Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-11-16
The Capture Of y eHers,n Davis.

:
Burton n. Harrison, Jefferson Dayis's
private secretary, who was Hi eyss- wit
ness Of the confederate president S caps
ture, describes it in the November Gem
tury as follows: we were taken by
surprise, and not one Of US exchanged q
shot vita the enemy. Coz, Johnson tells
ne he was the first prisoner taken. In
u moment Col. Pritchard rode directly
% me, and pointing across the creek,
said, 'Wtlat does that mean? Have you
my men wills your Supposing the firing
vas done by orr teamsters, / replied,
OF course we have--tlon't you hear the
;irng?' He seemed to be nt,tt!ed at the
reply, gave the order 'Charge, and
oddly led the way himself across the
creek, nearly every MAI, IN his com uand
Glowing. Our camp WAS thus lett de-
erted fora few minutes, except by one
nounted soldier near Mrs. Davss's tent
.whowas afterwards said to have been sta
snd by the few troopers who stopped
70 plumber our wagons. I had been
<leeping upon the same side of the road
With the tent occupied by Mrs. Davis
and was then standing very near
1T. Looking there, | saw her come
out and heard her say some
thing to the soldier mentioned; perceiv-
ing she wanted him to move of, | ap-
',roached, and actually persuaded the
fellow to ride away. AS tie soldier
moved into the road, and / walked be-
side his horse, the president tor tae first
lime emerged from tbs tent. at the side
farther from us, and walked away into
the woods to eastward, and right angles
to the road.
"Present'y, looking around and OBJ
serving somebody had come out Of the
tent, the soldier turned his horses head
and, reaching the spot he had first occu.
lied, was again approached by Mrs.
Davis, who engaged him II conversation.
Ia a minute this trooper was joined by
one, or perhaps two, of his comrades,
who either i1Ad Jagged behind the col
uu,n and we're just coming I'D the road,
or had at that moment c!os> ed over from
the other (the west) side, whese few Of
them had fallen to piunderlng, as nav
stated. instead Of charging over the cret
They remained ON horse back, and sooL
Mrs! DAvis. The or1er,o halt was called
,uJ by one Of them 10 the president. 1t
Was not obpyed, ana was quickly repent
ed in loud voice seve al times. At last
one OF the men then threatened to fire,
and pointed a carDine at he president.
fhereup"n, Mrs. Davis, overcome With
terror, cried OUT in apprehension, and
the president, (Who had walked sixty or
eighty PAGES away into the unrestricted
wOOds) turned around and came rapidly
back to his wife NEAR the tent. At least
one of the soldiers continued his violent
language to Nj rs. Davis, and the presi-
dent reproached hin Tor such conduct
to her, when one of them. seeing the
face Of the presi lent as he stood near
and was talking, sad, Mr.. Davis, sur
render! recognize you, sir Pictures
Of the president were 80 comnlon that
nearly or quite every man in both
armies knew his face.
1t was, as yet, scarcely daylight.
The president had on waterproof
cloak. He had used it, when riding, as
a protection against the rain during the
night and morning. proceeding the last
halt, and he ha.i probably been sleep
ing in that cloak at the moment when
the camp was attacked.
While all these things were happen
ing, Miss Howell and the children re-
manned within the other tent. The
gentlemen Of our party had, With the
slept on the west side OF the road. and
III or near the W .gons. They we're, so
F:.r as | know, paving no attenti III to
what was going on in the tents have
s.nce talked with Johnston. Wood and
Lubbock, and with others, about these
matters; and have not found there
was any one except Mrs. Davis, the sim
gle trooper at her tent. and myself that
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 up-
On hearsay Or his magma ion for his
story"