Gun to Prevent Sexual Assault

I've read the story of Davis leaving Varina one of his pistols in a biography - seems legit. My thought was that he left it in case one or more of the 'random elements' in Richmond at that time found her before the regular Union army did. And, there was the racial factor as well since USCT were there. That's one of those yikes things, but it was very real to the white men of that time. I'm a little surprised he had to give her a quick lesson on how to use it, though! Quite a few ladies knew how to shoot. I wouldn't fault Davis too much for leaving her. Forrest had to leave his wife as well - these guys really didn't know what was going to happen to them and they preferred their wives weren't there to share it with them - and she had guns. She was a very refined, delicate, sophisticated lady who could shoot you just as dead as her husband could!
 
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