Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-23
Jeff DAVIS CAPTURE.
His FIihht From Richmond as
Remembered BY His Body
Servant.
The Hoop Skirt a Fiction
sensational stories COntradicted


emit taller of the county Jail in this
city and also a member Of the Board
of Aldermen. During the war he was
the body servant of Jefferson Davis
and drove the carriage of the Presi.
dent of the late Confederate States at
the time of the l~atter's flight from
Richmond. He was constantly with
him thereafter up to the time OF the
capture in Wilcox county, Georgia,
having driven the carriage through
Virginia, North and South Carolina
and a portion of Georgia; was made a
prisoner with Davis and sent to
Fortress Monroe, being subsequently
released. Jones is a man OF seine in
telligence, who yields considerable in
Auence over his race, and, although a
Republican, he is ever ready To say a
kind word for his former employer,
He is we'll thought OF by the white
people OF this community, and has a
good reputation for veracity and in
teCrity. Being apprised Of the facts
above related a Herald correspondent
approached Mr.. Jones with the hope
Of securing some facts connected with
the memorable flight from Richmond
and the subsequent capture OF the
President of the Coniederacy not
heretofore made public, Nor was he
disappointed. 1t would perhaps be
we'll to preface the story with the
statement that, although the servant
of Jefferson Davis, the narrator of
what follows was never his slave,
Jones having been born free.
81 had Mr.. Davis horse saddled, in
readiness to proceed on his way, and
had thrown his holster Of pistols
across the saddle.
FIRING OVER TIE BRANCH.
"Mr. Davis lay down without re-
moving his clothes in the early part of
the night to rest. Nothing occurred
to indicate an attack until just before
dawn, when | heard firing over the
branch. l Immediately hurried to the
spot where Mr.. Davis was sleeping,and
arousing him, told him what had
heard. He came out Of the tent, aud
we saw some cayalTymen whom We
recognized as regular Federal troopers
d~eplOying around as they approached
the camp. | had tied the horse to be
used by MIR. Davis near the road some
distance from the camp, and, as before
stated, his holster Of pistols was Sc
cured to the saddle on this horse. II
was, then, an unfortunate discovery
for us that we realized the fact that
the troopers were approaching from
that direction and were already near
the spot where the horse was secured.
1t was therefore impossible for Mr..
Davis to reach his horse and he was 10
a p%redicament indeed. Mrs Davis had
implored her husband to leave imme-
diately upon learning that the attack
ing party were regulars, but be hest
tated and so lost some precious mo-
ments. When be atlast decided upon
flight he was compelled to start in an
opposite direction from that intended
on foot and without arms"
THE so. CALLED DISGUISE"
Here the Herald correspondent in
terrupted the narrative by asking hin
ifhe knew Of his own knOwledge how
Mr.. Davis was dressed and if there
was any truth in the stories which
have been published stating that he
was attired ia woman's clothes, wear.
ing a hoop skirt at the time Of his cap.
ture.
Certainly, I know of my OWL
knowledge" he replied. II wa b.
his side from the time / awoke him il
his tent to the moment of his capture
Ifany one ought to know should"
He then continued as follows:
Mr.. Davis, at that season of the
year, wore a sleeveless waterproof
light overcoat Mrs. Davis had QUO
almost exactly like it-same material.
only the cut was a little different.
After deciding to attempt an escape
he returned to the tent for his over
coat, and in the hurry and confusion
of the moment-it was very dark il
the tent-picked up his wife's instead
Of his own coat, and. as he emerged
from the tent, Mrs. Davis thought
fully threw a shawl over his shoulders.
He was wearinghis wife's raglan aud
the shawl over his shoulders when he
was challenged by the trooper, as will
be more fully explained further on "
Then he didn't have on a bonnet
and hoopskirt?"
Jones laughed and seemed very
much amused at this question. "No.
indeed, he replied; that hoopskirt
bonnet story is the most thoroughly
unadulterated piece Of fiction | ever
read"
THE CAPTURE.
"Mr. Davis" continued the nara
tor, "had not gone twenty. five yards
when a cayalryman gallOped up and
commanded him to halt. Dir. Davis
gave a defiant reply to this order as he
advanced toward the horseman throw
ing the shawl and raglan from his
shoulders as he did so. Mr.. Davis
did not have a weapon OF defense of
anv doeov.rttcr o,I tl..