plan that never reached the sea. Born in Kentucky, wounded in battle, rode with a fleeing president, and ended up right here in Bowie County.
Some stories travel a long road to find their resting place.
What the marker says
(1837 - 1925) Native of Kentucky. In Civil War, fought at Shiloh, Chickamauga and other battles. After being wounded twice, became a guard at Confederate White House. When Richmond fell on April 3, 1865, was placed in escort for the departing president. Rode 5 weeks toward Florida, where President Jefferson Davis was planning to sail for Mexico to join many other Confederate leaders. (These Southerners intended to regroup an army, march north to Texas and continue their fight for states' rights.) President Davis and his guards were followed by thieves trying to steal the Confederate treasury, the horses and the wagons. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 14 and the offer of a reward of $100,000 caused many adventurers to hunt for President Davis. Just before dawn on May 10, near Irwinsville, Ga., Federals captured him and his party, including 2 Texans, Postmaster-General John H. Reagan and Presidential Aide F. R. Lubbock, a former Governor of Texas. Mrs. Davis and children were soon freed, but all the men were imprisoned. Sanders was released in a year. Later he came to Texas and lived near this site after 1887-- honored for years as the last man of the Davis bodyguard. (1965)