The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-06-18
,rrrERsoN DAv,s's CAPTURE.
MS own Account oft In Hts History
of the War.

Mr.. Jefferson Davis's new book 'on the
.R;se and Fall Ct the Confederate Govern
men," gives the following account OF his own
capture:
"Af.er short time was hailed by a
voioe which recognized MS that OF my pri-
vste secretary, who informed me that the
msrsuders had been banging around the
camp, aud 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 90. abroad that it was treasure train,
and .suri sscra flames" had probably instiea-
tod these mauraders, as IL subsequently slims
Mated Gen. j. II. Wilson to send out large
force to capture the same train. For the
nro,ecsion of my family travelled with then,
two or three days, when, believing that
they had pissed out of the region Of the
msrsuiers, determined to leave their ems
csmpment Mt nighttall to execute my oriSi-
nsI purpo es My horse aud those Of my
Marty proper were saddl-d preparatory 10 II
starr, when one Of my s,ah, who had ridden
in o the neighborng village, returned and
told me that hs had heard that marauding
marty intended to attack the camp thai
NIGHT. This decided me TO wait long enough
to see whether there was any truth in tue
rumor, which / supposed would DO escer
tsined in few hours My horse remained
ssddled and my pistols 10 the holsters, and
Law down fully dressed, to rest. Nothing
occurred to rouse until just before dawn,
when my coachman, q Tree colorei man,
who faithfully clung to our fortunes, came
and told me there was firing over the
branch, Just bshind our eucampment.
stepped out of my ~ite's tent and saw some
horsemen, whom l Immediately recognized
as cavalry, deploliDg around the encamp.
meut. turned back aud told my wife these
we're not the expected marauders, but regu-
lar troopers. She implored me to leave her
at onca. hesi,ated from unwillinguess to
do so, and lost a few precious moments before
yielding to her importantly. My horse and
arms were near the road on which | expected
to leave and down which the cavalry ap-
preached it was therefore imprscticable to
reach thtm. was compelled to start in
the opposite direction AS it was quite dark
in the tent l picked up what was sup
posed TO bo my raglan u waterproof
sequeutlY found to be my wife's, so very
libe my own rs to be mistaken for it; rs |
started my wife thoughtfully threw over my
hesd and shoulders n shawl. had gone
perhaps fifteen or twenty yards wheG a
trooper gslloped up and ordered ma to halt
and surrender, to which l gave defiant an
sNer, and dropping the shawl and raglan
from my shoulders, advanced toward hun.
He leveed his carbine at me, but expected
if he fired he would miss me, and my intens
ton was, in that event, to put my hand under
his foot ana tumble hun 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 arms
around me. Success depended on instants-
neous action, and recognising that
the opportunity had been lost, |
turned back, and the morning being
damp and cnilly, passed on to a fire be.
yond the tent. Our pursuers had taken diff
ferent roads, and approsche our camp from
opposite directions. They encountered each
other and 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 in pillsge. one OF my
aids, Col. j. Taylor Wood, with Lieutenant
Burnwell, walked of unobserved. His dar'
ing exploits on tie sea had made him on the
part Of the federal government an object of
special hostility, and rendered it quito props
er that he should avail himself of every pos,
sible means of escape. Colonel Pritchard
went over to their battle fl, I'D, and did not
see him for long time, surely more than an
hour after my capture. He subsequently
claimed credit, in conversation with me, for
the forbearance shown by his men in not
shooting me when refused to surrender"