The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-24
JEFF, DAVIS AT RORTRAS K0A-
R0H

HR UA N46 ~ -
Roe. :
Account Of His CaPfure--His :
APseaFanee-.COnVersattOa with ste :
phens aud Aeagan, &ess DE !
rOorl sSpondeneo Of the New York Tribunal .
<DETAILs OF THE CAPTUKE.
Through the kindness of Lieutenant Col :
onel PritchArd, in charge of the prisoners,
your correspondent was permitted to visit
the steamer, and learned from the Colonel
and others the particulars OF the capture,
which was made. by 8 detachment OF l2s
men of the 4th Michigan Cavalry, nde
Lieutenant Colonel B. D. Pritchard, about
one mile from IrWinsvihe, Ga and about
100 miles southeast Of Macon. The Colo
mel learned on the 9th instant where they
were enesmped, and just before daylight
on the 10th, surrounded the camp. 1t was
supposed that Davis had Aconsiderable
force IS guard, and = considerable light
was expected. By an unfortunate and 50
far u~nseeountable accident one part OF the
force fred upon another, and bstore the
mistake was discovered two men were kill
ed and six others slightly wounded. Cap
tain Hudson had placed . strong guard
around the tent where Davis was supposed
10 be, and when the firing commenced,
thinking his duty called him TO the light,
he left the tent in charge OF 3 Corporal,
with orders to let no enc pAss out The
Corporal went 70 the doot, and was met
by 3 lady, who proved TO be Mrs. Davis,
and who said that the tent was occupied
bv ladies, and she hoped they would be
permitted to dress before being disturbed
HOW JEFF. WAS DRESSED.
Very soon, she again and voluntarily aP-
peared at the door, with another person IN
petticsts, morning dress and q Woolen CLOAK,
with a hood closely drawn over the head,
and q pail on her arm.
A aMoTHER"
Corporal ordered halt which of course
was obeyed, but Mrs. D. feelingly appealed
to the Corporal to allow her mother to go
to the spring for 9 pail of wAter-is was
hard, even if they we're prisoners, nos 70
he allowed to get q little water for their
morning additions. MIR. Corp lrAl 1usttnen
observed that the morning dress was not
quite long enough to conceal 8 pair OF 6oot
| looking rather too heavy for mother TO
wear, and, with his ePencer cAIblne pointed
At the sged lady's hesd, ordered her TO re-
move that cloak The argument was per-
Al. siye, even to the chivAlfy. The disguise
was re moved and JEFF Davis appeared In
full view. g.la1.
VERY VALIANT.
Davis said he should have defended him
self had he been Armed-ven if he had
had a revolver he would have fought with
Il As long as he could. The Colonel re-
piled to him, thai he didn't sppsar 70 bein
very good fighting condition just st that
time.
COULDN'T STAND THE MUSIC.
After q hurried breakfast the party was
nut in marching order-the prisoners, in
smbulances, preceded by the band of the
4th Michigan Cavalry, playing first cyan
kee Doodle,H which had evidently q de-
pressing influence on the feelings OF Mr..
Davis: but when in q few minutes, the
hand struck into the somewhat familiar air
of gJohn Browns Body's Marching On"
it was too much for endurance, n he &C
tually fell proetrAte in the ambulance, and
was kept concealed from view by bis
friends for 8 considerable time.
COLONEL PRITCHARD.
Colonel Pritchard is 8 noble specimen
of a man and . model soldier. He Is
modest and unassuming, but brave as q
lion, and ready to lead wherever his duty
calls. he is about thirty years Of age, six
feet high, compsctly built and was, be-
fore entering the service, 8 lawyer at Allie
gan, Michigan. His State may well be
proud, through so good = representative,
of the honor of the great croWning VIC
tory.
Iron the New York Times, May 2dl
ON BOARD THE CLYDE-sTEPHENs n
REAGAF.
In the cabin below was Alexander b.
Stephens, the Vice President, and Reagan
of Texas, the Postmaster General of the
Confectionery, and in the forward cabin was
Wheeler, of cavalry notoriety. I natural
" sought the cabin. Mr.. Stephens looks
old. He has the same stoopr the same
parchment.like face, the anne keen eye
and the same fragile form that character
lied him years sgo-only, he looks older
AIwsyss gentleman, and bred 8 scholar,
his conversation is intensely interesting.
HIS manner was subdued, but not that of
q prisoner. He conversed freely, desiring
information upon many points, and can
wasting without reserve, reconstruction
and the treatment of the subdued South,
in the way exactly that it struck his mind,
never evincing the least care or anxiety
respecting himself personally.
As others appeared to be engrossing the
attention of Mr.. Stephens. it fell to my lot
to converse chiefly with Mr.. Reagan. He is
a heavy, stout and somewhat lethsrgic
man, but, in conversation shows he has q
great deal Of ability. He desired pArticu-
Isrly to know what policy would be inEti-
tinted in the way of reconstruction, believ-
ing that 8 humane n would be the
easiest in order to conciliate and hold the
South. When I advanced the ides that
military governments would be insugur-
sted in the States respectively, that proba-
bly, the people, in their primary capacity,
would be called upon to re-establish civil
authority, under governmental restrictions,
which should forever preclude any recur-
renee of rebellion, l found, upon requiring
an expression from him, that he did not
think there would be great deal Of diff
Guilty, provided disfranchi cement and con-
fscation were not carried too far. No
slavery, no assumption of the Confederate
debt, no more secession-these points
would be conceded st one but the prohi-
bition of every one from the ballot box
who had held official position, and 8 gen.
ersl appropriation Of rebel property, and
the rights of suffrage to all, were points,
in HE estimation, which should either be
omitted or very materially modified, If we
were really DESTROYS of bringing out good
will to the government and fraternsl rela-
lions among ourselves. Without mincing,
1 put the thing at him as strong as posi-
bic, and precisely as stroT g As the govern
ment should do. There is . great deal
lost with Southern men, I find, in failing
to come up TO exactly what you mean, and
to what your Judgment gives cordial as
sent to. A firm man they like and re-
} spect; an irresolute one they will use As
they best can, situated as they are st pres
ent.
JEFF VI
At the head of the stairs, Is we passed
up, still sat Jefferson Davis in the corner,
his hat slouched over his eyes; he was still
reading. The windows, full of curious OBJ.
servers attracted no attention from him
whatever. Once, while We were in the
cabin, he came down and handed Mr..
Stephens q paper and Immediately retired.
Our conversation was hushed instantly.
L.