River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-06-23
THE LATE CONFEDERACY.
some Facts in the life If Its Presi-
dent. Related by One OF His Glass
mates-The story About His Being
Captured in Petticoats a Canard-

4 StOIt <hDOht ms hsSAafss
Captured in Petticoats Canard--
| MIR. Davis "Reminiscences.
| Chicago Times.
The Times had something on last Sun
day morning concerning Mr.. Jefferson
Davis, who was in the city for the first
| time in forty-one years, and was visit
ing his friend Gen. ]. G. Wright
| On Tuesday afternoon Times Repor-
ter called upon Gen. Wright, at his
| headquarters at the United States Mar
inc hospital, situated between Grace
| land cemetery and the lake, for the
purpose of learning something of MIR.
Davis which had not been given in his
Biographies, and which could only be
| learned from his old and intimate friend.
Gen. Wright was evidently willing to
talk about him, and, in reply to an in
quiry as to how long he had known
| him, said:
"He was my roommate and chum
at West Point. We both graduated in
the class of 1928. Our attachment was
extremely close. He was an ardent,
imprisoned boy, and, although he was
not possessed of superior bodily
strength, he was almost entirely with
out fear of anything. He was partic-
ularly tenacious of opinion, and assert
ed himself always in the most positive
manner He WIS a boy who attracted
all who came near him, and was
A UNIVERSAL FAvoRITE
at school. During our stay at the
school, four classes graduated some
three or four hundred officers, of whom
but three are now living, excepting Mr..
Davis and myself. Two of them, Gen.
N. B. Budford and Gen. q. p. Bucking
ham, live in Chicago, while the third is
Gen. Charlotte Drayton, of South
Carolina. Gen. Drayton is a son of
the Gen. Drayton of the Revolutionar
war, and he and Mr.. Davis were the
only ones of the FIVE that were in the
southern confederacy. After leaving
West Point Mr.. Davis and | met but a
few times, although we have kept up a
correspondence for the past fifty years,
excpeting the time of the rebellion.
After it was over, wrote to him to
learn if all that was said of him was
true, intending, if he was not clean in
his personal record, that the cores
pondence should cease. / was soon
satisfied that much was that told of
him was coined in times of excitement
and hatred For instance that petit
coat story"
"Why, that's q true STORY, isn't 1T gen
eral?" asked the reporter.
"True! No not at all. The truth of
it is that Mr.. Davis and his wife were
not travelling together at all. He and
party of gentleman were making
there way toward western Texas on
horseback, and were far in advance of
Mrs. Davis, who, with her sister and
servants and escort, were travelling in
ambulances. On the night before their
capture they had heard that they were
being followed by banditti, who believ
ed that they were carrying away with
them all the confederate funds, and so
they halted for the purpose of letting
the ambulances catch up with them,
which they did. Tents were then pitch
ed, and the party retired for night.
Mr.. Davis slept with his boots on, ready
to Jump up ard mount his horse at any
moment. 1t is true that he had taken
off his coat. Well, during the night
Wilson's Michigan cavalry came up on
each side. Each mistook each other
for rebels, and they commenced firing.
Mr.. Davis was, of course, awakened by
the firing, and, knowing that it was
impossible for any confederate soldiers
to be there, he jumped up. Knowing
that he was captured, he thought he
might effect his escape during the con-
fusion; if he found that impossible, he
decided that he would stop further blood
shed by giving himself up. Just as he
started to leave the tent Mrs. Davis re-
minded him that he had forgotten his
coat, and an old colored aunty
PICKED UP MRS. DAVIS SHAWL,
and threw it over his shoulders. Mr..
Davis was much more feeble than ne
is now, and, fearful of the chill of the
air of the gray of the morning, he kept
the shawl about him. He started out
and tried to find his horse, which he
left tethered nea the tent. But before
he left the tent the cavahyman discov-
cred the identity of one another, and
had surrounded the little camp with
guard. OF course every thing was done
in less time than it takes to tell it. Well,
Mr.. Davis found his horse, but it was
mounted by Wisconsin cavalryman.
He then determined to fiaunt the shawl
in his horses face in the hope that he
would rear back and dismount the cal
varyman, and then he could m cunt
him and escape. Just as he had re-
moved the shawl from his shoulders
for that purpose, he found that another
cavalryman was right behind him. See
ing then that escape was impossible, he
gave himself up. That is the truth
about the capture; but so far as his be-
ing in Mrs. Davis petticoats are con-
cerned, that is simply ridiculous"
"What is Mr.. Davis financial cOndi-
ton at present. general?'
"He's very poor man; he is what is
called land poor. He is living on the
property bequeathed to him by an old
lady who died without natural heirs,
but there were some debts on the es-
tate, and as the devisee he became the
executor of the estate, and was obliged
to pay off the debts to get control OF
the property, and he had to borrow
money to do it with. So the bequest
has really, thus far, been burden to
him. His own plantation he has leas-
ed entirely to his old slaves, and they
run it to snit themselves, and never
make more than living off it, and he
does not seek to compel them to pay
any rent. 1t was his proverty that de-
termined him to write his book. 1t Is
now in the hands of Appleton u Co.,
the New York publishers, and he ex-
poets that it will be out in a very short
time. 1t should have been out some
time ago, and its ron-appearance is one
of his reasons for not coming north at
this time He is to get q yalty on
each book published, and is, of course,
anxious that sales shall begin as soon as
possible"
HAS he said anything to you regard
ing its contents, genera?"
Not a word We
NEVER TALK POLITICS,
either directly or indirectly, except
sometimes when we happen to talk
about some of our mutual acquaintan-
ces. We coull never agree in politics,
and years ago they were mutually ta-
hooded by us. He does say, though,
that Providence directs for the best,
and he is perfectly content and satisfied
with the result. He says that he
wouldn't have slavery restored if every
negro in the south would beg to have
the old conditions renewed. Neither
he nor any southern man ofsense wants
slaves again, and they wouldn't have
them if they could. He regrets, and
so do |, that the negroes were clothed