lidell, and Howell Cobb.
Their friends understood this perfectly, and each man was urged to make
his escape. Jefferson Davis was arrested in Irwin County, Ga., on May
10. He was rapidly making his way to the West, and was trying to reach
Texas. How General Toombs finally escaped must be reserved for a more
extended recital.

General Toombs and Mr. Davis never met but once after the war. It was
unexpected, dramatic. Some years after General Toombs had returned from
his long exile, and Mr. Davis was just back from his trip to England,
the ex-president visited Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, the guest of the
poet Sidney Lanier. He here appeared at his best in the company of
sympathetic and admiring friends, and charmed everyone by his polish and
learning. The day before Jefferson Davis left, General and Mrs. Toombs
arrived at the mountain. Mr. Davis was, at that time, absent on a
horseback trip. He was fond of riding, and had gone over to see some of
the fine views of the mountain and to inspect the fields where recent
battles had raged with so much fury. The hotel was kept by a Northern
man who knew nothing of the relations between Mr. Davis and General
Toombs, and he believed the thing to do was to put General and Mrs.
Toombs in a vacant room of the cottage occupied by Mr. Davis. It was a
small house, with a piazza extending along the front. It so happened
that the Toombses, who had just learned of Mr. Davis' presence at the
hotel, were sitting on the piazza chatting with friends when Mr. Davis
came up. Mr. Davis had also heard of General Toombs' arrival at the
hotel, but neither knew that the other was domiciled in the same
cottage. To General Toombs the appearance was as if Mr. Davis had come
at once to make a cordial call. No one could be more hospitable and
polite than Toombs, and this apparent challenge to friendship brought
out the best side of his nature. The men met with considerable warmth.
From General Toombs Mr. Davis advanced to Mrs. Toombs. Between these two
the meeting was profoundly affecting. He embraced her tenderly. Toombs
and Davis had been friends and neighbors years ago in Washington City,
and Mr. Davis had been extremely fond of Mr. Toombs' family. The
distinguished party soon fell into friendly conversation. Next day Mr.
Davis left Lookout Mountain. He never met Robert Toombs again.

CHAPTER XXIV.

TOOMBS AS A FUGITIVE.

At the conclusion of the war, Secretary Stanton issued specific order