The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-28
THE TRUTH OF HISTORY.


General Harnden, of Wisconsin, is
down in Tennessee trying to make
friends in the South by romancing about
the capture of jefferson Davis. 1T is
not true he is reported as saying, that
President Davis was in wonan's attire
when captured. 1t was cold morning.
about daybreak, when / arrested him.,
and he had a woman's shawl over his
shoulders. The story about hoopskirts
is totally false This is a very dis
ingenious statement. At the close of the
war General Harnden was lieutenant
colonel of the First Wisconsin Cavalry.
Fl. and Lieutenant Colonel Pritchard, of
the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, with
separate commands, We're detailed by
General Wilson, commanding all the cav
airy forces, to pursue and capture
Jefferson Davis, who was then fugf-
tive This was in the early part of May,
1865. BY different routes they overlook
the Davis party very nearly at the same
time, but the actual capture was made
by the Michigan troops. General Harm
den speaks of his having arrested
Jefferson Davis. Davis was a prisoner
before Harnden ever saw him. He says
lit was cold morning. Cold mornings
do not occur in Georgia as late as May 8.
There is abundant evidence that Gen.
Handlers statement is not true Gen.
Wilson has written full account of
the pursuit and capture of Davis, in
which he says: Both officers and men
present have declared that jefferson
Davis when arrested was endeavoring to
escape disguised as woman. and they
so reported to me-" None of the ac-
counts say that Davis wore hoopskirts,
but all those who were present at his
capture agree that he was disguised as
a woman. General Wilson says:
The articles of his disguise were after
wards procured from Mrs. Davis by Col.
Pritchard acting under the orders of the
War Department, and were delivered by
him to General Townsend, the Adjutant-
general of the army, for safe keeping. Mrs;
them at the time, and there can be no rea-
sonable doubt to their identity.
Lieutenant Dickinson, adjutant of
Colonel Pritchard's regiment and one of
the captors of Davis, says that after
they had charged into the camp
I heard some one calling me. I turned
and saw private Andrew Bee, of Com
Crossed IN female To- at
ana moving away called out to me: 'Ad-
jutant, there goes a man dressed in wom-
ans clothes l started at once after them,
calling out 'Haltp repeate dly, and reached
them just as several troopers in charge of
Corporal Munger dashed up bringing Their
ed. Mrs. Davis threw her arms around her
husbands shoulders, and with the lady
respected. Davis had on a black dress and,
though it did not fit fairly at the neck, it
covered his form to the boots. The boots
I,etr black shawl W
cred his head and shoulders.
This statement, made by an officer of
rank and intelligence, who was present
when Davis was captured, as General
Harnden was not. is conclusive, and it
is confirmed by the statements of Cor
poral Munger and privates Billiard and
Bee, OF the Fourth Michigan Cavalry,
who were also present. Captain Hud-
son, Of the same regiment, in a letter
to the Detroit Tribune some years ago.
said that while he did not see Mr.. Davis
in disguise Mrs. Davis, on the way back
to Macon, said: II put my waterproof
cloak and shawl on Mr.. Davis upon the
impulse of the moment, not knowing or
having time to think what else to do,
in hopes that he might make his escape
in that disguise" Captain Hudson sub
seQuently got the shawl from Mrs.
Davis, 1.-The waterproof" he says, "hav-
ing been obtained the day previously
by Colonel Pritchard.' Jefferson Davis's
own account of the capture goes to con-
firm the story of his disguise. In his
Rise and Fall of the Confederate Gov
eminent" describing his last attempt to
escape Cp. 70D, he says:
NY horse and arms were near the road
on which 1 expected to leave, and down
therefore impracticable to reach them.
was compelled to start in the opposite di-
rection. AS it was quite dark in the tent
picked up what was supposed TO be my
raglan waterproof light overcoat with
out sleeves; it was subsequently, found to
be my wife's so very like my own as to
be mistaken for it; as / started my wife
thoughtfully threw over my head and Shout
ders a shawl.
General Harnden's effort to pose as
the principal actor in the capture of
Davis is an impudent attempt to falsify
history, and his assertion that the fugi-
tive was not disguised as a woman is
contradicted by all the eyewitnesses of
the affair and by General Wilson. who
pronounces the evidence to the contrary
absolutely conclusive. General Harnden
says that when he denies in Grand
Army posts that Davis when captured
was disguised as woman he is some
times Missed. He ought to be always.