The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-20
THE CAPTURE OF JEFF DAVIS
General Harnden, of the First Wiscon-
sin Cavalry, Tells the Circumstances.
Indignation of the Confederate President
When He Discovered His Uncomfortable
Position-An Unfortunate Collision.
Milwaukee Special.

At the reunion, last night, of the First Wis
consin Cavalry, Gen. Henry Harnden, of Madi-
son, told of the capture Of jeff Davis. 1t is the
first time the story has been told in detail by
General Harnden, who was the first Union sol
der to talk with Davis after his capture. The
story is given below:
May, 1865, found the veteran Union cavalry of
the West in camp around the city of Macon, Ga
Led by that dashing rider the Murat of Ameri-
can cavalry Gen. j. H. Wilson, they had come
down from Nashville, Tenn, in close pursuit Of
the retreating army of the rebel General Hood;
crossed the swollen Tennessee at Eastport, Miss,
and Chckasaw, Ala, they swept through north
ern Alabama; crossing the Black Warrior and
Cahawba rivers, they routed Forrest, they
stormed and captured Selma; then, crossing the
Alabama, they pushed east capturing the city of
Montgomery; then on to Columbus and West
Point, on the Chattahoochee, both of which
were stcrmed and captured the same day.
From this to Macon was au easy march. The
rebel General Cobb, though strongly fortified,
and with an army to back him. concluding
that discretion the better part Of yalor,
laid down his arms and surrendered the city.
There quietly in camp rested the largest and
finest body OF veteran cavaly ever seen on
this continent, and ages will pass before another
such, il ever. vii! be looked upon again.
Toward evening of May g. 1865, an order came
from Colonel La Grange. commanding the Sec
ond Brigade of the First Division. for me to report
Immediately to General Croxton, commanding
the division. reported as ordered, and received
verbal orders from the General to take $50 men
and go at once in search of Jefferson Davis, and
capture him if possible He informed me that
Mr.. Davis, ex- President of the Confederacy, was
understood to be making his way south into
Georgia; that when last heard from he was at a
small place in South Carolina, near the Georgia
line, and that he had with him about seven hum
dred men, but they were fast leaving being de-
moralized The General advised that by going
toward Savannah would stand good chance
OF meeting Mr.. Davis somewhere in the
vicinity of Dublin, on the Oconee
river. And added the General, with
smile. If you do meet him, and they give you
battle, il jeff Davis should get hurt General
Wilson will not feel very bad about it. rode
back to the camp Of the First Wisconsin Cavalry,
and in less than one hour was on the march We
left Macon at o'clock p NJ. on May 6. 1865,
crossing the Ocmulgee river, and going in
southeasterly direction to Jacksonville, Twiggs
county, where was left Lieutenant Hewitt with
thirty With the remainder of the COM
mand / went toward the Ocones river. We
marched all night, and the next day arrived at
Dublin, Laurens county, about o'clock p n.
May Z. The day was intensely hot and the roads
sandy; mon and horses much exhausted. Before
reaching Dublin / sent Lieutenant Clinton,
with twenty men, off on q side road to Lau.
rens Hill He rejoined US that evening at
Dublin We passed during that day scattering
their way home Some of these men were
mounted and armed; others were not. We did
not modest them, nor they us. At place called
Thomas Cross roads we heard of quite large
party of them, who were all mounted. They
had passed about one hour before w reached
there. At Dublin bivouacked on an open
space between the town and the river. We
could get no information from the whites what
ever, but several gentlemen were profuse in
their offers of hospitality to myself; but de-
plt mad oil inut fafyn nd cath fo
bvouac with the command. We soon got an
inkling that large party had passed through
the town during the day, and that some kind of
mystery attended them AS soon as it became
dark went down to the ferry and questioned
the ferryman, but could get nothing from him
except that a party had crossed at his ferry.
about midnight, while lying on my blanket
bordering the events of the day and trying to
plan for the morrow, my colored servant came
aud brought with him another colored man, one
who lived in the place. The man told me that
jeff Davis, with his wife and family, had passed
through the town that day, going south on the
river road. The negro said that they had eight
wagons with them: also, large number of fine
saddle horses being led; that another large party
had gone down on the other side of the river;
that he had heard the lady addressed as Mrs.
David, and one of the gentlemen as President
Davis; that Mr.. Davis had accepted an invita-
ton to dine with Judge Rose, but, while prep
arations were being made, he had suddenly left
and gone on with the rest of the party. He said
further that Mr. Davis did not come over at the
regular ferry, but on q small fatboat lower
down, and that he was riding fine bay horse
Notwithstanding the danger of being misled by
the reliable contraband, l could not help taking
some stock In his story, 30 much so that de-
tailed Lieutenant Lane, with forty-fve men, to
watch the ferry and scout all the crossroads,
and with the others of the command started
in pursuit Of the wagon party May 8. When
we started it was not yet morning, and, being
VI II in mn
trails leading into the pine woods, and so de-
layed that it was broad day before we got away
from the vicinity of the town; but when once
started on the right road pressed on at
rapid rate. Five miles out we came to Turkey
creek, and found the bridge partially torn up.
While the bridge was being made passable, l
went into log cottage near by and interviewed
the inmates as to the party which had passed
the previous evening The woman said that
two gentlemen of the party had called and drunk
But her little girl had observed the callers more
closely. She showed me scrap Of paper that
they had left, and l saw it was part of Rich
mond paper OF quite recent date. She heard
one call the other Colonel Harrison. Both, she
said were handsomely dressed; one had on coat
was nice it was plain. l asked her if the gen
mans coat was like mine, pointing to my
She said: No, not like yours;
the color was not the same, and the gold was
on MS collar anu sleeves, anu NOT on MS sn0ul-
ders'
From all I could learn concluded the visit
ors were jefferson Davis and some confed-
crate officer of high rank. / now started sol
der with dispatch to General Wilson, at Ma
CON- to the effect that had struck the trail of
Mr.. Davis, and that he had gone south, and evi-
IDENTIFY was making for the gulf. This carrier
was captured on his way by some confederates
taken into the woods, his dispatch taken from
him, robbed of his arms and horse, and was then
left to find his way to Macon on feet From
Turkey creek on the country was pine forest
poor, sandy and almost uninhabited think we
saw only two men during the day. The morning
had been dark and lowerv, and now 1t began to
rain in torrents. Soon the tracks of the wagon
wheels in the sand were washed out and could
no longer be followed. While we were
searching for the trail citizen on horse
back came in sight At first he denied all
knowledge of any party, but upon my threaten
ing to impress his horse, he said that he had
heard of party with wagons camping over night
about eleven miles away. bargain was struck
and IA fOok x1s in wosfarlv ,};ror<inr <o he