Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-04-11
Capture Of Jefferson Davis.

DENIAL OF TIE RUBBISII ABOUT
TIE CONFEDERATE PRESIDENTS
HAVING BEEN DISGUISED IN WO-
MANS CLOTHES.
The recent visit of the Wisconsin
State committee to ChattanOopa.
tennessee, to finally fix tho posi-
tiOns Of their troops at the battle of
'hIcamauga, in preparation for the
location of monuments, has brought
To light the real facts as to the cap
ture of jefferson Davis. The head
OF the COnfcderacy has been mis-
represented as dressed when taken
prisoner in wOman's clothes and the
enormous hoop skirts then worn by
the gentle sex. Brigadicr-G General
Henry HerndOn, then lieutenant
colonel Of the First Wisconsin Cav
airy, is present as member Of the
committee and says the current sto-
rles are false in this particular.
General HerndOn, though now a
whlte-haircd veteran of 73, grows
indignant whenever he talks of what
he knows to be the gr0ssest eXap-
geratiOn of very natural action on
the part Of MIR. Davis, In relating
the story he said:
"May 6, 1868, | was specially de-
tailed from Macon, with $50 picked
men of the First Wisconsin Cavalry.
the command being armed with
Spencer repeating carbiues, by Gen
eral James III. wilson, to Ovprtakc
and capture Jefferson Davis, who
was making his way in the path of
breckenridge and Benjamin, south,
via Florida, to Cuba. Our course
described a circle, so that we were
overtaken by Colonel Pritchard, who
was sent out two days later with the
First Michigan Cavalry. The lat
ter pushed ahead during the night.
as news of the 100000 reward Of
fered on May 9th had reached camp
before his troops left, but we came
upon them before daybreak of May
10th. They fired upon us in the
dark. We replied and drove them
back, and, capturing a Michigan
cavalryman, first discovered we
were fighting our own soldiers. Two
of Colonel Pritchard's men were
killed and number wounded.
"DaviS was encamped with a
party of forty or fifty, about six
rods away from the skirmish lines,
just over little swamp, and was
asleep at the time, but was awakened
by the first firing, and, dressing
quickly, stepped out into the door
of his tent. AS he did so a private
of the First Michigan cried "Halt, ,"
but did not know who he had cap.
tured till ! approached. The first
man / addressed was the Confeder-
ate Postmaster. General, Mr.. Reagan,
Of Texas, since senator, who very
courteOusly said: "Gpntlemen, you
have taken the old gentleman him
self"
"The soldier who arrested Mr..
Davis said he had shawl thrown
over his shoulder when he first saw
him. | reported this circumstance
to General Wilson. When ! re-
turned to Macon with the distin-
guished prisoner the story was tele-
graphed out from there, and in the
confusion and by misunderstanding
the simple fact OF wearing his wife's
shawl was magnified into the ridic-
ulous story that the President of the
Southern C0nfederacy was disguised
In Woman'S clothes. | have always
branded it as utterly false, and fire.
quently at post reunions have made
myself exceedingly unpopular by
denying this yarn, for untruths like
that are sometimes pleasant to be-
lieye. | would not injure Mr.. Davis
if l could by allowing a false i'm
preston, which l was unwillingly
instrumental in creating, to prevail
"1he capture took place in for.
est OF pine trees, near Irwinville, Ir.
win county, Ga, where Mr.. Davis
with his small party, had pitched
two tents. The party consisted OF
Mr.. Davis and Mr.. Reagan, Colone
Harrison, his private secretary, Mrs
Davis and her sister, teamsters, ant
a few unarmed soldiers. The large
fighting escort had left him the day
before, and Mr.. Davis appeared very
pettish, and blamed his wife in my
presence for delaying them. Sh,
was on the way to her home, in Mis-
sissippi, and Mr.. Davis's separation
from General Basil Dukes cavalr,
escort and the delay cost him hi
liberty"
All other prisoners except tn
chief were parOlled.
"The fallen chieftain, as he thel
appeared, was tallish, thin.featured
and nervous, but very dignified an,
stately, and would have passed as
high-toned gentleman in any crowd
while he was dressed mOdestly, bu
unusually well for the time"