Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-04-27
DRUBBING DAVIS.
Pioneer Renaissance Bringing to the Surface
an Incident in the Early Life OF the
Great Rebal,

Great Rebal.
One of the very early settlers of north
ern Wisconsin is Capt. VIM. Powell o,
this place. The title of captain was no
given him by courtesy but was earned
by honorable service in the army. HI
was born at Depere in 1910. Having
passed his early life among the trader,
and soldiers along the Fox river from
Green Bay to Portage, he is necessarily
full of interesting recollectons of early
days. He was at Green Bay when the
first United States soldit rs landed there
and also witnessed the building of the
fort which gave its name to the city OF
Fort Howard, now standing upon its
ruins. Many ofhis descriptions of men
and manners, in those old DAYS are
worthy place in the state historical
collections. In 1881 he went to Fort
Winnebago, near Portage, and, while
there met JEFF Davis, Twiggs and a
number of others who have since won a
place in history. Davis was then known
among the troops as young tow-head on
account of his very blonde hair In a
talk with your correspondent, the Cap
tain related an incident in Davis ear
reer at the fort which will not, probably
appear in any future accounts of the old
traitor. Davis and one or two other
officers had large tents short distance
from the fort, not for regular quarters,
but as 4 sort of trysting place where
they could enjoy themselves in compare
tive seclusion. One day civilian came
into the suffers store ana bought Il
deer skin for moccasins. He enquired
of Capt. Powell, who was present, if he
could tell him where he could get the
moccasins made. Powell innocently re-
ferred him to Davis tent Just over the
way where he would find a squaw who
could do his work with neatness and
dispatch. The citizen who knew moth
ing of the aesthetic practices of army
officers, went over to the tent and was
having his ample feet duly measured
when Davis happened in, probably to
pursue anatomy, of which branch, in
some of its phases, he was very fond.
Going straight to the unsuspecting
citizen he demanded in brusque tones.
"do you know you are on forbidden
ground?' The man replied that he was
not aware of it. well you are" said
Davis. land you'd better be getting out
of here right lively" The citizen re-
piled that he saw no cause for hurry.
but just then the dusky moccasin maker
announced that she was through and he
at once started for the door. There
upon Davis stepped up behind him and
dealt him a blow behind the ear that
nearly knocked the man down. He
quickly recovered and turning upon
Davis, gave the future hero of the petit
coat episode such a druhbing as very
few high and lofty army officers ever
experience. Davis then got short fur
Tough and for the next ten days kept be-
hind the scenes poulticing his disfgured
face with freshly killed young chickens
to take out the black and blue spots.
He afterwards learned that Capt. Pow
ell sent the man to his tent but said
nothing to him about the matter, though
he always remembered it. While a
prisoner at Fortress Monroe after the
collapse of the rebellion, the officer of
the squad in charge of him at one time
was Capt. VIM. Upham, brother of
Charles Upham of Shawano. Upham
inquired of him once, if he remembered
Capt. Powell Davis answered some
thing to the effect that he did remember
him, that he had very good reason to
recolect him and wished to send him
his regards. = Oweg0 Cor. Oshkosh North
rCSterH.