Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-06-30
nArrEn OF HISTORY.

During the closing soenss Of our great
civil war. whom the Southern Confsd-
sraoy vas passing In il checks and
passing ont Of existence; when Rich
mond was taken, Lee had Surrendered,
and the various phases and conditions
Of that ungodly rebellion we're subsiding
into matters Of history. nothing used to
make . member OF the "Confedsraoy"
or . Southern sympathizer more angry
than the story that JEFF Davis. the
President Of the Confsderacy. was cap
tursd while actually trying to escape
disguised - woman. They looked
upon IL q . foul insult 70 the chivalry,
the h~ish-tonsd bravery Of the Confsd.
srsoy. and stigmstixsd Il - . soan.
dalous. d~issraosful lie. o~onoootsd BY the
triumphant i'd Yankee abolition.
ists." The story was we'll authenticated
and eorroboratsd. however. and even
the clothing produced. but that made
no difference. not sven the Northern
Democrats. nor the Coppsrhssd allies
Of the South would believe Il. They
did not even AK Jef{ himself to deny
the foul slandsr.
This story had passed into obscurity.
and would b veil nigh forgotten BY
most people. were Il not nov revived In
the publication Of JEFF. Davis' book. en-
titled "Ths Rise and Fall Of the Con-
fsdsrsts Government" The book 10. -
should Be expected. an elaborate defense
Of his own career - connected With the
government and the rebellion. a we'll a.
. supposed historical account OF the
~transpiring incidents and events OF that
exciting period. And incidentally there
fore he felt obliged to alluds with no
small degree Of spleen to the matter Of
his capture. In doing 30. he not only
rsvivss but actually oorroboratss and
confirms the old story In every essential
particular. he says whom the pursusrs
came upon his little camp, that he made
an attempt to escape. and In doing 90 he
put on his vifs's raglan or loose water.
proof cloak by mistake. and that she
thouehtfully threw . shawl over his bead
and shoulders. Precisely the old story;
he simply tried to escape disguised In
womans clothing.
His account Of the incident, - given
below, extracted from his Owe book,
will Be read with interest by even e.
Conisdsratss and sympathizing Demo
Gratis. What he has to say about his
resoluts defiance when dstsetsd. and his
intention to tumble that trooper OF bis
horse. spring into the saddle and ride
away, II his wife had not prevented
him. reads like . burlssqus. And
when, also, he mounts his high
horse at the conclusion. and declares
that he ..will postpone to some other
time and more appropriate place any
further notice Of the story and Ito varis-
tons, all the spawn Of Q mslignity
which shamss the civilization Of the
aes."h he uttsrs some clustering. qussrly.
mouthsd words-only this and nothing
moro. Bot words like those amount to
nothing. and will be allowed to pass.
His account Of the affair. dissrscsful or
not d~iserscsful. d before remarked.
simply confirms and oorroboraiss the
old story. and IL good enough. Here
Il 10. copied verbatim from his own
printed book:
A u was quite dark In the tent I picked
up what was supposed to b my raglan. .
waterproof light ovsrcost without sleeves.
Il was subsequently, found 10 be my wifs's.
20 very like my own - 70 b mistaken for
Il. A I started. my wife thoughtfully
threw over my head and shoulder Q
shawl. had gone perhaps fifteen or
twenty yards whom . trooper galloped up
and ordered me to halt and surrender. TO
whom I gave Q defiant answer. and. drop.
ping the shawl and raglan from my shoul.
asrs. advanced toward him. He lsvelsd
his csrbins ct me-. bot ] expected II he
would are he would miss me. and my In
tsntion was In that event 10 put my hand
uudsr his foot, tumble him Cd on the
| other aide, spring into his saddle and
attempt 70 escape. Ny wife. who had
| been watching. whom she saw the soldier
| aim his carbins at me ran forward and
| threw her arms around me. Success de-
pended on instantansous action, and.
recognising that the opportunity had been
Loaf, I turned back. and the morning being
damp and chilly. passed on to . nrs BE-
yond the tsnt. Our pursuers had taken
different roads. and approached our camp
from diderentdirsctions; they encountered
saeh other and commenced dring. both
supposing they had met our armed escort,
and some casualties resulted from their
conflict with an imaginary body Of Con.
fsdersts troops. During the confusion.
while attention was eoncstratsd upon my
self, except BY those who were engaged In
pillags, one Of my aids. Colonel ]. Taylor
Wood, with Lieutenant Barnwell, walked
Oh unobssrved. His daring exploits on
the sea had made him Of the part Of the
Federal Government an object Of especial
hostility, and rendered Il quite proper
that be should avail himself Of every
possible means Of escape. Colonel Pritch.
ard went over 10 their battlefield. and did
not 80 him for Q long time. surely more
than q n hour after my capture. Hs
subsequently, claimed credit. In . CONVEX
sation with me. for the forbesrsnos Of his
men In not shooting me when ! refused 70
surrender. Wilson and others have uttered
many falsshoods In regard 10 my capture.
which have bssn exposed In publication
by persons there prsssnt-by Secretary
Reagan. BY the members Of my personal
stan and BY the oolorsd coachmsn. Jim
Jones, which must have been convincing
70 all who we're not given over 10 believe q
lie. For this reason ! will postpone 10
some other time and more appropriate
place m further notice Of the story and
IL variations. all the spawn Of . m~alignity
| that shsmss the civilization Of the sgs,
NJ - .hsr pyiaonars snhisefAd "a