The weekly union record., 1865-05-20
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
CAPTURE OF JEFF. DAVIS
CONFTRMED!

At daylight yesterday, May 10ih) at r.
winville, l surprised and captured JEFF. Davis
and bis family. including his wife. sister and
mother his Postmaster General Regan, Pri-
vate Secretary, Col. Harrison, Col. Johnson,
A. D. c. Col. Labbeck and Lieut., Hathaway.
Also several other important persons, in
train Of FIVE wagons and three ambnlances- A
painful mistake COS, Us two killed, and Lieus.
Bentle wounded, in the Fourth Michigan, and
four men Of the First Winconsin were wound
ed. This occurred at daylight, and before the
capture of Davis. Signed, PsIToHARD
1t. Col lst Mich Cav.
Lieut.. Col. Hardin, commanding the First
Wisconsin, has just arrived from lrwinvie-
He struck the trail of Davis at Dublin Law
renee county, on the evening of the 7th, and
followed him closely nigh! and day through
the pine wilderness of Alligator Creek and
Green Swamp yia Chsmberlandyille. At
the latter place be met Col. Pritchard with
$50 picked men, and hastily followed the trail
directly South, while Prichard, who had the
freshest horses pushed down the Ocmulgee to-
wards Hopewell, thence by House Creek to
lrwlnville, arriving there al midnight on the
9th. JEFF. Davis had not been there, but
from citizens he learned that bis party were
encamped two miles from the town. Pritch.
ard Immediately made the proper disposition
of his men and surrounded the camp before
daylight. Hardin arriving in the vicinity on
the same evening, encamping within two miles
Of Davis camp, without knowing it. At
three o'clock in the morning, he pushed
forward. He had gone but little more than a
mile when his advance was fred on by party
Of the Fourth Michigan cavalry. A fight
ensued, both parties exhibiting great deter.
mination. Fifteen minutes elapsed before the
mistake was discovered. The firing in the
skirmish was the first warning Davis had.
The captors say that he hastily put on bis
wife's dress and started for the woods, closely
followed by the men, who, at first, thought him
woman. Seeing his boots while running
they suspected his sex. The race was short,
and the rebel President was soon brought to
bay. Brandishing Bowie knife aud showing
signs of battle, he yielded to the pursuasion
of revolyers without compelling the men TO
FIRE. He expressed great indignation al the
energy with which he was pursued saying
H. boJ bol; ~ k,1+
magnanimous to hunt down women and chill
dren." Mrs. Davis remarked to Col. Hardin,
had better not provoke the President, as be
might hurt some of them" Regan behaved with
dignity and resignation. The party were ev
IDENTIFY making for the coast
(Signed), NELSON, Maj Gen.
On May 18th official information was re-
ceived at Headquarters of the surrender by
JEFF. Thompson, commanding the district Of
Northern Arkansas of Kirby Smiths depart
ment.
The Herald's special of May 18th says that
on the arrival at Danville of the Sixth Corps
the negroes were so rejoiced they commenced
to desert the plantations in the surrounding
country. This SO seriously interferred with
the prosecution of agricultural labor, that
General Wright deemed it necessary to issue
orders requiring them to attend their usual
work. He also warns guerrias and paroled
rebel soldiers who break their paroles, that
they will be hung when caught.
The Liberty, from Havana; Sth with Vera
Cruz dates to the ID, reports that Juarez
would establish bis capital at Monterey. Max
imian, on reaching Orizaba, heard of the fall
Of Richmond ard the capitulation of Lee.
Whereupon he hasteued back to the capital
and dispatched his chief of Cabinet, NJ.
Eloine, to the United States. There are va
rious reports as his mission.
The New York Herald's correspondence of
May 18th details the particulars Of the sur
render Of Dick Taylor, which took place at
CItronyille, Ala, on the 4,h, thirty three miles
north of Mobile. Taylor made efforts to get
more favorable terms. Candy was iufexi0le
and granted only those rendered TO Lee. Tay
or commanded all the troops in Alabama
Mississippi and East Louisiana, and this CON-
pleed the surrender of all the troops east Of
the Mississippi river.
The lIeralds army correspondent Of May
18th has the following: Long trains heavy
laden with valuable property captured by the
National armies 10 North Carolina and Nir-
giuia, are now daily arriving at City Point
Va, from Dauvie via BuGkesyiIle Junction
Among articles are goods in original packages
in which they ran the blockade Of National
fleets at the Southern ports, and the machin-
cry for the manufacture of fire arms stolen by
the rebels from Harper's Ferry. Among the
Richmond trophies in the Fifth Corps is q
large Russian Blood Hound, which was kept
by one of the Libby Prison Jailors to hunt