Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-09-15
THE CAPTURE OF MIR. DAVIS.
BEAUyoIR, Miss, Sept. 9, 1885.

BEAUvo1R, Miss, Sept. 9, 1885:
To the editor of the NeaO York Herald:
On my return after protracted absence
from home I received slip from your
Journal which enclose for greater conve'
nience in noticing its contents:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, August 16, 1SS5.-At
the recent reunion Of the veterans of the
Fourth Indiana cavalry in this city Lieut.
Isgrigg, of the command, who was Provost
Marshal at Macon, Ga, at the time of the
capture of Jefferson Davis, related the cir
cumstances Of the capture. He described
his participation in this affair as follows
went out to the line of my Jurisdiction
to receive Davis. Two miles and half
from Macon he became my prisoner and l
brought him to the city in an old farm
wagon 1t was vehicle with a great deal
to condemn it in the way of unsightliness.
1t had weaknesses all over it, but sufficient
strength to hold Jefferson Davis, myself
and bis secretary. The rebel chief sat be-
tween US, and over his head, from pole
fixed to the seat, hung the hoopskirt calico
wrapper and an old straw hood, which
formed his disguise when captured"
$50 jeff was disguised?"
eyes. 1t is no use to question the fact.
The articles of his costume hung from that
pole. Davis bore himself with the fortitude
of brave man in trouble. He was courte-
Gus to me and to the guard; talked freely
on every question but that relating to the
result of the war.
"When we stopped at the International Ho.
tel, and were about to get out of the wagon
Captain Thompson, of the Fourth Indiana
cavalry, drew his revolver to fire at Davis.
| saw his movement, struck the weapon with
my arm, and the bullet tore my coat and
shirt At the moment Davis, seeing Thomp-
sons purpose, cried out, For Gods sake,
Lieutenant, save my lifep got the pris-
oner out of the wagon and into the hotel
with q good deal of alacrity.
after that met Davis at the Louisville
Hotel in 1872, when he recognized me, and
approaching said IL must thank you again,
Lieutenant Isgrigg, for saving my life We
had quite chat about the war then. Be.
fore this I had received letter of thanks
from him. He was my prisoner eight days,
together with his wife, daughter and the
commissary of his guard. These three we
took into Macon in an old family carriage.
JEFF was not sulky as q prisoner, but one
could see that the breaking of the conlede-
racy bore greivously on his Thoughts
Though accustomed to see slanderous pub
lications in regard to myself have read this
with no little surprise, because of the total
absence Of any foundation Or pretext on
which to build the fiction. | avail myself
of your usual courtesy in asking you pub
statements of the story.
II is not true, as stated, that was turned
over to the custody of one 1t. Isgrigg two
and half miles Tor any other distance) from
Macon. The troops by whom was cap
tured remained my guard to Macon, and q
detachment of them accompanied me to
Fortress Monroe in charge of their own Off.
GERS
Equally untrue is it that I rode with the
said Isgrigg aud my secretary (or with any
one else in IAN old farm wagon" My pri-
yste secretary, Burton N. Harrison, esq.,,
now o member of the Bar of New York, was
captured with me, and rode on horseback to
Macon. I had for several days occupied an
ambulance with my wife and children and
rode into Macon in it.
There was no such cowardly attempt to
offer insult to me as would have been shown
by hanging over my head the articles OF
clothing which Isgrigg falsely AYERS had
worn at the time of my capture Nor did
my captors obtain at the time of my capture
the hoopskrt, &C., which Isgrgg describes,
unless they were found among the appare!
taken when the trunks Of my wife and her
female servant were piilaged.
On our arrival at the hotel in Macon a
small body of troops in front of the entrance
were at open ranks, facing inward. When
I got out of the mbulance to enter the hotel
they presented arms while passed through
and received the salute as an expression OF
the feeling brave men show to fallen foe
The story of "Captain Thompson, of the
Fourth Indiana cavalry" attempting to
shoot me as ! entered the Macon hotel is
wholly fictitious, and leave it to that regi'
ment itself to repel the imputation that one
of it's officers would have been guilty of &c
dastardly an assault on a prisoner.
Upon that falsehood the narrator, hangs
another, that met him at the Louisville
| Hotel, in 1872, recognized him and renewed
thanks to him "for saving my life" and tha
had previously written letter of thanks
to him. I have not been in the Louisville
Hotel since the war; do not remember evel
to have seen or heard of this Lieutenant Is
grigg at any time or place, and 1t is not true
| that, as he alleges, | was eight days IN hi
/ custody, or that have eyer written to hin
a letter of thanks. remained in Macol
but few hours, and was sent forward tt
Fortress Monroe the evening Of the day 0
nv arrival there. Yours respectfully,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
TlHE ANNUAL MEETING of the stakeholder