Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-19
CAPTURE OF MIR. DAVIS.

The Macon Telegraph and Messenger re-
..iats the account of the fight and cap
ir,, ,f ex.President Davis as published in
,gs Macon. Daily Telegraph Of May IA
,~s. Itisas follows:
trban the armistlce agreed upon by
c., Johnston, OF the Confederate army,
15 Mai. Gen. sherman, commanding the
,..l.rai army, was communicated 10 Mr..
D1yisy and all hope Of further resistance
rtfis side Of the Mississippi thus van
lsI he determined to escape to Texas.
Mat we're his intentions after arriving
~. ~, are not known TO any one save his
s.r.aeltial advisers.
strong cavalry escort, consisting Of
r.ropsen's S, Yaughu's, Dukes, and Brock
irFftt's brig9des, were selected to &c
rann3ny and protect Mr. Davis and his
e,mlr and Immediate personal friends in
I.irfieht The men and officers of all
40 brigades were considered Of the
LET southern chivalry, and it was
LAWN mat they had faced death thou
End times during the sanguiuary conflict
%liSf had iust terminated.
Tbe whole party, consisting of Mr..
r,yis John X. Reagan, ex-Gov. Lubbock,
l,Tavas. A. D. c., Burton N. Harrison,
,riy,te secretary to Mr.. Davis, Col. Win
I'm Preston Johnston and the brigades
hove mentioned, arrived at Abbeville, S,
~ nm April p, without any particular
,,o4ont having occurred along the route.
when Mr.. Davis arrived at Abbevlle,
which was on April -, he discovered that
,5a-p was universal dIsRfect!on among
bj5 escort, and that they were determined
fol0a6e no resistance III the event they
more atacked-no matter how small or
,reat the attacking force might be.
Rut little or no effort was made to in
drcs them 10 follow the fortunes Of their
CHOSEN and once revered leader further.
Vspv all chose TO remain behind eXcept
. .y noble hentuckians of Dukes brigade,
who maufully remained by him.
The following are the names Of the sol-
d.ars who refused to leave Mr.. Davis.
Tbev all belonged TO the Second Kentucky
cavalry: Lieut.. Baker. Privates Sanders.
4 Smith. Heath, Walbert, and Hardness.
Mr.. Davis had, several days before leav-
ing CharlOttee, sent of his family, con-
ssting of his amiable lady and four sweet
iitre children. They were accompanied
bg his wIfa's sister, Miss Howell of New
4 Orleans. and her brother, Midshipman
howell. c. 5. A, Lieut.. Hathaway, e. S.
A. and perhaps one or two other indi-
uduas.
n Mr.. Davis arrived at Washington, Ca,
Il IN May 4. and much to his chagrin
E found that only eight men of his escort
came up with him, and to still further
a 3gcravate the case, unpleasant rumOrs
Il reached him Of the probabilities of an at
& tack. upon his family, who were one day
. ye5 in advance, by guerillas. Passing
81 through washington, he took the Sanders
q vile road, almost due south, but for GER
q lain reasons left that village to the right.
AT Twins cross roads, IN Washington
Fl county, a band of desperadoes made a
demonstration upon the carriages and am
q balances containing Mr.. Davis family,
and again at Dublin, but after hearing
who the distinguished occupants were.
and being assured they could not rob the
81 party without first shedding blood, they
dessied and drew off. At Dublin they
amounted to at least thirty men. and CON
sisted of deserters from both the Federal
and Confederate armies, banded together
f0rthe purpose Of highway robbery.
Mr. Davis had at midnight on the 9th
Oysrtaken and rejOined his wife six miles
north Of Dublin, and just before the des-
persd0es organized and intended to make
q the attack. In justice to them, however,
it may be said that they, villainous
though they were, upon learning who the
& party was, divided in opinion and finally
81 determined to respect the distinguished
statesman the South had hOnOred as it's
chosen leader during the war. He passed
. them unmOlested.
Leaving Dublin, or the camp in the
woods near that miserable little village,
on the morning Of the It'll the whole party
Travelled leisurely along until they reached
s. the Ocmulgee river at Abbevllle, Wilcox
county, on the 9th. But before reaching
there Mr.. Davis had again separated
nom bis family, retaining only few per-
sons with him. His lady crossed before
Nm, bat, coming up on the same night,
n he was recognized by the ferryman, who
made haste TO tell her pursuers q few
hours afterwards, whom he sent across
the stream
At Abbevllle the party learned from
eilzens that the Federal cavalry were at
Hawkinsyille, and at midnight left their
encampment and took the IrwintOn road.
Arriving within one mile of that place at
late hour in the afternoon, they went
ITO camp, from which they were des-
tined to leave as prisoners.
When Gen. Wilson received orders
II nom Washington to take measures to ar
Ret Il possible, Mr.. Davis, Col. Pritch-
a.u. OF the Fourth Michigan, in command
VI lOO men OF his own regiment, aud per-
nsp- 81 OF the Second Wisconsin, were
h glfpaiched down the Ocmulgee to watch
Iaa crossings.
Going directly TO Hawkinsville, in
+. ~mauon was there received through I'M
Fl "0"H ehehtles JudJ Mr.. Davis would
,.oss or had crossed at AbbeVille. Going
70 mat ferry, the ferryman at once offered
" PEG 100000 that he had set Jeff Davis
sua ms family over the river! such was
"leed The fact, aud from thence to their
road.
A.' Davis had posted two yidettes re-
p7euNely on the HaWkinsVille and
A'osyllle road, but from utter exhaus-
a'n 'ney slept instead Of watching, aud
le eiher captured or passed by before
D,i were aroused.
AS consequence, Col. Pritchard's adj
'ule came up TO the very camp
Wt'u0ut beng observed. The Second
'sgonsin made a detOur and gained the
'l M advance, whilst the Fourth Mich
~. came directly up to the camp, whose
sr,..ls were all sleeping, and perhaps
ro.,n ..nk! underneath green oaks and be-
s 1' tlrir own Southern sky.
t,I,'.Lgh Flichard's gallantry, be II said,
'. lAem slumDer until
wi... "Grey-eyed morn,
efe bright star on her forehead hung.
W dzine m the Orient:
, a. 1..,. .t.tilg pirds came forth
~ Gus the dayg'
gtll.H giving the. signal, the Fourth
rs1siu charged into the camp and
f'0ied at les inmates. Col. Johnston
eo. 'le gr two servants were alone
al the time. They at first thought
s1I nad been attacked by the hated
AN. '"ttHied Ruerrillas, but the truth
frt. aIue Known that they had falleu