George Martin
4. April 3 - "All but 10 of the 60 midshipmen of the Confederate Naval Academy, under the command of Lt. William Harwar Parker, were assigned to escort the archives of the government and the specie and bullion of the treasury from Richmond to Danville. This assignment continued during the later moves to Charlotte, N. C., Washington, Ga., Augusta, Ga., and on to Abbevile, S. C."
April 8 - "In Charlotte, N. C., Lt. William H. Parker, CSN, and his cadets arrived with the archives and treasury of the Confederacy. On learning of a strong Union force nearby, Parker decided to move his charges further south. He added all local uniformed personnel from the Navy Yard to his force, bringing its strength to about 150 men"
April 11 - "Lt. .........Parker .... added the First Lady of the Confederacy to the archives and the treasury to be guarded. They departed Charlotte, N. C., heading south"
April 17 - "Lt ........ Parker ... arrived at Washington, Ga., with the archives and treasury of the Confederacy, as well as with the Confederate President's wife and party"
April 24 Augusta, Ga., Parker along with the archives and treasury departed for Abbeville, S. C.
April 29 Parker arrived at Abbeville, S. C., and placed his cargo aboard railcars A locomotive was kept immediately ready in case there was a need to flee.
May 2 Parker transferred his cargo of archives and bullion to BGen. Basil Duke of Pres. Davis's cavalry escort at Abbevile.
May 3 Davis and his escort crossed the Savannah River and proceeded to Washington, Ga. That afternoon, Gen. Breckinridge directed Duke's brigade to surrender, that the department had been surrendered by Johnston. "This was the last order as such by the authority of the Confederate government." Later that evening "... a company of Federal cavalry came in and took charge of affairs."
[The Civil War Years, Robert E. Denney]
"We arrived at Washington, Georgia . . . and President Davis there decided to abandon any further efforts to go to the Trans-Mississippi Department, and advised a surrender of the troops [of his cavalry escort] that had loyally followed him after the surrender of General Johnston. The Confederate Treasury was emptied and the funds divided amongst the soldiers, each man receiving $28.25, officers and men receiving the same amount." [V. C. Allen, 3rd Tennessee]
The Mexican gold coin received by Lt. Reps Jones, Co. F, 43rd Tennessee, may be viewed at the Confederate Memorial Hall in Knoxville, Tenn.