Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-12
From Toledo Commercial.
HOW JEFF DAVIS WAS CAP
TCRED.
ATrue Verson ofthe AFFAIR.
tbs an interesting story.

the traitor who has recently gone TO meet
the Judgment of the court on high.
The Commercial this morning presents its
readers with perhaps the only true version of
the capture ever given. That it is true ac-
count cannot be doubted, for it comes from
a well known and respected citizen of Toledo
who took part in the pursuit and capture,
and who did not leave the side of the prison.
ers until they had been landed safely at Fort
ress Monroe.
That citizen is Detective John Cavanagh,
who has been in the employ of the Lake Shore
Road since the war.
At the time of the capture Mr.. Cavanagh
was Sergeant of Company G. of the 4th Mich
igan Cavalry, and was attached to the detail
that gobbled up the ex-President with his
waterproof ladies' cloak and evening shawl.
NJ. Cavanagh was seen at his hotel last
evening and told his story as follows;
"The capture of jeff Davis and his party
was effected on the 10th day of May, be-
tween the hours of and in the gray light
of the morning.
"In accordance with orders from Gen.
Wilson, we left Macon on the 7th day of May
at o'clock p. m. with 420 men and 20 COM
missioned officers. We moved down on the
southwest side of the Ocmulgee. river to
Hawkinsville. We picketed the river at
several different places for the purpose of
capturing JEFF Davis and party, who were re-
ported to have left Washington, Ga, on the
morning of the 4th of May, and who were
supposed to have crossed the Ocmulgee river
at Hawkinsville. We met Col. Hardin of the
First Wisconsin, on of the best regiments in
the service, who had the direct road in ad-
vance of US to Hawkinsville.
''Col. Pritchard and Col. Hardin had con-
versation, but what passed between them
do not know. However, we went into camp
and fed our horses. A detail was sent to
each company instr1cting each to send their
best mounted men to report to Col. Pitchard.
| There was 12S or l30 of the regiment, with
Lieut.. Col. Pritchard in command, and we
proceeded to Irwinsville on a blind road
along the southwest shore of the Ocmulgse
river distance of 30 or 35 miles. Arriving
| in Irwinsville between ~ and l o'clock at
night Captain Hudson in command of the
advance guard saw light in a house that
stood some distance back from the road. He
went to the house, accompanied by guard,
and inquired where the President and party
was camped. The house proved to be that of
| a doctor, as near as | can recollect, who had
been out towards Florida visiting some of his
| patients, and had just returned home. He
said that he had just learned from his family
that the President and party we're camped on
/ the banks of a small stream in the swamp, Just
mile and half northeast of there, the name
of which stream | do not recollect. The
captain told the doctor that his command
was rear guard left by Davis party to
protect them from any pursuing Yankees.
"The Captain asked the doctor if he would
furnish a guide, and he promptly gave COL
ored guide, saying he would be out in the
morning to see us. We then proceeded north
east for about mile. when the officers of
our command had Il consultation, and twenty
five enlisted men we're dismounted and Or
| dered to report to Lieut.. Purinton for the
purpose of wading the stream in the south
west of the camp in order to get in the real
of Davis camp.
II was one of the twenty five.
"We waded the stream. Our coIored guide
became somewhat confused, whether it was
alligators or not | don't know. Then the
Lieutenant took the colored man in charge
and sent me with three others in advance
and we soon struck the road in the rear OF
Davis camp, about sixty rods away, meeting
with no opposition at all. We had made ur
our minds and had started to move close to
the camp, SO as to move on it when daylight
appeared. We had not moved but short
distance when we heard a jingling of sabres
in our rear. Lieut.. Purinton halted US and
we took position on both sides of the road
behind trees and every other available places
of concealment, thinking we had got between
JEFF Davis and part of his hody-guard
Tney advanced to within about eight rods Of
us, with sergeant in command. Lieut.
Purinton halted them.
"Who comes there" he called.
"a friend, was the reply.
"He gave the command:
'Fours right about, dismount and advance
one.'
"The command was promptly obeyed, un
til the Sergeant in command of the detail
said:
"'D-n you, you are the parties we'er af
ter ard giving spurs to their horses the.
retreated to the rear. Again the Lieutenant
sharply commanded them to halt. They
paid no attention to the command and were
fired upon by our party. We heard then the
command left front into lipe,' Knowing BY
the noise they made they outnumbered us
four to one, we were about to beat hasty
retreat, when they again advadced on US and
we fired again, they returning the fire. Col
Pritchard in the meantime with all available
men had advanced to our assistance. In the
engagement we lost two men killed whose
names I do not recollect, and Lieut.. Boutelle
was shot through the arm. Then Col. Pritch
ard rode over to the party and discovered
the regiment to be our own friends, the First
Wisconsin, under Col. Hardy. This was the
only painful accident to mar the true success
of our expedition, and it was greatly deplored
by all. We then marched into Davis camp.
Our detail of twenty-five, all of whom we're
wet to the skin, marched in on foot. On ar
irving in the camp we found that the guards
which the Colonel had left behind had in
charge Jefferson Davis and party, which con.
sisted of the following:
Mrs Davis and three small children, two
girls and boy. 1t is mistake that has Of
ten been made to say that there we're -four
children, for the other young Davis had pre-.
viously fallen out of the capitol at Richmond
and was killed. 1t has been said many times
that Davis wore hoops and bonnet.
"He did not wear either.
"The disguise he did wear was long gray
morning gown which reached clear to his
heels, and atsmall breakfast shawl with red
and white tassels pinned around his head
The clothes underneath consisted of grey,
fine cloth Prince Albert coat and trowsers Of
the same material; also soft grey slouci
hat. The others in the party were as fol-
lows:
"Mrs. Margaret Howe, sister to Mrs. Da
Wis.
Hon. H. Reagan, Postmaster-general.
"Col. Johnston, aide.
| Lubbock, aide de-camp.
Burton N. Harrison. Davis private sec
retary.
"Mai. Maurant and Capt, Moody of hi
staff.
4 Lieut.. Hathaway, in command of tho do
tatchment from the 1st Kentucky Cavalry.
"Jeff E. Howe, midshipman in the nav!
and JET Davis brother-in-law, and IS pri
vate soldiers.
1.-TWO waiting maids, one a white CIR
named Ellen MeCabe, the other q coloret
girl. and several other colored servants.
"The property consisted of five waRon
Il which containad atores and the Drivata hso