The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-06-23
JEFFERSON DAv,ss CAPTURE.
uis own Account orr In nts History
Of the war.

Of the war.
Mr. Jefferson Davis's new book 'on The
rise and Fall If the Confederate Govern
ment" gives tho following account of his own
capture:
"After short time was hailed by q
voice which l recognized rs that Of my pri-
vate secretary, who informed me that II 0
marauders had been hanging around the
camp, and that he and others were on post
around it, and were expecting an assault as
soon as the moon went down. A silly story
had got abroad that il was treasure train,
and ''auri sscra flames" had probably instiga.
ted these mauraders, as it subsequently S t>m
ulated Gen. j. 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 out of the region of the
msrsuders, l determined to leave their ems
campment at nighttall to execute my origi-
ma, purpo.es My horse and those of my
party proper were saddled preparatory to
start, when one of my staff, who had ridden
in the neighbor,ng village, returned and
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 sscer.
tanned in few hours. My horse remained
saddled and my pistols in the listers, aud
lay down fully Dr. !, to ST. Nothing
occurred to rouse until just 1afore dawn,
when my coachman, Tree Z ilored man,
who faithfully chung TO our fortunes, came
and told me there WIS firing over the
branch, Just behind our encampment.
stepped out of my. @ite's tent aud saw some
horsemen, whom 1 immediately recognized
as cavalry, deploying around the encamp-
ment. turned back and told my wife these
were not the expected msrauders, but regu-
lar troopers. She implored me to leave her
at once hesita.ed from unwili 1gness to
do 30, and lost few precious moments before
yielding to her importantly. My horse and
arms were near the road on which L expected
to leave and down which the cavalry ap-
preached; it was therefore impracticsble to
reach them. | was compelled to start in
the opposite direction AS it WAS quite dark
in the tent l picked up what was sup
posed to b. my raglan waterproof
light overcoss, without sleeves;i it was subs
sequently found to be my wite's, 30 very
started my wife thougntfully threw over my
head and shoulders shawl. l had gone
perhaps ffteen or twenty yards when q
trooper galloped up and ordered ms to halt
and surrender, ich l gave drf.n an
CIV or, and dro, he shawl aud raglan
from nv shou, .ovanced toward him.
He leveled his ..He at me, but expected
if he fired he would miss me, and my intent
ton was, in that event, to put my hand under
his foot ana tumble HIM off on the other
side, spring into the saddle and attempt to
escape. My wife, who had been watching,
when she SAW the soldier level his carbine
at me, ran forward and threw her arm
around me. Success depended on instanta-
neous ac!ion, and recognising that
the opportunity had been lost,
turned back, and the morning being
damp and Gully, passed on to a fire be-
yond the tent. Our pursuers had taken diff.
ferent roads, and approache our camp from
opposite directions. They encountered each
other md commenced firing, both supposing
they had met our armed escort, and some
casualties resulted from their conflict with
an imaginary body of confederate troops.
During the confusion, while attention was
concentrated upon myself, except by those
who were engaged il pillsge. o. OF my
aids, Col j. Tay lor Wool, W.. Lieutenant
Burnwel, walked of unobs we'd. His dar-
ing exploits on tie sea had n ,ae him on the
part Of the federal government an object +
special ostilty, and rendertd it quito prop
or that he should avail himself OF every pos
sible means of escape. Colonel Pritchsrd
went over to their battle fsld, and did not
see him for lor time, surely more than an
hour after my capture. He subsequently,
claimed credit, in conversation with me, for
the forbearaDce shown by his men in not
shooting me when fused to surrender"