Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-31
THE CAPTURE OF MR.. DAVIS.
Statement from His OOIOred Coach
man, who Was Present.

Statement from His OOIOred Coach
man, who Was Present.
Raleigh IN. C.) News.
Soon after the close of the civil
war, in 1865, when Generals Lee
and Johnston had surrendered to
the United States forces, good
deal was said-much of it false-in
regard to the capture of jefferson
Davis, president Of the Confederacy.
Soon after his capture James II.
Jones, a colored man who was with
Mr.. Davis or his family during
nearly the whole time of the war
in the capacity of coachman, and
who was with him when he was
taken prisoner in Georgia, furnished
a statement of his capture. Re
Gently request has been
made to gentlemen of high
standing in this city to procure
from James II. Jones statement
Of the whole matter, which he has
given, and which we are permitted
to copy, as below. But before Civ
ing the statement we will take oc-
casiOn to say that the author is a
native of this city, and stands as
high as any colored man in the
State for truth and integrity. He
is and has been for ten years cap
tain of the Victor fire company of
this city, and was, until his resig-
nation recently, captain of the
Raleigh Rifles, u colored volunteer
company of this city. The state
ment is given as briefly as possible
to be ineligible, and is as follows:
was coachman to Hon. JEFF.
Davis nearly all through the war,
and was with him at the time Of
his capture, which occurred on the
10th of May, 1865, between three
and four o'clock in the morning,
some fifteen or sixteen miles from
the county seat Of Wilcox county,
Georgia, while in camp on the pub
lie road. | heard the tramping OF
the horses of the Federal soldiers as
they were approaching the camp,
and awoke Mr.. Davis and told him
the Yankees were nearly on us. He
and his wife had been sleeping in
their tent. When | went in he got
up, and by the time he got his
clothes on the soldiers were in the
camp and ten or twelve of them
were standing at his tent door with
their guns, No one could pass in
or out. Mrs. Davis and the children
had not had time to dress. Mr..
Davis went to the tent door and
was ordered hy the soldiers to sur
render. He replied that he would
not; that he would die first. AT
this Mrs. Davis pressed to her hus-
band and put her arms around his
neck, begging the soldiers not to
kill him, both she aud the children
crying piteously.
at has been stated that Mr..
Davis had on "a hoopskirt, and was
otherwise disguised as a woman.
This is wholly false. He was
dressed in his ordinary clothing,
with cavalry boots drawn over his
pants, a waterproof over his dress
coat, a shawl thrown over his shoul-
ders, and on his head a broad -brim
white or drab Texas hat. He had
not an article of female wear about
his person.
"The following gentlemen were
in the camp and were captured ut
the same time; General Reagan,
postmaster general; Mr.. Harrison,
private secretary to Mr.. Davis; Col.
Loyett, of Texas; Col. Joseph John
Ston, of Kentucky; Col. Joseph
Wood Escaped next day., Mr.. VIM.
Howell, brother to Mrs. Davis, and
many others, all of whom doubt
not will corroborate what | have
stated above"