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

From, the ". 7. Herald

From the ". 7. Herald
RICHAoND, VA, Feb. 81, 1873.
InnumeTable stories OF the flight and
capture of Jefferson Davis have been
published both North aud South by wri-
tera in both sections. Until now, how
ever, Jefferson Davis own account has
never been In print. The Southern His.
torical Society Papers, in its March issue,
will contain full narrative Of that merl-
orable affair, written by Major w. r.
Waitnaii, the private Secretary of Mr..
Davis. It IL known here that this article
was gotten up under the eye of Mr. Da-
Wis, and under his Rpeoial supervision,
and it is therefore regarded as Davis own
account OF his fight and capture. The
writer says: ff" le
"On tho evening of the second day
(which was the 9th Of May) preparations
vere made for departure Immediately
after nightfall, when Col. w. p. John
ston returned from o. neighboring village
with tho report that band of I50 men
were to attack the camp that night.
Meantime his horse (Davis'), already
saddled, with his holsters and blanket iil
place, was in charge Of his body servant,
and he himself was lying clothed, booted
and oven spurred, when, q listis after
daybreak, the alarm was given that the
camp va. attacked, Springing to his
feet and stepping out of the tent, he saw
at once, from the manner In which the
assailants were deploying around tho
camp, that they were trained soidieT5,
and not irregular banditti, and, 7eturn-
ing, he so informed Mrs. Davis.
A., r-,a a.
already fully dressed. He hastily took
leave of his wife, who threw over hia
shoulders waterproof cloak or wrapper,
either as r protection from the dampness
of the early morning, or in the hope that
it might serve as partial disguise, or
perhaps with woman's ready and rapid
thoughtfulness of It's possible use for both
these purposes. Mrs. Davis also directed
q female servant, who was present, to
take an empty bucket and accompany
him in tho direction of the spring, his
horse, on the other side OF the camp, bo.
ing cut of from access by the interposi-
tion of the assailants.
%Ee had advanced only q few hteps
from the door Of the tent when he was
challenged by g mounted soldier, who
presented ir:eessSaa sSd his aaThbine aad ordered MIN TO
surrender The answer was, 7 never
surrender to band cf thieves The
carbine was still presented, but the man
refrained from iifing-it 10 but fair to
presume from an .inwillingness TO kill
his adversary--while che President con-
tinued to advance. This was not from
deliberation or foolhardy recklessneas,
but of deliberate purpose. y y VI
Observing ..si the man, who was finely
mounted, was so near as to be considera-
bly, above him, he had little apprehen-
sion of being hit, and believed that by
taking advantage cf the excitement of
the shot &c might easily tip him from
the saddle and get possession of his horse.
The feasibility of this design was nos to
be tested, however, for sc this moment
Mrs. Davis, aeeing only bis danger; anal
animated by d characteristic and heroic
determination TO share it, ran forward
and threw her arms around his neck,
with some impassioned exclamation,
which probably none Of the parties prea-
ent would DO able to repeat correctly.
The only nope of escape had depended
upon bringing the matter TO an imr sdi-
ate issue, and, sesing that this vas ncw
lost, the President simply said, Gods
will bs DONE as he quietly turned beck
and eeated himself upon fallen tree,
near which o campfire was burning"
A letter written by Colonel William
Preston johnson, late aid to Mr. Davis,
to inc writer of the article, Major Walt
hall, confirms this s'stement9 r
'c LExINGToN, VA, July IA, 1877.
EsjoT w. z. Waithaii, hio6iie, ala.
My Dear Sir: Your letter has just
come to hand. and ] reply at oIiee. vi. Vii
eon's monograph Is witten with o very
strong animus, not to cay virus. Tits not
historical. 1t bearc upon it's face ell tho
marks OF special pleading. He states
as matters of fact numbers Of circum-
stances which could not he of his own
knowledge, and which ne must have
picked up So Fumor or mere gossip. Sin
gle errors of this sort are blemishes; but
when they are grouped and used as fact
and argument thoy become, what you
truly call them, 'caiumpy.' y
''For instance, hrs. Davis is represent.
ed as leaving Richmond with the Pres;-
dent. Ny recollection is that she left
some weeks beforehand. Breckinridge
lef1 on horseback and went tn GAnArsl
Yes, rejoining Mr.. Davis sc Danville.
do not doubt that oil the account of 'the
preparations for fight Is purely fich:
tious. His statement of the conditions
OF the arnistiee 10 incorrect. - y = =
/ aYou will have the facts Of our retreat
and capture from many sources. NY
best plan 10 to tell you only what I know
and saw myself The testimony is chiefly
negative, but In 90 far rs it goes will
probably aid you. My understanding
vas that we were to part with Mn
Davis train on the morning of the 9Th
We did not, and the President continued
60 ride in sLe ambulance. He was aick
and o goc Zeal exhausted, bat was mol
the man TO say anything about ie. The
day previous he had let little Jeff shoel
BIZ yCcri3gefs at q mark, and hahGOd ma
one Of the unloaded pistols. which hl
asked me 70 carry, es esitineonmoded him
At that tins ] spoke TO him about the
eize OF our traiA and our route, abou
.ghiah he'd p .@ -. ss, i 3 4 Ii
had said nothing and / did not wish &
force his confidence. It vas, however
distinctly understood that Ne were goin5
to Texas, Ithat day said to him that
did net believe W. could get wcst through
mississippi, and that, byTapid movement
and bold attempt BY sea from thu Eloridl
coast no were more likely 10 reach Texa
safely end promptly. Re replied, 1T il
true-every negro in Mississippi know
me- i also talked with Judge Resgal
and Colonel Wood on this fopic. Th,