The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-21

south of Albany; but l had no definite
idea of his purpose whether to go by sea
or land. Indeed, rny scope of duty vas
simply to follow and obey him; and, so
long as was not consulted, 1 was we'll
content to do this and no more. con-
fess did not have great hopes of escape,
though not apprellensive at the time of
capture, as our scouts, ten picked men,
were explicit that no Federals were near
and that pickets were out. Both of these
were errors. On The night of the 9th ]
was very much worn out with travel and
watching, and lay down at the foot Of
pine tree 10 sleep.
"Just at gray dawn Mr.. Davis servant
Jim awakened me. He said, Colonel,
do you hear that iring? 1 sprang up
and said, Run anc wake the President
He did so. Hearing nothing as pulled
on my boots, walked to the camp fire,
some fifty or less Steps off, and asked the
cook if Jim was rot mistaken. At this
moment I saw eight or ten men charging
down the road toward me. I thought
they were guerrillas trying to stampede
the stock. 1 ran to my saddle, where ]
had slept, and began unfastsning the
holster to get out my revolver, but they
were too quick for me. Three men rode
up and demanded my pistol, which, as
soon as got out, I gave up to the leader,
bright, slim, soldierly fellow, dressed in
Confederate gray clothes. The same
man, believe, captured Colonels Wood
and Lubbock just after. One of my cap
tors ordered me ID the camp fire aad
stood guard over me. l soon became
aware that they were Federals.
"In the meantime the firing went OH.
After about ten minutes, may be more,
my guard left me aad / ,walked over to
Mira. Davis tent, about fifty yards of.
Mrs. Davis was in great distress. said
to the President, wlo was sitting outside
on camp stool, This is bad business,
SIR He replied, supposing knew about
the circumstances os the capture, I would
have heayed the sceundrel off his horse
as he came up, but she caught me around
the arms understood what he meant,
now he had proposed to dismount the
trooper and get his horse, for he had
taught me the trick. I merely replied,
1T would have been useless
"Mr. Davis was dressed as usual. He
had on knit wooden visor, which he al-
ways wore at night for neuralgia. He
wore cavalry boots. He complained Of
chilliness, and said they had taken away
his raglan I believe they we're So
called, a light aquascutum or spring over
coat, sometimes called waterproof 1
had one exactly similar, except in color.
/ went to look for it, and either l, or
some one at my instance, found it, and
he wore it afterward. His own was not
restored.
"As I was looking for this coat, the
firing still continuing, l met a mounted
officer, who, if / am not mistaken, was q
Captain Hodson. Feeling that the cause
was lost, and not wishing useless blood
shed, said to him, Captain, your men
are fighting each other over yonder.'
He answered very positively, You have
an armed escort I replied, You hare
our whole camp; l:now your men are
fighting each other. We have nobody on
that side of the slough He then rode
of. Colonel Lubbock had converse
ton nearly identical with Colonel Prltch-
ard, who was not polite I believe. You
can learn from Col. Lubbock about it.
"Not long afterward, seeing Mr.. Davis
in alteration with an officer-Colonel
Pritchard-I went up. Mr.. Davis was
denunciatory in his remarks. The ac-
count given by Wilson is fabulous, ex-
cept so far as Mr.. Davis remark is con-
cerned-that their conduct was not that
of gentlemen, but rufians. Pritchard
did not make the reply attributed to him;
+ could swear to that. My recollection
is that he said, in substance, and in an
offensive manner, that he (Dayis) was q
prisoner, and could afford to talk so,' and
walked away. Colonel Hamden's man
ner was conciliatory, if he was the other
officer. If am not mista ken, the first
offense was his addressing Mr.. Davis as
jeff or some rude familiarity. But this
you can verify. l tried just afterward to
reconcile Mr.. Davis to the situation.
"On the route to Macon, three days
afterward, Mrs. Davis complained to me
with great bitterness that her trunks had
been ransacked, the contents taken out
and tumbled back with the leaves sticking
to them. never heard of MIR.
Davis alleged disguise until saw it in q
New York Herald the day / got to Fort
Delaware. / was astonished and, de-
nounced it as falsehood. The next
day was placed in solitary confinement,
and remained there. I do not believe it
possible that these ten days could have
been passed with our captors without
allusion to it if it had not been an after
thought or something to be kept from us.
Very sincerely yours,
WILLIAM PRESTON JOHNSTON"