Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-09-24
CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The Ex-President Of the Southern Con.
federacy Describes II.

Inc LA.ETesiuent OI the southern S0n.
federacy Describes It.
To the Editor Of the New York Herald:
! BEAuvoIR, Miss, Sept 8, 1856
On my return after protracted alb
sence from home / received a slip
from your journal, which enclose
for greater convenience in noticing
its contents:
INDIANAPOLIS, IND, August l6,
1SS5.-At the recent reunion of the
veterans of the 4th Indiana Cavalry
in this city Lieut.. 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 participation in this af-
fair as follows: "I went ont to the
line of my Jurisdiction to receive
Davis. Two miles and q half from
Macon he became my prisoner and 1
brought him to this city in an old
farm wagon. 1t was a vehicle with
q great deal to condemn it il the
way of unsightllness. 1t had weak
nesses all over it, but sufficient
strength to hold jefferson Davis, my
self and his secretary. The rebel
chief sat between us, and over his
head, from pole fixed to the seat,
hung the hoopskirt, calico wrapper
and an old straw hood, which formed
his disguise when captured.
80 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 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 Interna-
tional Hotel and were about to get
out of the wagon, Capt. Thompson,
OF the 4th Indiana Cavalry, drew his
revolver to fire at Davis. l saw his
movement, struck the weapon with
my arm, and the bullet tore my coat
and shirt. At the moment Davis
l seeing Thompson's purpose, cried
out: For Gods sake, Lieutenant
save my life! I got the prisoner ou
of the wagon and into the hotel witt
; a good deal of alacrity.
s'After that l met Davis at tn,
e Louisville Hotel in 1872, when he re
Il cognized me, and, approaching, said
v 4 must thank you again, Lieut. Is
grigg, for saving my life We hat
!. quite a chat about the war then. BE
i, fore this 1 had received a letter 0
thanks from him. He was my prison
: er eight days, together with his wife
+ daughter and the commissary of hi
e guard. These three we took int
II Macon in an old family carriage JET
was not sulky as prisoner, but on
could see that the breaking of tn
u Confederacy bore grievously on hi
1t thoughts.
II Though accustomed to see Sian
n derous publications in regard to my
e self, 1 have read this with no littl
d surprise, because of the total absenc
S of any foundation or pretext on whlc
l. to build the fiction. avail mysel
o of your usual courtesy in asking yo
r to publish this seriatim refutatioL G
the several statements of the story
it 1t is not true, as stated. that l wa
u turned over to the custody of on
le Lieut.. Isgrigg two and half mile
n, Cor any other distancel from Macon
le The troops by whom was captu1
ot ed remained my guard to Macon, an
le a detachment of them accompanie
u me to Fortress Monroe in charge c
IS their own officers.
N Equally untrue is it that l rod
m with the said Isgrigg and my seer
y tary (or with any one else) in san ol
a farm wagon" My Private Secretar,
Burton n. Harrison, Esq, now
G, member of the bar of New Yorl
n. was captured with me, and rode G
~ horseback to Macon / had Il
lie several days occupied an amhulanC
s. with my wife and children, and roo
ye into Macon in it.
d. There was no such cowardly n
ly tempt to offer insult to me as wouI
w have been shown i,y hanging ov'
rs my head the articles of clothii
en- which Isgrigg falsely AYERS hs
ed worn at the time of my capture n
RS did my captors obtain at the time
my capture the hoop skirt, etc, whio
Isgrigg describes, unless they we
found among the apparel taken wh'
ol the trunks of my wife and her fema
'e' " servant were pillaged.
ID On our arrival at the hotel
Is. Macon a small body of troops
in front of the entrance were ut op,
ID ranks, facing inward. When &
y out of the ambulance to enter Il
ed hotel they presented arms while
passed through, and l received t
salute as an expression Of the feclil
ct' brave men show to fallen foe.
The story Of Capt. Thompson,
the 4th Indiana Cavalry" attempti
to shoot me as | entered the Mac,
m. hotel is wholly fictitious. and / lea
it 10 that regiment itself to repel {
imputation that one Of its Office
F.. would have been guilty of SO dastar
ly all assault on a prisoner.
Upon that faIsehood the narral
I Al.