Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-10-27
THE CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Burton n. Harrison, Jefferson Davis
private secretary, who was an eyewitness
of the Confederate Presidents capture, de-
scribes it in the November Century as fol-
lows I'VE were taken by surprise, and
not one of US exchanged q shot with the
enemy. Colonel johnson tells me he was
the first prisoner taken. In moment,
Colonel Pritchard rode directly to me and,
pointing across the creek, said, What
does that mean? Have you any men with
you !? Supposing the firing was done by
our teamsters, l replied, 'Ot course we
have-don't you hear the firing? He
seemed to be nettled at the reply, gave the
order Charge, and boldly led the way
himself across the creek, nearly every man
ia his command following, Our camp was
thus left deserted for few minutes. ex.
oept by one mounted soldier near Mrs.
Davis tent (who was afterward said to
have been stationed there by Colonel
Prichard in passing) and by the few troop
ers who stopped to plunder our wagons. I
had been sleeping upon the same side of the
road with the tent occupied by Mrs. Davis,
and was then standing very near it. Look
ing there, saw her come out and heard
her say something to the soldier men,
move off, | approached and actually per-
suaded the fellow to ride away. As the
soldier moved into the road, and | walked
beside his horse, the President emerged
for the first time from the tent, at the
side further from US, and walked away into
the woods to the eastward, and at right
angles to the road.
Presently looking around and observ.
ing somebody had come out of the tent,
the soldier turned his horses head, and,
reaching the spot he had first occupied,
was again approached by Mrs Davis, who
engaged him In conversation. In minute
this trooper was joined by one, or perhaps
two, of mis- 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 (the west) side,
where a few of them had fallen to plunder.
ing, as | have stated, instead of charging
over the creek. They remained on horse
back, and soon became violent in their lam
guage with Mrs. Davis. The order to
halt was called out by one of them to
the President. It was not obeyed, and
was quickly repeated in loud voice sew
eral times. At least one of the men
then threatened to fire, and pointed car
bine at the President. Thereupon Mrs.
Davis, overcome with terror, cried out
in apprehension, and the President (who
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 l recognize
you, SIR Pictures of the President were
30 common that nearly or quite every man
in both armies knew his face.
' It was, as yet, scarcely daylight. The
President had on waterproof cloak. He
used it when riding as protection against
the rain during the night and morning pre-
ceding the 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 partv 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 know, paying no at
tention to what was going on at the tents.
l have since talked with Johnston, Wood
and Lubbock, 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 hear
say or Imagination for his story"