Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1885-10-24
CAPTURE OF Jefferson Davis.

va tpV >ISSS N"It'
John H. Thompson, Of the Fourth /
Indiana Cavalry. !
To the Editor Of the Cinciunaui COMMERCIAL :
Gazette:
Unavoidable circumstances have /,
prevented me from contradicting,
ut an earlier date, the statements
credited to Lieut.. Harry IsgrigS, [,
formerly of the Fourth Indiana Cav |
airy, which appeared III the Gunner
chi Gazette in September last, con
corning the capture of Jefferson
Davis, and l respectfully request
that you will allow me space to cor
rect some Of those statements, as
they should not be permitted to go
uncontradicted.
In the first place, Isgrigg was not
provost marshall at Macon mt the
time Davis WAS captured, nor at any
other time or place during the war
No superior officer, who knew Is
grigg, would have placed him i'll
any such position of responsibility,
rs he was not only unreliable and un-
Trustworthy, but on one occasion
was reduced to the ranks and dis
graced before his regiment for gross
cowardice.
The statement that Davis was
brought into Macon by Isgrigg in a
farm wagon il falsehood made out
OF whole cloth, purely and simply.
l have never seen it equaled for un-
blushing falsity. As is we'll known
to the country, Jefferson Davis was
captured by the Fourth Michigan
Cavalry-Or rather a detachment of
that reGiment-under the command
OF Lieutenant Pritchard, and Isgrigg
had no more to do with his capture
than "the man in the moon," and
Isgrigg knows it. NY recollection
IL, that when Davis was brought into
Macon, and was taken to head
quarters, at the international Hotel,
lsgrlgS was not even present, but
was In camp, outside the city limits
The most unblushing falsehood of
all Is the statement that when we
stopped at the International Hotel
and were about to get out Of the
wagon, Capt. Thompson (meaning
the writer Of this article), of the
Fourth Indiana Cavalry, drew lis re-
volver to fire at Davis A more I'M
]ustifiable falsehood was never ut
tered IN the same number of words.
1t Is true l was present as Mr. Davis
assembled the steps, standing perhaps
within five or six feet of him, but
the idea OF trying or attempting to
shoot him never entered my head
nor do l believe it was thought of by
any soldier present. As Davis, his
wife and private secretary assembled
the steps through the open ranks Of
OF the soldiers present, the soldiers
faced inward and presented arms, te
which MIR. Davis lifted his hat il
recognition of the compliment. A,
he entered the hotel he turned par
italy around and again elevated hi,
hat, and then passed out of sight
and l saw him no more.
This is quite enough to refute th,
willful falsshood that Davis, seeiMs
Thompson's purpose, cried out, 'Fo
Gods sake, Lieutenant, save my life. -
Not word was uttered to, nor by
Mr.. Davis as lie entered the hotel
nor was there any mark of disrespec
exhibited by any one toward him
but the demeanor of the soldier
present was that of men who fel
they were conquer ors and Mr.. Davi
a conquered adversary. l repe
with Indignation the imputation tina
any soldier of the Fourth Indian
Cavalry :(excepting, possibly. Leu,
Isgrigg) would have been guilty {
such base cowardice rs that sougt
to be fastened on me by the false vi
terances of Harry Isgrigg.
Publish this and much oblige
JOHN H. THOMPSON,
,Qfa Nov,fotn n E.,,,-x