Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-09-26
JEFFERSON DAVIS
At Last Breaks the silence of Years and
Refutcs the ISLANDERS that have
Becn Published.

Refutcs the ISLANDERS that have
Been Published.
BEAUvoIR, MISS, September, 0, 1885.
To the Editor of the Herald:
On my return after protracted ab
sence from home / received a sliI
from your journal, which | inclose fol
greater convenience noticing its con
tents:
INDIANAPOLIS, md, August l6, l8S5.--AI
the recent reunion of the veterans of the
Fourth Indiana Cavalry, in this city, Lieut.
Isgrigg OF the command, who was provos
marshal at Macon, Ca, 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
"I went out to the line of my Jurisdiction to
receive Davis. Two miles and half from
brought him to the city in an old farm
wagon. 1t was vehicle with great deal
to condemn 1t in the way of unsightllness.
1t had weaknesses all OVe er 1t, but sufficient
strength to hold jefferson Davis, myself
and his secretary. The rebel chief sat be-
tween US, and over his head, from pole
fixed to tue seat, hung the hoop skirt, calico
wrapper and an old straw hood which
formed his disguise when captured"
$50 jeff was disguised ?''
"Yes. 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 his 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, Capt Thompson OF the Fourth In-
diana Cavalry drew his revolver to fire at
Davis. saw his movelnent, struck the
weapon with my arm, and the bu. let tore
my coat and shirt. At the moment Davis,
seeing Thompson's purpose cried out, For
Gods sake, Lieutenant, save my life = got
the prisoner out of the wagon and Into the
hotel with good deal OF alscrity."
After that met Davis at the Louisville
Hotel in 1872, when he recognized me, and
approaching said: al must thank you
again, Lieutenant Isgrigg, for saving my
life We had quite chat about the war
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 a prisoner,
but we could see that the breaking OF the
Confederacy bore previously on his
thoughts"
Though accustomed to see SANDER
GUS publications in regard 10 myself |
have read this with no little surprise,
because OF the total absence of any
foundation or pretcxt on which to
build the fiction. | avail myself OF
your usual courtesy in asking you TO
publish this seriatim refutation of the
several statements OF the story.
1t ls not true, as stated, that / was
turned over to the custody of one Lieu
tenant Isgrigg two and half miles (or
any other distance) from Macon. The
troops by whom / was captured re-
manned my guard to Macon and de-
tachment Of them accompanied me to
Fortress Monroe in charge of their
own officers.
Equally untrue is it that rode with
the said Isgregg and my secretary Tor
with any one else) in "an old farm
wagon My private secretary, Bur
ton N. Harrison, Esq, now member
of the bar of New York, was captured
with me and rode on horseback to
Macon. | had for several days occu-
pied an ambulance, with my wife and
rode into Macon in it.
There was no such cowardly attempt
10 offer insult to me ,,s would have
been shown by hanging over my head
the articles of clothing which Isgrigg
falsely AYERS | had worn at the time OF
nav capture. Nor did my captors oh
tain at the time of my capture the
ETC., which lsgrIgg describes
unless they were found among the ap-
pIrel taken when the trunks of my
wife and her female servants were pill
laged.
On our arrival ut the hotel in Macon
4 small body Of troops in front OF the
entrance were at open ranks facing in
ward When | got out of the ambu
lance to enter the hotel they presented
rms while passed through, and re-
:eived the salute us an expression of
The feeling brave men show to a fallen
foe.
The story Of Capt Thompson, oi the
Fourth Indiana Cavalry" attempting
20 shoot me us | entered the Macon
Hotel is wholly fictitious, and l leave
t. to that regiment itself to repel the
thatone ofits officers would
nave been guilty of so dastardly an as
;ault on prisoner.
Upon that falsehooL the narrator
hangs another, that met lnm at tlie
Louisville Hotel in 1872. recognized
lim and rewarded thanks to him 'for
javing my life," ana that had pre-
iiously written il letter OF thanks to
linl. | have not been in the Louis
nile Hotel since the war; do not re- !
member ever to have seen or heard OF |
his Lieut.. Isgrigg atany time or place,
md it is not true that, as he alleges, | |
vas eight days in his custody or that |
lave ever written to him n letter OF
hanks. remained in Macon but few |
hours, and was sent forward to For |
ress Monroe the evening of the day |
,f my arrival there.