The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-09-18
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Interesting Letter From the Elk.
President of the COnfederacy.
Denying Certain Statements in Re-
gard to His Capture.

The following letter from jefferson Davis
to the New York Herald has been written by
the ex-president of the confederacy in denial
of certain recent statements regarding his
capture at the close of the war:
BEAUvom, Miss, Sept g. 1885
To THE EDITOR OF THE Herdld:-On my
return after protracted absence from home
/ received a slip from your journal, which
enclose for greater convenience in noticing
its contents:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. August 16, 1SS5--At
the recent reunion of the veterans of the
Fourth Indiana cavalry, in this city, Lieuten-
ant 1sgrigg, of the command, who was
provost marshal at Macon, Ga, at
the time of the capture of Jefferson
Davis, related the circumstances of
the capture He described his par
ticipation in this affair as follows: Il went
out to the line of my jurisdiction to receive
Davis. Two miles and half from Macon
he became my prisoner and brought him to
the city in an old farm wagon. 1t was ve-
hcle with a great deal to condemn it in the
way of unsightliness. 1t had weakness all
over it, but sufficient strength to hold Jeffer-
son Davis, myself and secretary. The rebel
chief sat between us, and over his head,
from pole fixed to the seat hung the hoop
skirt, calico wrapper ana 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 courteous
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
hotel, 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 lifen got the prisoner
out of the wagon and into the hotel with a
good deal of alacritv
"After that met Davis at the Louisville
hotel in 1872, when he recognized me, and app
preaching, said: Il must thank YOU again,
Lieutenant lsgrigg, for saving my life We
had quite chat about the war then Before
this had received letter of thanks from
him. He was my prisoner eight days, to-
gether with his wife, daughter and the COM
missary of his guard These three we took
into Macon in an old family carriage. jeff
was not sulky as prisoner, but one could
see that the breaking of the Confederacy
bore grievously on his thoughts"
Though accustomed to See slanderous
publications in regard to myself l 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 courtesy in asking you to publish thi.
seriatim refutation of the several statement.
of the story
1t is not true, as stated, that l was turned
over to the custody of one Lieutenant Isgrigl
two and a half miles Tor any other distance
from Macon. The troops by whom l wa.
captured remained my guard to Macon ant
a detachment of them accompanied me t.
Fortress Monroe in charge of their own officers
Equally untrue is it that l rode with the
said Isgrigg and my secretary Tor with any
one else in can old farm wagon My pri
vate secretary Burton n. Harrison, Esq.
now a member of the bar of New York, wa.
captured with me, and rode on horseback K
Macon | had for several days occupied al
ambulance with my wife and children an(
rode into Macon in if.
There was no such cowardly attempt t
offer insult to me as would have been shown
by hanging over my lad the articles of cloth
ing which lsgrigg falsely AYERS | had worn a
the time of my capture. Nor did my captor
obtain at the time of my capture the hoop
skirt ETC., which lsgrigg describes, unles
they were found among the apparel take
when the trunks of my wife and her femal
servant were pillaged
On our arrival at the hotel in Macon
small body of troops in front of the en,rauc
We're at open ranks, facing inward. When
got out of the ambulance to enter the hotc
they presented arms while passed through
and received the salute as an expression 0
the feeling brave men show to fallen foe.
The story of 4" Captain Thompson, of til
Fourth Indiana cavalry" attempting to shoc
me as l entered the Macon hotel i, wholly fC
titous, and leave it to that regiment itsel
to repel the imputation that one of its ofic 4
would have been guilty of so dastardly an Il.
sault on q prisoner
Upon that falsehood the narrator hans
another, that | met him at the Lousvil
hotel, in 1872, recognized him and renewe
thanks to him "for saving my life, and that
had previously written a letter
thanks to him. | have not bee
in the Louisville hotel since Il
war; do not remember ever to have seen
heard of this Lieutenant lsgrigg at any tim
or place, and it is not true that as he allege
l was eight days in his custody, or that
have ever written to him letter of thanks
/ remained in Macon but a few hours, an
was sent forward to Fortress Monroe IL
evening of the day of my arrival there!
Yours respectfully, JEFFERSON DAVIS.