Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-11-15
JEFF DAVIS.
The Capture Ofthe Fugitive Confeder-
ate Chieftan Described by an Eye
witness.

Burton n. Harrison, jefferson Da.
Wis private secretary, who was an eye
witness of the confederate president s
capture, describes it in the November
Century as follows: ave we're taken
by surprise, and not one of us ex
changed shot with the enemy. COL
onel johnson tells me he was the first
prisoner taken. In a moment Col.
Prlchard 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: OF
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 in his COM
mand following. Our camp was thus
lett deserted for few minutes, ex.
cept by one mounted soldier near Mrs.
Davis tent (who was afterward said to
have been stationed there by Col.
Pritchard in passing), and py the few
troopers who stopped to plumber our
wagons | had been sleeping upon
the same side of the road with the
ten. occupied by Mrs DAVIS, and was
then standing very near it. Looking
there, | saw her come out and heard
her say something co the soldier men
toned: percelving she wanted him to
move off, [ approached and actually
persuaded 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
observing somebody had come out of
the tent, the soldier turned his horses
head, and, reaching the spot he had
hrst occupied, was again approached
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 com
ing up the road, or at that moment
crossed over from the other (the west)
side, where few of them had fallen
to plundering, as | have stated instead
of charging over the creek. They re-
NAMED on horseback, and soon be-
came violent in their language with
Mrs. Davis. The order to halt was
called out by one of them 10 the presi-
dent. 1t was not obeyed, and was
quickly repeated in loud voice sew.
eral times. At lesst one of the men
then threatened to fire, and pointed a
carbine 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, see
ing the face of the president as he
stood near and was talking, said: 'Mr.
Davis surrender. recognize you sir.
Pictures of the president were so COM
mon that nearly every man in both
armies knew his face.
'"lt was as yet scarcely daylight
The president had on a water proof
cloak. He had used it when riding
as 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 hap
pening Miss Howell and the children
remained within the other tent. The
gentlemen of our party had with the
single exception of Capt. 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. l
have since talked with Johnston, Wood,
and Lubbock, and with others about
these matters, and I have not found
there was any one, except Mrs.
Davis, the single trooper Mt 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
Imagination for his story"