The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-05-18

Attempted Escape In hisWife,s Clothes
,-Breclkinridge's Son taken Prisoner
Expected Capt ure OF other RebeIlLead-
ers. it4i 4t, a r.i tJ. Z
WAR DEPT, WASHINGTON, May Il.
Major. General Die: .GfEsT4 5
The following details of the capture
Of JEFF. Davis, while attempting his
escape in his wife's clothes, have been
received from Gen. Wilson.
H e. NJ. STANTON.
MACON, May 11-A. NJ.
The following dispatch announcing
the capture Of JEFF, Davis, has just been
handed in by Col. Minty, command
ing the I'd Division
HEADoR's 4TH MICHIGAN CAVALRY,
CUMBERLAND, GA, May IL.
70 Capt w. Scot, "A, ,A5G. ,2d Diuiston.
Sn:4 have the honor to report that
at daylight yesterday, at Irwinsville,
[ surprised and captured jeff. Davis
and family, together with his wife and
mother, his Postmaster General Regan
his Private Secretary, Colonel Ham
mond, Colonel Johnston, A. D. G. on
Davis staff; Col. Morris Lubbrack
and Lieut.. Hathaway; ,also,t several
important packages and a train Of five
wagons and three ambulances, making
most perfect success. Had not q
most painful mistake occurred, by
which the 4th Michigan and 1st Wis
consin came into conflict, VIC should
have done better. This mistake cost
Us two killed and Lieut.. Bautellc
wounded through the arm, in tho 4th
Michigan, and four men wounded in
the lst Wisconsin, This occurred Just
at daylight, after we had captured the
camp, by the charge Of the 1st Wis
corsin. They were mistaken tor the
enemy. We returned to this po int
last night and shall move. right for
ward without waiting orders from you
as directed, feeling that the whole OBJ
ject of the expedition is accomplished.
1t will take me at least three days to
reach Macon, as we arc seventy five
miles out, and our stock much exhaus.
ted. hope to reach Hawkinsville
tonight. 1 have the honor to be, ETC.,
B. d. PRITcRARD,
Lieut. Col. 4th Michigan Cavalry.
Tho 1st Wisconsin belongs to Lo-
gan's brigade of McCooi's division,
and had been sent due east by Gener.
alCroxton. Colonel Minty distribut-
ed his command all along tho south
bank of the Ocmulgce and Altamaha.
This accounts for the collision between
parts of Vests and tho I'd Division,
and shows the zeal OF the command in
pursuit. l have directed increased
vigilance on the part of the command,
in the hope of capturing the other as
sassins. Our dispositions of men are
good, and so far mono of the robel
chiefs lave been able to get through.
Breckinridge's son was captured
night before last, eleven miles south of
here. y.,...., - ..-......
| send fdrther detailsa as soon as re .
ceived. j. WILSON,
Z | Brovet Major General.
yxnl, MACON, Georgia, May 13,
Hon, b. NJ. Stanton: ,'@i CO., f.
Lieut.. Colonel Hardens, command
ing the 1st Wisconsin, has just arriv-
ed from Irwinsvlle. He struck the
trail of Davisat Dublin, Lawrens coun-
ty. on the eve of the 7th, and followed
him closely night and day through the
wilderness of Alligator Greek and
Green Swamp, via Cumberlandsville
to lrwinsvillc. At Cumberlandsville
Colonel Harden met Colonel Pritch-
ard, with l50 picked mon and horses
of the 4th Michigan. Harden follow
ed the trail directly South, while Pritch-
ard, having fresher horses, pushed
down the Ocmulgeo toward Hope
we'll, and thence by House Creek to
Irwinsville, arriving there at mid
night, on the 9th. jeff. Davis had not
arrived. From citizen, Pritchard
learned that his party were encamped
two miles out of the town. He made
dispositions of his men and surround
ed the camp before day Harden had
camped at 8 2. NJ, within two miles,
as he afterward learned, from Davis,
tho track being too indistinct to fol,
low. He pushed on at 8 A. NJ, and
had gone little more than one mile,
when his advance was fred upon by
the 4th Michigan a fghtensued, both
parties exhibiting the greatest deter
mination, before the mistake was dis
covered The firing was the first
warning Davis received. The captors
reporthehast put on oneofhis wife's
dresses and,started for the woods, close
ly followed by Our men, who at first
thought him a woman, but seeing his
boots while he was running, they sus-
peeted his sex. The race was o short
lno, and the rebel President was soon
brought:to bay. He brandished q
bowie knife, and showed signs Of bat.
tie. but yielded speedily to the per.
suasion Of a Colts revolver without
compelling the men to fire, He cx-
sf-t,i. ~ y 1890. iir.. II. .Ff