The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-07-19
TIE SOUTH KENfUGglaA.
=, ADVERTISING d i V RATE.
JEFF Davis Capture.
/ From ills book. The Rise and Fall Of tho
Confe,.ur,itu GuYUrnmcnt.nl

From Ills book. l'ihc RiHc AMI Fall OF tho
Confederate Guvcrnmcnt."l
For the protection Of my family
Travelled with them two or three days,
when, belieying they had passed out
OF the region OF marauders, de-
tcrmlncd to leave their cncampmcnt
at nightfall TO execute my original
purpose, My horse and those of my
party proper were saddled prepara-
tory to Il start, when one OF my staff,
who had ridden into the neighooring
village, returned and told me that he
had heard that a marauding party in
tended 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 ascertaincd in few hours.
Ny horse remained saddled and my
pistols in the holsters, and lay
down, fully dressed to rest. Moth
ing occurred TO rouse me until just
before dawn, when my coarllnan, u
free colored man who faithfully
clnng 10 our fortunes, came aud told
me there was firing over the branch,
Just behiiid our encampmept.
stepped out of my wife's ie'lt and
saw some borsemen, whom iinhed-
lately recognized rs cavalry, deploy-
ing around tho encampneIt. [
turned back and told my wife these
were not the expected inarau,lers but
regular troopers. She implored me
to leave her at once. hesitaicd
from unwillingncss TO do so, aud lost
a few precious moments before yield
ing to her importantly. My horse
and arms were near the road on
which expected to leave, and down
which the cavalry approached It was,
therefore, iInpracticable TO reach
them. l was compelled to stariin
tho opposite direction. AS 1t was
quite dark III the tent, | picked up
what was supposed to be my rag
lan," waterproof, light overcoaf,
without sleeves it was subsequently
found to be my wiie's, go very like
my own rs to be mistaken for It. AS
| started my wife thoughtfully throw
over my head and shoulders shawl.
had gone perhaps fifteen or twenty
yards when trooper gallopcd up
aud ordered me to halt ani surren-
der, 10 which l gave defiant answer,
and. dropping tho shawl and raglan
from my shoulders, advanced toward
him. lie levelea his carbine Mt me.
but expected ifh f, fired he would
miss lno, and my intention was in
that event to put my hand under his
loot, tumble him of on the other side,
spring into his saddle and attempt TO
escape. My vile, who had been
watching, when she saw the soldier
aim his carbins at me, ran forward
and threw her arms around me. Sur-
cess depended on instantaneous ac-
tion. and recognizing that the oppor-
tuniiy had been lost, turned back,
and. the morning being damp and
chilly, passed or TO fire beyond tho
tent. Our p,rsuers had taken differ
ent roads and approached our camp
from opposite directions; they en-
couniered each other and commenced
firing. both supposing they had met
our armed Escort, and some casual
itics resulted from their conflict with
an imaginary body of Confederate
troops. During The confusion, while
attention was concentrated upon my
self, except by those who were en-
gagged in pillage, one Of my aides,
Col. j. Taylor Wood, with Lieut..
Barnwell, walked off unobscrved.
His daring exploits ON tho sea hal
made him on the part of the Federal
Government an object OF special hos
Utility ond rendered it quite proper
that he should avail himself OF every
possible means of escape. Col.
Pritchard went over to their battlc-
field and did not see him for long
time, surely more than an hour after
my capture. lie subsequently
claimed credit, in a conversation with
me, for the forbearance shown by his
men in not shooting me when | re-
| fused 10 surrender