The Portland daily press., 1883-10-24
The Capture of jefferson Davis.

Burton N. Harrison, ESQ.,, Jefferson
Davis's private secretary, who was an eye
witness of the Confederate Presidents cap
ture, describes it in the November Century
as follows: eve were taken by surprise,
and not one of US exchanged a shot with the
enemy. Colonel Johnston tells me he was
the hrst prisoner taken. In a moment, Col
onel Pritchard rode directly to me and,
pointing across the creek, said, 'What does
that meana Have you any men with you?
Supposing the firing was done by our team
sters, replied, of course we have-don't t
you hear the. firing? He seemed to be net
tied al the reply, gave the order, Charge
and boldly led the way himself across the
creek, nearly every man in his command fol-
lowing. Our camp was thus left deserted
tor few minutes, except by one mounted
soldier near Mrs. Dayis's tent (who was
afterward said to have been stationed there
by Colonel Pritchard in passing) and by the
few troopers who stopped to plunder our
wagons. had been sleeping upon the same
side of the road with the tent occupied by
Mrs. Davis, and was then standing verv near
1t. Looking there, saw her come out and
heard her say something to the soldier men
toned; perceivlng she wanted him to move
off, | approached and actually persuaded
the fellow to ride away. As the soldier
moved into the road, and I walked beside
his horse, the President emerged for the
first time from the tent at the side farther
from Us, and walked away into the woods
to the eastward, and at right angles to the
road.
Presently looking around and observing
somebody had come out of the tent, the
soldier turned his horses head and, reaching
the spot he had first occupied, was again ap-
preached by Mrs. Davis, who engaged him
in conversation. In minute, this trooper
was joined by one or perhaps two of his
comrades, who either had Jagged behind the
column and were just coming up the road,
or had at that moment crossed over from
the other 1.-THE west) side, where a few of
them had fallen to plundering, as l have
stated, instead of charging over the creek.
They remained on horseback, and soon be-
came violent in their language with Mrs.
Davis. The order to halt was called out
by one ofsthem to the President. 1t was not
obeyed, and was quickly repeated in loud
voice several times. At last one of the
men threatened to fire, and pointed a car
bine at the President. Thereupon, Mrs.
Davis, overcome with terror, cried out in
apprehension, anu the freSlQent lWhO had
now walked sixty or eighty PAGES away into
the unobstructed woods) turned around and
came back rapidly to his wife near the tent.
AT least one of the soldiers continued his
violent language to Mrs. Davis, and the
President reproached him for such conduct
to her, when one of them, seeing the face
of the President, as he stood near and was
talking, said, 'Mr. Davis, surrender! /
recognize you, SIR Pictures of the Presi-
dent were so common that nearly or quite
every man in both armies knew his face.
1T was as yet, scarcely daylight.
"The President had on a waterproof
cloak. he had used it, when riding, as a
protection against the rain during the night
and morning preceding that last halt; and
he had probably been sleeping in that cloak
| at the moment when the camp was attacked.
while all these things were happening,
Miss Howell and the children remained
within the other tent. The gentlemen OF
our party had, with the single exception of
Captain Moody, all slept on the west side of
the road and in or near the wagons. They
were, so far as l know, paying no attention
TO what was going on at the tents. / have
since talked with Johnston, Wood, and Lub-
bock and with others, about these matters
and have not found there was any one
except Mrs. Davis, the single trooper at her
tent, and myself, who saw all that occurred
and heard all that was said at the time.
Any one else who gives an account of it has
had to rely upon hearsay or his Inauguration
for his Story"