The National tribune., 1890-02-27
CAPTURING OLD JEFF.
The Fight Between The Wisconsin and Michigan
Troops.

troops.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / notice in
several different papers, The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE included, that the 4th Mich. Cav.
boys, as we'll as COL Pritchard, still keep
writing about the pursuit and capture of
jeff Davis. / also noticed in The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE that one of the 18th Pa. Cav.
claims to have been there but none of the
real captors believe word of that. The
Michigan boys only tell one. half of the story,
and that half the most to their credit With
your permission | will give the boys and his
tory the other side as seen and remembered by
member of tho LIST Wis. Cav Lieut. Col
Herndon, in command of detail of about 100
of the regiment, started from Macon Ga, late
in the afternoon the 9th day of May 1865, to
take part in the general hunt for Davis, the
men not knowing anything about the object of
the expedition. We moved in II southeast
course. travelled all night, leaving details at
severas points along the route and stopped in
tho morning to feed There the Colonel told
us the object Of our trip.
At Dublin we struck tho trail of the fleeing
Confederacy, followed it through pine barrens
cypress swamps rain and shine daylight and
darkness until about noon of the third day
out in a westerly course from Dublin, when
we thought we had the game Cornered in the
swamps on the OcmulEce River, but were mis-
taken, as they had crossed the river on an old
tlatboat or ropo ferry. We finally succeeded in
crossing IN the same way, aud moved on TO the
top of the bluff, where We found u campfire
burning, and apparently where Davis and his
party had taken dinner. Here we fed our horses
and made coffee, rested perhaps half an hour
then frightened our saddlc-girths and moved
out on the trail. We had Just got fairly started
when VIC noticed some cavalry in our rear
coming from the north directly from Macon
Col. Hcrndon turned tho command over to
Lieut.. o. i. Clinton, aud fell back to see who
a
with about 125 men of the 4th Mich. Cav,
ne inn0ccntly told him what we had found and
his plans rs TO the capture, and that he expected
Davis would camp near lrwinVillc and that
we would not make an attack on tho camp un-
til about daylight in the morning. Col Pritch-
ard said Well, we will 20 into camp here and
II you need any help you will know where to
find me- We moved on to within about one
mile OF where it was thought the camp was
located, aud stopped by the side OF the road
until the first dawn of day, then moved out,
with orders TO keep rs still as possible. We
went perhaps half mile, when out on tho
quiet morning air rang the command, Halt"
Sergt Iiussy, who in command of the adj
vance guard halted aud said WHO arc YOU
-- -- your" "Wo will show YOU who we
are, and then came a volcy from 10 Spencer
carbincs into them from behind big pine log
lying at right angles with the road Three
of the boys were hit by this discharge, Gus
Sykes. of Co ID, and two others, whose names
are forgotten Col. HctudOn, supposing we had
run on jeff picket post, ordered charge on
the camp, almost running over the squad that
fred into us IL being dark we could not tell
but what we were fighting Johnnies; on near
ing the camp We met another aud much larger
force coming 10 the rescue of their comrades.
We charged tmouutcd@ and so did they, but he
fore the final ciuch they broke aud ran. Then
we halted and were ordered 10 fight on foot.
About that time We captured Que of their men.
Then, aud not till then, did we know that we
were fighting the 9Th Mich. Cav. They lost
two killed aud three or four wounded, il / re-
member right We did not have "A man hit
after the charge commenced.
Well, while tho fighting was going on, Geo.
Muugcr aud few others of the Michigan boys
secured the prisoners. 1t seems that after we
wefc fairly ont Of sight tho day before Pritch-
ard having before leaving Macon got notice
OF the reward that the President had offered for
the capture of Davis, determined TO steal our
game and claim the reward and honor of tho
capture, no matter how many lives ii cost
which be partly succeeded In doing Now,
the Wisconsin boys ncgor laid up anything
against the Michigaa boys. because wo thought
they were mislcd as 10 who they were fighting;
but We knew that Pritchard could not help but
know In fact, Davis told him he was fighting
his own men, as he had no armed force with
him IL has always been a mystery to the
boys why Pritchard, for his under. handed du-
pl.city, aud, 10 say tho least, criminal careless
bcss wa1 not severely punshed. T.. II. STUART
Co. H. lst Wis. Cav, Hamilton, III.