Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-10
on SUNDAYS.
CAPTURING JEFF DAVIS.
How the President OF the Cepfederaey
was Taken.

Gar UhlNG JEFf DAVID
How the President OF the Cepfederaey
was Taken.
Detroit Tri5gRs
There are three re- idsnis OF this city who
figured more prominently than sny other
soldiers in the great closing scene Of war,
the capture Of the fugitive ex President Of
the Conrederacy. They are Colonel n. |
Hudson, Lieutenant Henry ) B)utelle aud
A6jutant J. L Dickersoo who were in the
Fourth Michigan. The regiment had gone
through some ninety-siX battles and sklr-
mishes, snd found themselves at the close
Of the war stationed Of Macon, Ga, when
news OF Jefferson Davis flight vas heard
of simultaneously with orders to intercept
and capture him if possible Similar
orders we're issued 10 other commands,
out the Fourth Michigan is the one whose
share in the affair is now being told. The
order was received on the It'll Of May, 1868,
and with l53ipicked men Lieutenant
Colonel Pritcbsrd started in pursuit. The
first night the march was thirty.siX miles
IN twelve hours, and tittyoue miles We! e
covered in twenty-iour hours, including
five hours stop to feed the herses aud men.
On the morning ofthe oh trace Was OBJ
tanned of the fugitiVes, aud detailing Us
men aud seven officers, an effort was deter
mined upou, which, ifsaccsssfal, could not
tail in resulting in the capture OF the flying
party. Here Lieutenant Boutells takes up
the story:
The weather Was warm enough to De
something more than pleasant but the
ride was long one, sud We had only
started with twenty-tour hours rstions, SO
that We were not only tired bat hungry as
well, and the men fell asleep in their sad
dies, despite sll the olicsrs could do to
keep them awake, aud for the matter OF
bat We he'd as much as we could do to
say awake ourselves. i Was on the night
Of the OH, think, when hslt was called,
and as We had nothing to eat some OF the
BOYS vent to a house 10 get something II
possible. The orders sgslnst taking any.
thing from the people was very sific', and
it was not long before
THERE WAS A HOWL FROM 4 WOMAN.
She was standing on one Of the rails OF
the fence and was screaming at the top OF
her voice. ran up 10 her aud tried to
Quiet her-you know We could not have
aoman bowling around like thai, aud |
told Ter hat if she did rot shut up | would
have 20 gag her. She said there were lois
Of Ccnfederaies near b. GGd We would
have 10 look out for ourselves, but uasily
she ouieted down, and learnad from her
where a negro was hiding and had him
dragged ont. He gave some facts as to
the probable location 1.-THE party we were
after, and | had hiG turpe1 over to
Lieutenant Colonel Pri.chBrd. 1t was tee
NIGHT before that we bad biGouacked IN
ore of the hardest thunder storms | ever
Jaw. Lieutenant PuriDgton and lay
down together under the shelter of little
doc tent oar horses fastened right beslde
us when a bolt of lightning struck his
horse dead, stunned mine, and cspA@sd
the tent. 80,
In the morning We came to within q
short distance of the camp. IL was on the
road, two tents on one sids and the rest on
the other. Colonel Hudsoa, thea Captain
Hudaon. was thrown forward with fourteen
men to charge it at the proper moment
and I WAS sent with Lieutenant PGrinston
and twenty FIVE men TO surround 1t on me
other side. We had the place completely
oDsrdeS when Hudson charged, and IN q
moment the camo was ours inthe mean
time the First Wisconsin hsd been t9li0S-
ipg Dams party down the road &c had tTss,
elled We had made q detour and had
cone upon the camp from the direction ne
vas going 90 that there ives no chance 70
sscane II was q little While after thus,
and lust before daylight, that the t!fs'
Wisconsin came upon Us. They mistooS
Us foE the enemy and bred.
We RETURNED IT'S FIRE
7 was wounded in the left forearm, ana
bs5 20 put nv pistol up and SHIFT my relns
- tbs right hand. At the same tune
INLET passed my left side, just cutting the
kin, and my blouse, Which was lying
omen. rot two or three balls'tnrongn III
skirts. By this tiEs, or. IN fact oeiose
discovered this, we knew we were hrins
unon onr friends. Indeed, there. was only
ons valley iuterchanged, but BY this tune
onr msn aai become able to shoot wlthou'
nas,;rg ammunition, saG tie loss was t"C
"sn Killed in our command and eeverS
wsnpdsd in the Wisconsin, Ahthls tooS
Iesstime to happen than IL does me 70 tell
il" ,,.-a,
Ar. Boneelle? .,,. nall
When Colon / Hudson, then captain
cbsrOed into their csup, tnere was no re
s;s,a5ce ana guards were at once p2s,ed
= moment later Davis aud one OF tai
isa;ss stepped out OF their tent de nat
~ bis wifss travelling clock and sna"
ovs- his head. 1t was still IN ihe, dusk 0
norpin1, and his great height "aS no
no,iced as the lady asked i they eou'a &
An TO the creek and get some TsteI
General Munger, who iges out at 6a' q
SOapG now | believe, said Certainly; Ia
Siss 90 ahead. They moved o. Wne
Munger Root
.,n,s;pv the frog. Hello cried be, this.
nof a woman; that's 9 msn. hsitt az
- brought his piece to . ready Law
vent back to his tent l.
was there some money captured IN d
tsntY' 90 oeo IN EnvIs
,ovsrsigns Il wss got BY On Eoglissua