The Republican journal., 1881-06-30
efferson Davis.

HIS OWN ACCOUNT or HIS CAPTURE IN lSGJ.
Jefferson Davis history of the Rise and Fall Of
! the Confederate Government was published in
London recently and will be issued in this coun-
try at an early date by the Appletons, The fol
lowing description of the closing scene Of the re-
bellion is taken from advance sheets. After de
scribing his flight from Richmond, he says
My private secretary informed me that maraud
ers had been hanging around the camp and that
he and others were post around it and were ex
pectlng an assault as soon as the moon went down
4 silly story had got a'~oad that 1t was treasure
train and u"f sacro flames had probably instigated
these marauders it subsequently stimulated
General }. IL. Wilson to send out large force to
capture the same train. For the protection OF my
family ! Travelled with them two or three days
when believing that they had passed ont Of the
region or marauders, determined to leave their
encampment at nlghttall to execute my original
purpose.
My horse and those Of my party proper were
Saddled preparatory to start when OF my
staff who had ridden into the neighboring village
returned and told me that he had heard that ma
rauding party intended to attack the camp that
night This decided me to wait long enough TO
see whether there was any truth in the rumOr.
which | supposed would be ascertaned in a few
hours. My horse remained saddled and my ps-
tolls in the holsters and lay down full dressed to
rest.
Nothing occurred to rouse me until Just before
dawn when my coachman, free coored man who
faithfully cung to oar fortunes, came and told me
there was firing over the branch just behind our
encampment. ! stepped out OF my Wltes tent and
some horsemen whom | immediately reCOs
nized as cavalry, deploying around the encamp-
ment. turned back and told my wife these were
not the expected marauders, but regular troopers
She implored me to leave her at once. hestated
from unwlllingneSs to do So and lost few pre-
cious moments before yielding to her opportunity
My horse and arms were near the road on which
| expected to leave, and down which the cavalry
approached; it was, therefore, lmpractcable 70
reach them | was compelled to start in the op
posie direction. AS it was quite dark in the tent
picked up what was supposed to be my rag AN,
a waterproof, light overcoat. without sleeves it
was subsequently found to De my witeS, so very
like my as to be mistaken for it. As | start
ed my wife thoughttully threw over my head and
shoulders shawl ! had gone perhaps fifteen or
| twenty yards when trooper galloped up and
ordered me to surrender, to which | gave defiant
answer, and dropping the shawl and raglan from
my shoulders, advanced towards him. lie leyeled
his carblne at me, but expected if he fired he
would miss me, and my intention in that
event to put my hand under his foot, tumble him
off on the other side, spring into his saddle and
attempt to escape My wife, who had been watch
ing when she saw the soldier aim his carbine ut me
ran forward and threw her arms around me- Sue
cess depended on instantaneous action, and, recog
nZing that the opportunity had been lost, turned
back and, the morning being damp and chilly
| passed on to tire beyond the tent,
| Our pursuers had taken different roads and APP
| preached our camp from opposite directions they
| encountered each other and commenced firing
both supposiug they had met our armed escort, and
some casualties resulted from their conflict with
! imaginary body of Confederate troops During
! the confusion, while attention was concentrated
| upon myself, except by those who We're engaged
! in pillage one OF my aides Colonel j. Taylor ood
with Lieutenant Barnwell, walked off unobserved
| His daring exploits on the sea had made him on
| the part of the Federal government an object of
special hostility and rendered it quite proper that