Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-03-26


The Governor of Mississippi recently sent
to the Legislature of that State a crayon-por-
trait of JEFF Davis, accompanied by the fol-
lowing note:
BEArvoIR, Miss, Aug. "A, 1879.
His Efeelirney J. NJ stOn,. Gorernor Of Mssis-
sippi:
Dear Slr,-The late Mrs. Sarah A. Dorsey a few
days before her decesse, instructed me TO present
to her native State Mississippi the crayon portrait
which accompanies this letter. II was made after
Photographic likeness Of myself, which was taken
in the identical clothes worn when was captured.
Every article then had appears in the portrait
ure, except pair of large spurs which were stolen
from me after my capture. l had waterproof
Raglan and a shawl about my head and shoulders
when left the tent; hut on being hailed by cav
aryman who rode a considerable distance before
his comrades, dropped both the raglan and shawl
while advancing on my challenger, and thus appear
ed before my captors in the exact costume repre-
Painfully YOURS
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The senstiveness Of the rebel chieftain on
the subject of the disguise in which he was
captured is not very surprising. There is
no real question about the facts. Davis,
when captured, wore woman's water
proof cloak and shawl The cloak. being
too short for man, had been pinned about
his body beneath the arms, while his head
and shoulders were covered and concealed
by the shawl; be carried water pail as if
going for water; his Sex was disclosed by
his boots, and by the manly" strides he
made in his efforts to escape; and the
Union troopers took HIM with the
waterproof about his long legs. Col. Prit-
chard of Michigan, who commanded them,
says, in his official report, that lie received
from Mrs. Davis "a waterproof cloak or
robe" which was identified by the troopers
present as worn by Davis at the time of his
capture and next day he got "a small black
shawl, with a red border four OF five inches
deep" which was identified by the soldiers
and by Mrs. Davis, and also by her son,
bright lad, who volunteered the statement
that his papa wore it when captured. Capt.
Hudson, who was sent to Mrs. Davis for the
shawl, writes that she was angry, and said
that it was her own shawl, and she needed
It. In order to be able to fulfil his instruc-
tions, he bought her another shawl for six
dollars, and Mrs. Davis gave up the historic
shawl adding" testities Capt. Hudson,
that she did dress Mr.. Davis in her attire,
and would not deny 1t, at the same time ex-
pressing great surprise that the Secretary of
War should want her clothing to exhibit"
This evidence, and much more 10 the same
effect, has been again and again collected
officially, when Secretary Stanton awarded
the prize for the capture of Davis; in the
Detroit Tribune, for or five years ago; still
later, and conclusively, by Major General
James H. Wilson in the Philadelphia Times
MIR. Davis's portrait. taken in the clothes he
wore, after the disguise had been stripped
off, may be very interesting thing but
when he says that every article he had on.
appears in the porraiture, be tells false
hood The Mississppians of course do not
care to know the real facts, and will allow
Mr.. Davis's statement TO pass unquestioned.
But his statement will not change the record
edhistory of the matter and if anybody does
not believe the latter, he can see al Washing
ton the waterproof and the red-bordered
black shawl, which are preserved as relics in
the Adjutant-Geueral's Office.