The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-09-26
miles up the river from where we cross


ed it.
THE FACTS OF THE CAPTURE.
Learning that this force was SO near
ana seeing that the ferries were not guard
ell we concluded our course, was not
known at that time, and Travelled rather
slowly, the succeeding day and went into
camp early in the evening before we
were captured, with the understanding
from Mr.. Davis that he, Mr.. Harrison,
his staff officers and myself would proba-
by 90 on after supper and leave his fam
ilv, then supposed to out OF reach OF dan
ger. which caused us to leave our course
and ioin them. | state all this to show
our feeling of temporary security ana
reasons why we felt and acted as we did.
The first warning we had Of present dan
/ ger was the firing just across the little
/ creek we were camped on, which took
/ Mac. between the Wisconsin and Micha-
gan cavalry, between day-dawn and full
/ Iiobt Colonel Pritchard, as L after
/ ward learned from him, had sometime
/ before posted one part of his command
across the road in front of US and the
other part across the ROAD IN
the rear of us and behind the
/ little creek on which we were encamP-
ed The firing was between these troops
/ in rear Of US and the Wisconsin troops,
who were pursuing us on The road we
had travelled. When this firing occurred,
as Mr.. and Mrs Davis both told me at
teruard. Mr.. Davis started out of his
tent saving to his wife, ''thOse people
have attacked us at last" (Meaning the
men whom we had heard intended to rob
Mr.. Davis train the night we quit our
course and went across the country 10 the
north of the Ogeeche rlver-) 4 Will 60
and see if | can stop the hrlng surely
will have some authority with Conteder-
ates vet" His staff officers and myself
were camped about one hundred YARDS
in the direction of the firing from him.
and he supposed we were being fired on,
a. he told US afterward. As he stepped
ont of his tent, rs he told me that day,
he saw the troops which had been Postet
in front of US, and which were under th'
immediate command of Colonel Pntch
ard, in full gallop toward him, and with
in some sixty wards of his tent. tie
, turned to his wife and said cit Is TIN
Federal cavalry and they are on US. A
he turned to 90 out again understoo'
his wife threw a water proof cloak aroun'
his shoulders he stepped out and wa
, Immediately put under arrest. DIrectl.
= afterward Lubbock and myself went t
. him. where he was surrounded by tn
soldiers. He then had no cloak or othe
: wrapping on him; was dressed in SUI
= of Confederate gray, with hats and boot
. on inst as usual Directly after this, an
{ about the time the firing ceased betwee
Colonel Pritchards and Colonel HarI
- den's troops across the creek q say 20
Is onel Harden because General Wllso
.e saws they were his, for | did not betol
:, know what officer commanded them),
~ was then II at the conversation above
q q luded to took place between Mr.. DaV
~ and Colonel Pritchard.
:; From these facts the imposslblllty
- Mr.. Davis disguise, as charged, Will
" seen. And it is out of these facts tn
:! Is the story of his disguise no doubt gre
n with all the varied forms, more or lie
u elaborate, it has been made to assume
al sensational and reckless writers, W
Wis seem to have been willing to origina
tr and circulate any story which tn
ne thought would CRAFTY hate and bring r
icule on the leader Of a brave peoPI
lel who had rlsked all and lost all IN cat
~. as dear to them as life.