The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-09-30
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
DENYING Certain Statements In re.
gard 10 EgiS Capture.

Denying Certain Statements In Nes
gard 10 EgiS Capture.
The following letter from Jefferson Davis
to the New York Hr,nld has been written by
the cx-,rc;i!cat of III, c'n!c !cracy in denial
of certain recent statements regarding his
capture at tho close Of the war:
BEAuvoln, Miss, Sept. 0, 1885.
To THE EDITOR OF THE Heraid:-On my
return after a protracteG absence from home
I received slip from your journal, which
enclose for greater convenience in noticing
its contents:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, August Is, 1SS5.--At
the recent reunion of the veterans or the
Fourth Indiana cavalry, in this city, Lieuten-
ant Isgrigg, 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 rs follows: Il went
out to the limo Of my jurisdiction to receive
Davis Two miles AMI a nalf from Macon
lie became my prisoner and brought him ID
the " in an old farm wagon. 1t was a ve-
hicle with great deal to condemn it in the
way of unsightliness 1t had weakness all
over it, but sufficient strength to hold Jeiter.
SON Davis myself and secretary. The rebel
chief sat between us, and over his head,
from pole fixed to tho seat hung the hoop
skirt. calico wrapper and an old straw hood,
which formed his disguise when captured"
$50 jeff was disguiSed:"
''NcS. 1t is no uSc to question tha tact.
The articles of his costume hung from that
pole Davis bo:o himself with the iortltllle
Of a brave man in trouble. He was courteous
to me and to the guard; talkel freely ON
every question but that relating to the result
Of the war.
"When we stopped at the international
hotcl, land were about to get ont OF the wagon,
Captan Thompson, of the Fourth Indiana
cavalry. drew his revolver to fire at DAVIS.
saw his movement, struck tho weapon with
my arm, aud the bullet tore my coat and
shirt. At the moment Davis, seeing Thomp-
sons purpose, cried out 'For GOds sake,
Lieutenant, save my lire!' got the prisoner
out Of the wagon and into tie hotel with
good deal of alacrity.
after that met Davis at the Louisville
hotel in 1872, when he recognized me, and ap-
proarhing, said: 1 must thank you. again,
Lieutenant Isgrigg, for saving ny life we
had quito Chat about the war thea. Before
this had received letter of thanks from
him. He was my prisoner eight days. to-
gether with his wife, daughter and tho COM
missary OF his guard. These three we took
into Macon i'll au old family carriage. Jcf
was not suky as prisoner, but one could
see CIlaU Ul6 DTedklnS VI gno COllsOAeiu@J
bore grievousy on his thoughts
Though accustomed to SEE slanderous
publications in regard to nysel have read
this with no little surprise, because of the
total absence of any foundation or pretext on
which to build the fiction. l avail myself of
your courtesy in asking you to publish this
seratim refutation Of the several statements
Of the story.
It is not true, as stated, that l was turned
over to the custody of one Lieutenant lSSrlgg
two and half miles Tor any other distanccl
from Macon. The troops by whom was
captured remained my guard to Macon and
detachment of them accompanied me to
Fortress Monroe in charge OF their own officers.
Equally untrueis it that rode with the
said Isgrigg and my secretary Tor with any
| one ese) in "an old farm wagon" My pri-
vate secretary, Burton N. Harrison. Esq,
now q member OF the bar of New York, was
captured with me, and rode on horseback to
Macon had for several days occupied an
| ambulance with my vile and children, anu
rode into Macon in it.
There was no such cowardly attempt to
| offer insult to me Us would have been shown
by hanging over my !. md the articles of cloth
| ing which Isgrigg falsely AYERS had worn at
| the time of my capture. Nor did my captors
obtain at the time Of my capture the hoop
skirt, etc., which 1sgrigg describes, unless
Gney were lOulnl dIllOIS VIC apIaiSt 'oAStA
when the trunks of my wife and her female
servant were pillaged.
On our arrival at tine hotel i'll Macon a
small body of troops in front Of the entrance
were at open ranks, facing inward. When
got out of the ambulance to enter the hotel
they presented arms while Ipassed through.
aud received the salute as an expression OF
the feeling brave men show to fallen foe.
The story Of Captain Thompson, OF tho
! Fourth Indiana cavalry" attempting to shoot
mo rs | entered the Macon hotel i wholly tic.
titous, and leave it to that regiment itself
to repel the imputation that one of its officers
would have been guilty of 50 dastardly an as
sault on prisoner. ,
Upon that falsehood the narrator hangs
another that l met him at the Louisville
hotel, in 1872, recognized him and renewed
thanks to him "for saving my life, and that
had previously written letter, OF
thanks to him have not been
in the Louisville hotel since the
war: donot remember ever to have secn or
| heard of this Lieutenant 1sgrigg at any tlIne
! or place, and it is not true that. as he alleges
l WIS eight days in his custody. on that L
have over written to him letter OF thanks:
/ remained in Macon but few hours, and
was sent forward to Fortress Monroe the
evening of the day Of my arrival there.
Yours respectfully, JEFFERSON DAVIS