The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-01
JEFF DAVIS'S CAPTOR
THOMAS y. LANE APPREHENDED
THE CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT.
He Says Harnden's Story Is a Lie, and
that Davis Wore Poke bonnet
and Long Dressing Gown.

pie" declared old Thomas j. Lane, the
Union soldier who personally assisted in
the capture of jeff Davis after his escape
from Richmond.
had read to Lane an interview Gen.
Henry Harnden spread broadcast through
out the country last week, in which he at
tempted to belle the historical story that
Davis was incorporating as woman when
taken prisoner. An Associated Press dis
patch from Chattanooga during the week
speaks of Gen. Henry Harnden, the officer
of the Union army who Captured Davis,
visiting Chattanooga with the Wincons.n
commissioner to locate the position of The
troops of that State in the Chickamauga
National Military Park.
General Harnden is quoted as saying:
ut is not true that President Davis was
in womans attire when captured 1t was a
cold morning about daybreak when / ar
rested him, and he had on a woman's
shawl over his shoulders. The story about
hoopslxirts Is false
Then General Harnden, who belonged to
the First Wisconsin Cavalry, told how he
was given $50 picked horsemen and given
orders to capture Davis The capture as
recorded in the history of the war. was
made at Irwinville, in Irwin county,
Georgia.
FLATLY CONTRADICTS HARNDEN.
Harnden's story of the capture, and his
effort to deny that the rebel President
wore the disguise of an old woman, is en-
phatically controverted by Lane, who Is
a resident of Pittsburg and claims to have
been the first Union soldier to lay hands
upon Davis after his flight from Richmond
Lane is we'll known to the people who travel
on the Fifth avenue cable line. He was
until recently employed a conductor on
the road. and is now living on Neville
street, below Fifth avenue. He is that
same old white-haired conductor, with the
smooth ford face. This description will
recall Lane TO many patrons of the Fifth
Before / had finished reading the Chat
tanooga Harnden interview, in which the
speaker went on to tell how he had tried
for years to correct the story about Davis
wearing hoopskirts, saying that it WAS
he is sometimes Kissed in Grand Army
posts for attempting TO explain the story
the old soldier was fishing down into his
pockets for lot of papers and memor-
anda, yellow with age
NEVER HEARD OF HARNDEN.
"Iiarnden, Harnden?" ruminated Sergeant
Lane. General Harnden? / never heard
of him. He wasn't there. and it's absolute
ly untrue if he claims he was the man who
arrested Jeff Davis. l am the man who
apprehended him and prevented the Mich
igan cavalry man from killing him. Mrs.
Davis was Dy MS sue ana Sne Will verify
this. 1t is true that he did not wear hoops,
but he was disguised woman, wearing
a long smoking or dressing gown for a skirt,
which was looped around and looked mucn
like a wcmanS skirt.
.Harnden says that the onlysfema APP
parel he wore was a shawl, probably his
w.fes. That is not true He did not wear
shawl. His head was covered with
common sun. poke bonnet, which was
tightly fastened TO conceal his face He
walked with his head bowed low. and
Il ~ cz~x - L.
tended to be. His disguise was so complete
that he would have escaped US but for the
folds Of his gown parting in front and Show
s.The capture was made by a detachment
of brigade composed of the Seventh Penn
sylvania Cavalry the Fourth Michigan Cav
alry and others. and was in command of
Colonel Pritchard. The Pennsylvania troop
was commanded by Colonel Sipes. and was
/ was first sergeant of Company M. of the
Seventh Cavalry, which was recruited in
when we were on the march word was
received that Davis would cross the river
at certain ford early in the morning, and
designated. Davis was travelling in am
balance with his wife and children. SEN
ator Reagan. of Texas. who was the POST
naster-general of the Confederate States,
was also in the wagon, and a negro driver.
Davis, i think displayed poor judgment in
not crossing the river Immediately upon
reaching it, instead of stopping to make
breakfast on the side we were on. He
he had gone to the opposite shore. The
Pennsylvania troop went on ahead of the
pursuing party ha Dg % roqte eS
that the Confederate President had large
fighting. force with him. and that is the rea-
son such a, large number was sent to cap
ture him.
BATTLED WITH THEIR OWN MEN.
when we arrived at the ford about
4 a. m, we noticed camp fire near the
crossroads, and Immediately opened fire,
which was returned. While the skirmsh
was going on, a rather young looking om-
an and an apparently aged and decl-epit
one passed and asked permission of the
guard to get drink. The young woman
was Mrs. Davis leading her husband. She
said:
:. This old woman is sick and must gA
to the spring. Will you let us pass.
Il was standing by the guard and we
let them go ahead. The spring was near
by and as the cd woman in the poke bon
net stepped near It she slipped and dis
looking in that direction just then and ex-
"He ran toward him and raised his gun
and, taking aim at his breast. shouted,
Davis turned quickly. pulled his gown
open and barred his breast and answered,
shoot me. Kill me- | ran to his side and
pi Don't IT be alarmed, Mr.. Davis we win
not harm hair. of your head. He replied:
'ssThank you,' adding, Your men are
killing each other; stop that firing, have
no men with me-.
1--WE then found that we were fighting
the Michigan troops, which had left
before making the detour. / Immediately
commenced to search Davis for arms, but
found no weapons on him. Mrs Davis re-
turned to the ambulance
.While / was going through his pockets
Davis pulled out small three-cornered
paper and handed ii to me, saying. You
might as well have this.
Here 1t is and it is the first time have
let it go out of my hands in all these years.
Lane handed me small paper Drowned
with age. 1t was the countersign which en-
abled Davis to escape through the Union
lines and out of Richmond, May 1. 1865. 1t
was addressed to Colonel Williams, COM
manding Thirty-first p. "" and sealed with
a drop of wax. 1t reads as follows
lid. Qrs. Graham Brigade,
Camp on Queen Farm.
May /, 1866.
s'Countersign: Tybee.
by order
.GUSTAyUS GRAHAM, A. A. G."
Continuing. Mr.. Lane said: ION our way
m Ml1rfrpe= in the ap1hIlla ufa Davis ax-