The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-12-19
JEFF. DAVIS DISGUISE.
Bis Attempt ts Escape Gaptare in 4
WSAaa's Dress SlaseAeaf q Gen.
PPitehard. - s

EEIlSHAEUs
A correspondent OF the Lyon
| Wayne county, N. W Repuhli
can who lately visited AIlegan
called upon Gen. Benjamin d
Pritchard, now a resident Of tha
town, who was, during the war
Colonel of the 4th regiment o
Michigan Cavalry, and had the
! good fortune to capture JEFF. Da'
Wis. In conversation with him the
correspondent inquired as TO the
/ circumstances of Davis attempt
ed escape, and gives the story thus,
Gen. Pritchard said: After the
escape of Davis from Richmond ]
received reliable Intelligence, and
which appeared TO me to be all the
more reliable from the situation
and the necessities of his escape
that is to say, that he would en-
deayor to make his way across the
Mississippi into Texas, where he
intended to put himself at the
head of his forces, still qnitG
strong, and around which he could
gather ALL llis remaining strength
in the Southwest, and then to still
carry on the rebellion in those
vast and comparatively inaccessi-
BILE regions, trusting to the contin-
ued recruiting Of his forces from
escaping squads of his defeated
armies In all quarters, and from
Mexican sympathizers, guerrilles
and dissatisfied, reckless, dcsper-
ate and lawless spirits from every
direction, and not altogether with
out tho hope of aid from foreign
ers. To reach there he had but
one way OF escape; he had to
make his way from Virginia to
Georgia, and thence westward
| along a belt OF country that lay
between our forces and the Gulf
on the south and our forces that
occupied Virginia, Tennessee and
westward on the north. So gov
erned myself accordingly, and set
my command in motion, as if on
the double quick" right through
that region. We soon struck the
trail of Davis on the Ockmulgee
river in Georgia. He was accom-
panied by some of his military
staff and the chiefs of his govern
ment. His wife and the wives and
female relatives and companions
of some of his subordinates were
with him. Thus we followed him
until we reached q small village in
Georgia, where we lost all track of
them. We surrounded the village.
made the most particular and all
manner of inquiries of the inhab-
itants, but not one of th:m knew
a thing, and were properly aston
ished at my asking them the ques-
tions, ''as if they knew Still 1
had no doubt that they all knew
we'll. So / resoFted to what never
or seldom failed me; got an At
rican alone, and he soon told me
where the game was TO be found
about two miles from the village,
in sort of wild, bushy, woody
place. By this time it had grown
quite into the night, the weather
being beautiful and the sky bright.
soon had my command az the
spot, where we found 4 small en-
campment, consisting of two or
three tents. with wagons standing
about. The tents, as was alter
wards discovered, were occupied
by the women, and Davis and one
or two of his masculine favorites,
the remainder of the party lying
about under the wagons. 1t was
now midnight or after. 1 gave
orders to have the encampment
surrounded, giving the most posi-
tive commands that no living be-
ing should pass outward through
the lines. Thus we waited for the
day. asa s.f
In the early dawn-almost be-
fore dawn-an old woman was
seen making her way out from one
of the tents. She was dressed in
a water proof cloak from her waist
down, the cloak coming down so
low as to cover her feet. Around
her body was O shaw, arranged and
tied; on her head something like
o hood or bonnet, that concealed
her face; in her hand a pail. AS
the tent door was opened, a female
voice from within spoke out in
loud tones: airing me q bucket
of water-quick! We want to
wash our faces And then, as if
addressing any sentFies that might
be within hearing, the voice said
in still louder tones: "Let my old
woman servant pass and bring us
a bucket of water-we want to get
up and dress ourselves" So the
old lady passed on, the one or two
or more soldiers within hearing al
lowing her to make her way, but
keeping a bright eye upon her.
Pretty soon, as the old lady was
going through a bushy place, and
by that means disarranging her
waterproof, q soldier discovered
her boots, and something that
looked like the step and stride of
a man; so he hailed, advanced be-
fore, and stopped her. Soon two
or more soldiers came up and be-
gan to quiz her, asking her to give
an account of herself; but she ut
tered not a word. Then I came
to the spot myself and put some
questions; but not. a word said
the old lady in reply. then adj
4 .-a-aaI xA<I- ~ ln,. hC1 u
her shawl, and exposed her boots
l-she all the time making q stout
resistance. When / had succeed.
ed in throwing of her disguise
| there she stood-a being that
looked very much like an elderly
man. "You are likely old wo.
mar, l said. Not word from
the old lady. "Who are youT'
asked. Not a word I'm reply.
"You may as well say who you
are" / said, ''for yen are my pris.
oner, and all your company ]
will soon know who you are, foE
you cannot escape. ! have 6
whole regiment Of cavalry here,
and others are coming. You, and
all with you, are prisoners, and
! nothing can deliver you. Now
who are you?'' At length the old
lady found voice, and said in s
good, angry, loud, masculine tone
.sAFsho do you think / amp
i took a careful look at her, and OBJ
: serving that one of her eyes had
! a peculiar defect, and scanning
her face closely, and Remembering
the photographs that ] had seer
, of Davis, and that / had heart
: that one of his eyes had q peculiai
: .'biaze," / said, 81 know you nov
T l-you are Jefferson Davis" Thil