The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-11-14

dare 10 do our duty, as we understand it.n
, Ell Davis's Disguise in w on.a ms Cio,b,,p
The official report of the capture of .Jes
Davis made to Gen. Grant by Major Gen. j.
II. Wilson, is published in full. In it we find
the whole story Of the disguise Of Davis, and
no further questioning can be raised over it.
The report says:
Almost simultaneously with the dash OF
Colonel Pritehard and his detachment sharp
firing began in the direction of Abbeville, and
only short distance from the camp This
turned out to be an engagement between the
party under Lieut. Purington and the de-
tachnent OF the First Wisconsin cavaly,
which, it seems, had followed the rebel trail
the night before till it was no longer distin-
guishable in the dark, had gone into camp on
ly two or three miles behind the party they
had been pursuing so long, and had renewed
the pursuit as soon as they could see
march.
Both Colonel Pritchard and Colonel Ham
den were informed that Davis had been re-
ported as having with him a well armed body
guard OF picked men variously estimated at
from ten to fifty. They therefore expected
desperate resistance, and hence in the coils
ion which occurred the men OF both detach-
ihChtS ScChiCu AlSpiCu ny luc SIttItSL COQf-
age and determination. 1t was several min
utes before either party discovered they were
fighting our own people instead of the enemy
In this unfortunate affair two men OF the
Fourth Michigan were killed and one officer
wounded. while three men of the Fyst Wis.
consin were severely and several slightly
wounded. 1t is difficult, under the circum-
stances detailed, to perceive how the accident
could have been avoided. Colonel Hamden
x1arf0 in atxfL LIsn6 II
no reason to suspect that the party whom he
found in his front were any other than the
rebels he had been pursuing, while Colonel
Piitchard claims that he had cautioned Lieu
tenant Purinton particularly to keep sharp
lookout Tor the First Wisconsin, which he
knew would approach from that direction.
The hurry with which my command was sub
sequently mustered out of service and the alb
sentee OF the principal officers prevented an
investigation OF the details OF this affair. and
the circumstances which led to it. At this
late day, nothing more can be said of them
than what is contained in the official docu-
ments already submitted, except that not the
slightest blame was ever intended to be cast
BY Inc upon Colonel Hamden, as seems to
have been assumed by The commission con-
vened by the Secretary of War for the purpose
of awarding the prize offered for the capture
oil Davis. re.fa
During the firing of the skirmish referred
to the Adjntant of the Fourth Michigan,
Lieutenant j. &C. Dickinson. after having
looked to the security of the rebel catup and
sent forward number of the men who had
struggled, was about to 90 to The front him
self when his attention was called by one OF
the men to three persons dressed in female
attire, who had apparently just left one or the
large tents near by, and were moving towards
the thick woods. He started at once towards
them, and called out, "Haltp but not hear
ing him, or not caring to obey, they contin-
ued to move of. just then they were CON
tronted by three men under direction. The
Corporal recognized one OF the persons as
Davis, advanced carbine and demanded his
surrender. The three persons halted, and
ey the actions OF the two who afterwards
turned out to be women, all doubt as to the
identity OF the third person was removed.
: be individuals thus arrested were found TO
De Miss Howell, Mrs. Davis and Jefferson
laws. as they walked back to the tent from
winch they had tried to escape, Lieutenant
Dickinson observed that Davis high ton
boots We're not covered by his disguise. which
fact probably led to his recognition by Cor
poral Munger.
AS the friends of Davis lfaye strenuouslv
denied that he was disguised as a woman. Il
may not be improper TO specify the exact ar
ticles OF woman's apparel which he had npon
nun Wnen hiSt seen Dy Lieutenant Dickinson
and Corporal Munger. The former states
that he was one OF the three persons g dress
ed in womans attiie," and had "a black man
tie wrapped about his head, through the top
of which could be seen locks of his hair
Captain G. w. Lawton, Fourth Michigan cav
airy, who published an account of the cap-
ture in the Atlantic Monthly for September.
1865, states explicitly, upon the testimony OF
the officers present, that Davis, in addition to
his full suit OF confederate gray, had on a Ia
dy's waterproof cloak, gathered at the waist,
with shawl drawn over the head, and carry
ing tin pail
Col. Pntchard says in his official report
that he received from Mrs. Davis, on boar
the steamer Clyde, off Fortress Monroe, {" a
waterproof cloak or robe" which was worn
by Davis as disguise, and which was identi-
fed by the men who saw it on him Mt the
time of the capture. He secured the balance
OF the disguise the next day. II consisted of
shawl, which was identified in a similar
manner by both Mrs. Davis and the men.
From these circumstances there seems to be
no doubt whatever that Davis sought to avoid
capture by assuming the dress Of a woman. or
that the ladies OF the party endeayored to
pass him off upon his captors as one OF them
selves.