Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-20
CAPTURE OF MIR. DAVIS.
Capt. John Fl. Thompson Calls Lieut..
Isgrigg a Liar and Coward.

ANAAAmk a Aabai hhN ~ OOMdEAs
Editor Cincinnati Commercial Gazette:
Unavoidable circumstances have pre-
vented me from contradicting, at al
earlier date, the statements credited &c
Lieut.. Harry Isgrigg, formerly Of the
Fourth Indiana Cavalry, which appeared
in the Commercial Gazette in September
last, concerning the capture Of Jefferson
Davis, and | respectfully request thatyou
will allow me space 10 correct some OF
those statements, rs they should not be
permitted to 20 uncOntradicted.
In the first place, Isgrigg was not FRO
vOst Marshal at Macon at the time Davis
was captured, nor Mt any other time or
place during the war. No superior olucer,
who knew lsgrigg, would have placed
him in any such position ofresponsibllity,
as be was not only unreliable and un-
trustworthy, but on one occasion was re-
duced to the ranks and disgraced before
his regiment for gross cOWardice.
The statement that Davis was brought
into Macon by lsgrigg in a farm wagon is
a faIsehOOd made out of whole cloth,
purely and simply. / have never seen 1t
equaled for unblushing falsity. As is
well known 10 the country, Jefferson
Davis was captured by the Fourth Michi-
gan Cavalry-Or rather a detachment of
that regiment-under the command OF
Lieut.. Pritchard, and lsgrigg had no more
TO do with this capture than 1.-THE man in
the mOOn," and lsgrigg knows 1t. My
recollection is that when Davis was
brought into Macon, and was taken TO
headquarters at the International Hotel.
lsgrigg was not even present, but was in
camp outside the city limits.
The most unblushing falsehO0d Of all
is the statement that "when we stopped
af fhe Int al loraf
to get out of the wagon, Capt. Thompson
(meaning the writer of this article), of
the Fourth Indiana cavalry, drew his re-
vOlver to fire at Davis" A more unjus-
titable falsehOOd was never uttered in the
same number OF words. II is true ! was
present as Mr.. Davis ascended the steps,
standing perhaps within five or six feet OF
him, but the idea Of trying or attempting
TO shoot MN never entered my head, nor
do | believe it was thought of by any sol
der present. AS Davis, his wife and
private secretary ascended the steps
through the open ranks Of the soldiers
present, the soldiers faced inward and
presented arms, to which Mr.. Davis lifted
MS hat in recognition Of the compliment.
AS he entered the hotel he turned par
tally around and again elevated his hat,
and then passed out Of sight, and / saw
him no more.
ms is quite enough TO refute the willful
falsehO0d that "Davis, seeing Thompson's
purpose, cried out: For Gods sake, Lieu
tenant, save my life.'v Not q word was
uttered to, nor by, Mr.. Davis as he entered
the hotel, nor was there was any mark of
disrespect exhibited by anyone toward
him, but the demeauor Of the soldiers
present was that of men who felt they
were conquer0rs and Mr.. Davis con-
quered adversary. | repel with indlgna-
ton the imputatIon that any soldier Of the
Fourth Indiana cavalry excepting, pos
sibly, Lieut.. Isgrigg) would have been
guilty of such base cOwardice as that
sought to be fastened on me by the false
utterances OF Harry Isgrigg.
Publish this, and much obllge,
JOHN II. THOMPSON,
Late Captain Company B, Fourth Indiana
Cavalry.
Aar0r0, Ind, Oct. IL.