The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-06-30
THE TRUTH or HISTORY
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Jefferson Davis Account or His
Capture. .z9E
The PctticOat story Finally Ex'
plOdcd. va +,

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Extract from the Prison Diary ofConver'
sutions with Jefferson Davis, by the
Post Surgeon, DR.. Craven.
DAVIS ON HIS CAPTURE. H
On leaving Richmond he first went
to Danyille, because it was intended
that Lee should have moved in that
direction, falling back to make a JUNG
ton with Johnson's force in the direc-
ton of Roanoke river. Grant, howev.
cr, pressed forward SO rapidly, and
swung so far around that Lee was
obliged to retreat in the direction OF
Lynchburg with his main force while
his vanguard, which arrived at Dan
Vile, insisted on falling back and ma
king the rallying point at Charlotte
North Carolina.
In Danville, Mr.. Davis learned OF
Lees surrender. Immediately he
started for Goldsboro, where he met
and had II consultation with General
johnson, thence going on south. AT
Lexington he received II dispatch from
johnson, requesting that the Secretary
of War General Breckinridge) should
repair to his headquarters near Ra'
leiyh-Gencral Sherman having sub
mitted a proposition for laying down
arms which was too comprehensive
in its scope for any mere military com
mander to decide upon. Breckenridge
and Postmaster General Reagan imime-
dintcly started for Johnson's camp,
where Sherman submitted the terms OF
surrender on which an armlstlce was
declared--the same terms subsequently
disapproved by the authorities ut Wash
inSton.
One Of the features of the PROPOSE
ton submitted by General Sherman
vas a declaration OF amnesty to all
persons, both civil and military. No
tice being called to the fact particularly,
Sherman said, Il mean just that;' and
gave as his reason that it was the only
way to have perfect peace. He had
previously offered to irnish a vesse!
and take away any such persons as Mr.
Davis might select, to be ffeigAtcN,
with whatever personal property they
might want to take with them, and TO
go wherever it pleased.
General johnson told Sherman that
it was worse than useless to carry such
4 proposition Us the last to him
breckenridge also informed General
Sherman that his proposition contrm-
plated the adjustment of certain mat
tcrs which cycn MIR. Davis was not en-
powered to control. The terms were
accepted, however, with the under
stmlin. that they should he literally
construrd-Gen. Breckenridge adding
that certain parts of the terms require
to he submitted to the various State
Governments Of the C~onleleracy for
ratification.
These terms of agreement between
Johnson and Sherman were snbso-
qucntiy disapprovcd by the authorities
at Washington, and the armistlce or.
dcrcd to cease after Il certain time. Mr..
Davis waited in Charlotte until the day
and hour the armistice ended; then
mounted his horse, and, with some
cavalry of Dukes brigade, (formerl,r
Morgan's,) again started southwark,
passing through South Carolina to
Washington. Georgia At an cncamp-
ment on the road, he thinks, the cavalry
of his escort probably heard OF the
final surrender of General johnson,
though he himself did not until much
Liter. Being in the advance, he rode
ON, supposing that the escort was com
ing after.
As with his party lie approached the
town of Washington. he WAS informe'!
that u regiment, supposed to bclongto
the army Of Gen. Thomas, WAS moving
on the place to capture it, in violation,
as he thought, of Gen. Shcrman's terms.
On this he sent back word to the Gen
cral commanding the cavalry escort,
to move up and cover the town-an or
der which probably never reached its
destination--at least the cavalry never
came; nor did he see them again, nor
any Of them. Thinking they were
coming, however, and not apprehend-
ing any molestation from the Federal
troops, even if occupying the same
town, he entered Washington, and re
manned there over night, no troops Of
the United States appearing. Here he
heard of his wife and family, not hav-
ing seen them since they had left Rich
mond, more than Il month before his
own departure. They had just left the
town before his arrival, moving south
in company with his private Secretary,
Colonel Harrison, of whose fidelity he
spoke in warm terns, and accompanied
by u small party of parolcd men, who,
seeing them unprotected, had volan-
tccred to be their escort to Florida,
from whence the family, not Mr.. Davis
himself. intended to take ship to Cuba.
Mr., Davis regarded the section of
country be was now III rs covered by
Shcrman's artistic, and had no
thought chat any expedition cou'dor
would be sent for his own capture. or
for any other warlikc purposes He
believed the terms of JOhnsOn's capitn-
Iation still in force over all the country
east of the ChattahoOchie. which had
been embraced in JOhnson's immediate
command; citing as an evidence of
this, that while he was in Washington,
Gen. Upton. of the Federal service,
with a few members of his staff, passed
unattended over the railroad, a few
miles from the place, en- route for Angus
Ia, to receive the muster rolls of the
discharged troops, and take charge of
the immense military stores there that
fell into General Sherman's hands by
the surrender. General Upton was not
interfered with, the country being con-
sidered at peace, though nothing could
have been easier Ahan his capture, had
Mr. Davis bee so inclined.
At this very time, however, a divis-