Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-07-11
From the Cincinnati Commercial.
Jefferson Davis.

A confidence, touching and tender in the
extreme, in Mr.. Jefferson Davis, is develop
ed in the Democratic press. Something has
been said about the capture of the delicate
Mr.. Davis in the habiliments of the gentler
SEX His tent was, in the first place, guard
ed from intrusion by the pitifnl appeal of
Mrs Davis to the boys in blue not to rush
in where there were undressed ladies. Of
course the boys respectfully paused. The
next thing was the appearance OF the poor
old mother" of Mrs. Davis, and the poor old
thing wanted to go to spring and "get
bucket of water. The dear old lady was
closely envelOped IN a shawl and morning
gown, but the boys in blue remarked that
she wore big boots, and the venerable te-
male turned out to be jeff, or, as his wife
endearingly terms him "Jeffy." 1t is stated
that Mrs. Davis herself threw the shawl and
gown upon her husband in desperate at
tempt to disguise him, and that he submit
ted to it because he had lost his presence of
mind, having been exhausted by long
ride on the previous day, and suddenly rous-
ed from deep sleep by panic. This is
probably the exact truth. But we have, in
DR.. Craven's work on the prison life of jeff.
Davis, what purports to be an account of his
capture, given by himself 1t differs in but
two respects from the accounts already IA
miliar to the public. In the first place, DIR.
Cravens patient put little touch Of the he
role into his conduct of which we had not
before heard. He says he told the soldier
who captured him and asked whether he
was armed, that if he had been, /" lou would
not be alive to ask that question" That is
to say, JEFF. would have shot the Yankee on
the spot. The only thing was merely his
pistol. Not having any weapons about his
person, he did not shoot The other point
is the fact that the attempt at disguise
is not mentioned in DIR. Cravens report OF
what his patient said. 1t is impossible
that Davis, knowing the story, should not
have spoken Of it freely, unless utterly
ashamed Of his part in the business; and
| DR.. Craven must have asked him about 1t,
if his compassion for the broken invalid in
his care did not get the better Of his inquis-
| itiveness The Doctor avoided talking to
his patient on subjects that were very I'M
pleasant, and may have omitted the discus
sion of the petticoat story through the most
| laudible sanitary motives. If, however, he
approached the awful topic, and heard what
| the "poor old mother" of Mrs. Davis had to
say, we find in the preface declaration that
affords an ample explanation of his silence.
1t is this:
"Of course, the relations Of physician
and patient have sacredness of confidence
which the writer would be the last to VIC
| late and all such restrictions, in this vol
ume, will be found rigidly observed. No
knorIedge gained during such relatiOnshipth that
might injWe lU'. Darts i published, could
properly or Wthom fragrant nfdeiity, be gireR
to the ,rorld By his medical attendant; and it
is from sincere conviction that the reverse
must prove the fact, and from a sincere per-
sonal sympathy and respect for the subject
Of this memoir, that the present volume has
| been undertaken
As the knowledge gained on the delicate
subject Of the disguise might injure Mr.
Davis if published, it was not published.