The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-05-07

with the capture of jeff Davis. The
evidence taken pursuant to that au-
thority has just been published, and
presents a few interesting details.
The main facts are the same as ap.
peared Immediately after jeff. Davis
capture, but there are some points
cleared up which have been envel-
oped until now In some little doubt
and uncertainty. The evidence COM
prises a deposition Of General j.. ID.
| Wilson. made before the Committee
ION the 27th5of January last; a lengthy
report of the same officer to General
Grant. bearing date of January II,
1867, and reports by Generals p. +.
Winslow and A. j, Alexander, Colo
mel Henry Harnden, Lieutenant o:
p. Clinton, and private J. j. Alpin. OF
the First Wisconsin Cavalry. The
report of General Wilson gives a full
account of. the capture, the unfortu-
nate mistake between Coils. Pritchard
and Harnden, and the condition of the
arch traitor at the moment Of the. APP
prehension. The General sticks. to
| the old version, that JEFF. Davis was
| disguised partially in the attire of a
female, alluding to the subject in the
following language - During the fir
ing of. the skirmish just referred to,
the iAdjutant of the 4th Michigan,
Lieutenant j. g. Dickinson, after.
having looked to the security. of the
rebel camp, and sent forward a. num-
Der Of men who had struggled, was
about to go to the front himself. when
his attention was called by one of the
men to three persons in female attire,
who had apparently just left one of
the large tents near by, and were
moving towards the thick woods He
started at once towards them, and
called out. Halt. But not hearing
him or not caring to obey, they con-
tinued to move off. Just then, they
were confronted by three men, under
direction of Corporal Munger, coming
from the opposite direction.
The Corporal recognized one of the
persons as Davis. advanced carbine
and demanded his surrender. The
three persons halted, and by the ac-
! tionseiof the two1 who afterwards
turned out to be women, all doubts as
to the identity of the third person
were 'removedon The individuals thus
arrested were found to be- Miss How
ell, Mrs. Davis and Jefferson Davis.
AS they walked back to the tent from
which they lad tried to escape,
Lieutenant Dickinson observed that
Davis high top boots were not COW
cred by his. disguise, which fact,
probably. led to his recognition by
Corporal Munger. |" = As tie friends
of Davis have strenously denied that
he was disguised as, a woman, it may
not be improper to specify the exact
articles of wonlan's apparel which he
had upon him when first seen by
Lieutenant Dickinson and Corporal
Munger The former states that he
twas one of the three persons dressed
in woman s attire, and had a
black mantle wrapped about his
head, through the top of which
could be seen locks of hair.
Captain e. w. Lawton, of the 4th
Michigan Cavalry, states explicitly,
upon the testimony of the officers
present, that Davis, in addition to his
full suit of Confederate gray, had on
I" lady's waterproof cloak. gathered
at the waist, with a shawl drawn over
the head, and carrying a tin pail, ;"
Colonel Pitchard says, IN his official
report, that he received from. Mr..
Davis on board the steamer Clyde,
off Fortress Monroe waterproof
cloak, or robe, which was worn by
Davis as a disguise, and which was
identified by the men who saw it on
him at the time of the capture. He
secured the balance of the disguise
theo next day. 1t consisted of
shawl, which was identified ina SINH,
lar 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
thatthe ladies,of the party endeavor-.
ed to pass him off upon his captors /,
as one of themselves. zsaGao4 10
5Mur ~ e