Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-11-18

Nc, S,tphcLs, Ia Ntw York, on their way
FROM Fort Warren To Washington. While
there lie mate statement TO circle OF
gentlemen present, IN his room 40 the rs
Tor ilousr, ns 10 the capture Of Mr.. Davis
aud the manner OF H. The statement we
give bolow, MS We dud Il reported in tho
Nrw York World;
II will be remembered Ly all who have
nat vet forgotten the names of tho persons
captured with Jefferson Davis, Tint Mr..
licngan WAS one of the number. So many
aud such conflicting accounts Of the man
ner OF the capture, and the conduct of Mr.
Davis at the time, have been put forth by
persons who knew very little, IL anything,
of what they affirmed, that an account OF
the occurrence, NJ given by one who was
rot only an eyewitness but Que of the
captured persons himscli'-NIr. Reagan
will not fail 10 prove interesting to all who
desire TO see the truth preferred 10 fiction.
"On certain day, tho date of which,
even IL remembered, could have no inn
porlnnt bearing Oh the real state of facts
- here rccicd Mr. Davis and party had,
sur reasons host known To themselves, sep.
aratrd, each taking u different route, though
NJ it was mutually agreed on, beforehand,
IL was the intention Of both parties 10 meet
NJ n given place NJ as near n stated period
oi time aseircumstnnccs would allow. From
the ,imc OF this parting nothing of interest
occurred or TIM, served to hinder their pro-
grcss until the Following morning, as We
shall ace by the facts Of the case stated by
ilr. Reagan. Night coming on, they chose
place Of cncumpmcnt. As they supposed
themselves, for the time being, ct least, in
no danger from the Federal cavalry, and as
their horses were in sad need of rest and
fodder, they were just on the point Of I'M
strapping hcir saddles preparatory TO re-
mining encampcd for the night when they
learned that the party of which the Fresi-
dents auily was . portion, were in dan
ger Of being plundcrcd and murdered, per-
hays by certain gangs of marauders who
had just been disbanicd from an Alabama
brigade.
On -; receipt of this alarming iaelli
Eoncc, Mr.. Davis said to those around him
"Gcntlcmcn, my wife and family are in
danger and must go and give them what
protection cam All the other gentlemen
immediately made known their intention
Of accompanying him. They Immediately
put spurs to their horses and rode off in
search of the sll,cr party. 1t bcinga dark
anal stormy night, and us the country was
tt strange one TO Davis and his Snite, and
having no guide with them, great difficulty
was experienced in getting on the right
track Of the other party. However, after
IL hard, ride of over - miles they overlook
hem. The following day the two parties
.iourneycd on together, and, night coming
on, they chose nn eligible locality for n
camp, and prepared to make themselves as
comfortable as circumstances would permit.
Mr.. Davis and his family occupied a tent on
one side Of row Of wagons, while Reagan
and Wood, and two or three others, encGmp.
cd on the other side.
"During The journey of the day preceding
the evening of which we are now speaking
certain circumstances, which seemed to
them as showing that the Federal troopers
were not in their vicinity, led them to the
belief that they were running no risk OF
capture if they encamped that night. Had
they been aware of the real state Of affairs
they would not have tarricd in the PLACE
they did, and would have in all human
probability eluded the pursuit Of the Union
troops. However, they encamped. Just
about aybreak, Mr.. Reagan says, no was
awakened by loud reports of muskctry,
which seemed to proceed from behind thci
position, at no great distance from their
cncampmcnt. The firing was growing
louder and louder, when suddenly the Fed
cral cavalry dashed in upon them from the
opposite direction whence the noise Of the
firing seemed to proceed. Some of the
troopers dashed in ON the side of the wag-
ons where Mr.. Davis and his family were,
while others galleped TO the side occupied
LY Reagan and his companions. The latter
told Federal Captain, who appeared on
the scene that although he had, as far as
lie was personally concerned, no particular
interest TO serve in putting an end to the
firing going on behind them, nevertheless
Me would do well to stop it, for, as they had
no troops with them, the Federals must be
lighting among themselves.
"rhe officer gave no ere iencc to this al
first but in the end he must have followed
Reagans suggestion, as soon after his de-
darture the firing ceased. In the meantime
Rcngans companions fed and made theil
escape, while, as he had himself resolved
never to leave his country, he elected to re-
Z main and share the fate of Mr.. Davis were
itcvcn death. Mr.. Davis Immediately on
( hearing the firing, sprang from the place
where he had been passing the night, and
advanced toward tic door of the tent. AS
lie did so, thinking that the firing proceed
cd from the marauders Of the Alabama bri-
gade before mentioned, who probably had
come in contact with his own small escort,
intent on plumber and carnage, he cxclaim-
ed aloud: "rhosc men have attacked us at
last: surely ! have Authority enough left To
prevent my own men from killing one an.
other" Saying this, he opened the door OF
fbc tent, and was just stepping out, when
his wife, either beside herself with terror,
and not knowing clearly what the nature
of her acts, or thinking that the garment
might render him unacceptable to his
pursuers, threw morning gown over his
shoulders. At that moment he was cap
tured.
1t WILDE seen by this lnyarnished mar
rative of actual occurrence, that the story
of Davis being caught in his wife's petit
coats, was q sheer fabrication, and that III
the stories of his running into the woods
from the pursuing soldiers are equally false
since it appears, by the statement of one
who was present at the TIME, that the prin-
cipal cause of Mr.. Davis going out of his
tent was first 10 obtain possession of bis
revolvers, which for the first night since his
fight, he had left in the holsters on the
saddle Of his horse, that he might provide
against the danger be would incur, in car
rying out his intention Of endeavoring TO
put an end 10 what he thought was deadly