Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-06-06

Tlie Capture OF NEr. Davis,

| EHc capture OF Nrs Davis.
| 10 Dir. Jefferson Davis forthcoming history
Of the lasc civil w2r The fol,RiGg account of his
capture Ri.l be read with ilicrts::
after short lime / vas hailed by voice
%hiel 1eccg 2Iz!d IS tha. Of my private stcro-
| tary, wh0 informed mo that the maraudcrs had
| bceo hsaalnE agcunG the camp, and that he
and others were un POST around it and were cX.
ptctlDg "a assault as 52oa as tlu moon went
d)WG, Il silly story hed cot abroad that it was
treasure trdln nld aurl gacts iam:s had prob.
| ably les; gIi9d thcsa ma,aude1s. as it subso-
| 1lsniIy STIMULATED General }. ii. Wilson to
| seaG ou5 iargo ioio1 10 capture tho same train.
lOr tue protection OF my family travelled with
them :Wo CT threo dayg, when. believing that
they had passed out OF tho rCg ION of mafaud-
er5. GGtctmtHcd to leave thclc crcanpment Mt
i'Sh5iali, to cX.cu!c ny original purpose. My
letsc AMI those CT my party proper were sads
nled preparatory to d S:art, when one OF my
stall, vino had RIDDEN into tho neighboring vii
!sgc. returned and tc!G me thsS he had heard
that q m2raudiDg party Intended to attack the
CAMP that night. This decided ne to wait long
enough 70 SO whether t,cro wss spy rut
IL ihe rucicr. which | supposed would
Je teC:r:si1cd in i,w hours. My horse
remained siidI.d snd my p!stos in tho
holsters. and | lev down, fully dressed.
% rest. No!hug occurred to rouso mo until
Just before CaRp, Hhcn ny claohman, a free
colof2a mao, who faithfully ci1eg to cur for.
tuleS. calno and ted m, there was firing over
The brsGcG, lst he6i5d cur cpcampmens, !
steTpsl ou5 of 0y wi!e'a :ept and SAW sumo
h0rsemcD, wt!ou / Immediately rscoEoizad as
ca9ary, dc9Icying arcuGd the enoanpucnt. |
turned back a1d tod 10Y vita these were not
IvEEnfS1 III mi nu-yla tran
She impl0rcG me to laaVo her At once. [ icsi-
tated, from uawllirgGess 10 do so, snG lost
lew precious UDmcltS tciOro yielding to her
iEp3r,un!!y. lily borso ard arms were near
tho road oa which | cyptc:ed to leave, and
down ~nicA TIC cavalry approached: il was
sherst3rc lmprac!c !bIe 10 reach them. | vas
compelled 20 start III tho opposite direction. AS
1t was quito dark in tic tent, / picked up what
YES Supposed 10 DC riy raglan" q Ws!erpr ?of,
light OVetolat. without sleeves; it vas sul,so.
qlsntly f-uad 10 be my wiic's, 10 very ike my
ugo as TO be mistaken iCr il; as started, my
wifo th0ugEttully threw ovsr my head and
shoulders q shawl. had goae perhaps
httecn or tHenty yards y7hcH q trooper gaoped
up dnd ortefed nc to bait sad sutrender, to
which gave defiant Ga:wsr,a and dropping the
shsEl aGd Raglan tom my shoulders ad-
yarced t0Ta,d Eim. lie lcvclcd his clrbiuo
&. mc, but ltXDcoted il no flied ho would miss
he, snd my utenli0u vas liz that event to put
my hand under his foot. tumble him off on tho
othct side, spring into his saddle and attempt
to es:e?e. Nly wife, who had been watching,
Hhsa sho saw the soldier aim his carbinc at
me, raa forward and threw her arms around
m2. Success depended on Instantaneous ac-
ttou, aad, recognizing that the opportunity had
been LOST, L turned hack, and the morning be-
ng damp ara Chilly. passed 90 70 ftc b'yond
tho tent. Ger rursuers hGd taken different
roads, aud approached cur camp from opposite
GlrCcloIs; they cICluDtcCed each other and
commcocsn i'lus, boih s1pnosin2 they had
met gu: Gtmad escort. ind some casualties re-
sa!tcd from tho;r coufic. With an imaginary
bcdy OF Cocttdeys:e troops. Daring the con.
iuslc0, Thllo atic1l01 iSas concentrated upon
mYSal!, cEc.pt BY th0so who Wcro engaged 10
plsge, oGo OF my aides. Colonel j. Taylor
Wood, with LieuteCsut BsrnwelI, waIkad eff
un0ssersed. His dariug exploits On the sea
had msdo Inn 90 tho part OF tho fete.
raj government ell otI:cS u sCcca! hOs,ili
y, md rendered i: quite proper that ho
should avail himself G: cverg possible means
ot escapa. Colonsl Pr:;ciaTd went ever to their
battle ilil. a0d ! di3 To; $50 hin ior = icog
il0e sl:ct} :G9Tc thaa an hour after ny osp.
:ute. lie subsequently aimed crcdi., 10 g
c)nrcrsa;ion viii NJ. ior thc ior5eaTance
sA0WI by his men ia DoS shoo.IoG no when |
refused 10 surrender. Wilson acG others have
uttered iAnny lalsehoo2a in regard 10 my cap.
ture, wEIcl ii1v3 b5en tyoCsch in publications
by PERSONS there rrcscnt-by Secretary Reagan.
by The Iaembcra 0! Ery personal s:aii, ald by
ito c5!1rcd cJec5.aaU, Jim Jones, which
must nave bacn c1n7i5oIrg to ell who wcrc rot
given over to believe lie. For this reason |
sill postpone 10 sono other tims and moro ap-
propriate place aGY further notice Ct tho story
aud its valialots. al! the spawn Of a mlgDi!y
that sbanes tho civilization OF tho exc. We
were. whsn prisoners. subjected TO petty pill.
age.