Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-07-19
From the New York World, June 20.
The Davis Petticoat Canard.

Il --s = "a s--f
The reasons which we gave the day
for disbelieying the War Department fiction
regarding Mr.. Davis, capture and sattempt:to
escape disguised in. his wife's petticoats, have
mot been controverted soifar as we have seen,
by any journal;in the country: : Nor has IT It
been attempted to be denied, so far as we W
know, by even the most facils; E sorgan4of the
War Department, that Colonel Pritchardss
name, which gave the story all its early cur.
.rency, hasrbeen withdrawn from it. Colonel
Pritchard never ,believedy much more never
indorsedit. The story is assured yfalse5 and
fno American but whatswill Sbe, glad: to see its
falsity. doubly confirmed in the, letter below,
on the authority of. Confederate officers, with
Mr.. Davis at the time Of his capture, whase
word will not be disputed:
.. PH1LADElpH1A, june q.
To e.Eaitor$ of tie World- Sir: I.haye
noticed in. the columns of the World, q state
ment. of reasons for disbeEeying the absurd
reports set ahost in regard to the capture, Of
MI. Davis, and having the; facts from first
hands, deem it but right in the cause OF
truth to let you know them. 80. :.
I Mr.. Davis, with his party, consisting of
from ten to fifteen persons, was travelling on
Ea different road from that taken,by Mrs. Da-
Wis and her wagons, making his way leisure.
Ely toward the Trans-M Mississippi department,
when hewas alarmed by, -reportstthat Mrs.
Davis was in. danger of being. robbed by
struggling bands Of deserters, and left n,the
road without means of moving to shift. for
herself He Immediately set off late in the
evening, about two:days before his capture,
AID rode alTnight to Join her. Finding that
the danger was not exaggerated, ho:E remain
ed to protect her from molestationy; intending
to have resumed his separate Journeys, unln-
numbered by baggage, lon the very morning
of his capture. The party had no idea of
being pursued, and the first notification oft
they had was from the irruption ofthe cayal-
ry into their camp. Mr.. Davis was sleeping
in his wife's tent, and had not yet risen. The
cavalry were in possession ofsthe camp for
nearly half an hour before they seemed to
Hnd out whom they had captured, when some
one shouted, "We'ye got old JEFF" or some
such words. When taken, he: was in his
,dressing.gown, in =hich he had slept: and
ac.ed with the dignity which all Bho .kncT-
anything Of him, friend or'foe, would have
expected. He was treated with perfect req,
pect by his captors, no scene of any sort tax
ing rlace, and none Of tho prisoners heard
ANYTHING of -tha pattinnat story ntiI-they-
learned it from the northern papers on their
arrival at Fortress Monroe. y7.,
It seems almost absurd 10 corabat canard
which has.n responsible author, but IS bas-
ed on the reported dictum of me'privates
of the Michigan cavalry, who probably had
never before seen gentlemanls dressing.
gown. and might very easily have mistakenit
Tor laay's dress. Yet as a matter OF histo-
~, ard stree the story has made so much
no;s~, it may deseye this much notice. 1t
$50 be hoped that the press of the country
VII nsye sufficient generosity to acknoTl-
..5.e tt:i- error snd retract the c:.uinnirs
sii-oy ICES aided ~ disseminate concerningsa
~ .... .eurit!es i5r ,Ao statements il this.
asgs are Colouei LUBBOCK, Ex-Governor OF
.Tex.s, ard Colonel Johnston, son of General
A'hart Sidney Johnston, aids de-clmp 'to. .Mr.
Davis. and captured at the ssme time with
him. Both are gentleman of urimpeachable
honor and veracity, whose testimony no can
did, man can hesitate to accept, in opposition
70 the vague rumors about this matter. They
cannot tel, their own story, therefore ! speak
for them, they: being now, ufless very lately
removed, prisoners at Fort Delaware, and
any doubts as to the facts contained inthls'
Communication can be settled by reference to
them. % -. ..la:'s -. -
Itseems to meoa good plan always to hear
both sides before believing story, especially
where the accused is powerless sven to speak
in his own defense, if indeed such petty
malice deserves to be, djgnifedi by refu- ref
.tation. a. Z.
ArD1 AITEgAM pAsTEa: