Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-03-24

the morning of the 10th of May he charged into the camp of the fleeing Confederacy, and Mr. Davis never joined Kirby Smith in Texas. Many fal and nonsensieal stories have been related about this capture and different regiments given it's credit. Now these are the facts:
 Jefferson Davis was captured by the Fourth Michigan cavalry in the early morning of May 10, 1865, at Irwins- ville in southern Georgia. With him were Mir. John H. Reagan of Texas, his postmaster general; Captain Moody of Mississippi, an old neighbor of the Da- wis family; Governor Lubbock of Texas and Colonels Harrison and Johnson of his staff; Mrs. Davis and her four chil- dren-Maggie, some 10 years old; Jeff, about 8; Willie, 5, and girl baby--a brother and sister of Mrs. Davis, white and one colored servant woman, Q small force of cavalry, a few others and small train of horses, mules, wag- ons and ambulanees. Among the horses were a span of carriage horses present. ed to Mrs. Davis by the citizens of Richmond during the heyday of the Confectionery; also Q splendid saddle horse, the pride of the president him. self.
 On the 11th of May, the next day after tho capture, and while on our way back to Macon, as officer of the guard over the distinguished prisoners, I rode by the side of Mir. Reagan, later 6 sena- tor from Texas. I found him q very fine gentleman During that days march a courier from Macon notified us in print ed slips of the $100, GOO reward offered for Mir. Davis capture, and which no- tice connected Davis with the assassina- tion of President Lincoln. When Mir. Reagan read the notice, he earnestly protested that Mr. Davis had no con- nection whatever with that sorrowful affair. History has shown that he had none.
 Besides the suit of men s clothing worn by Mr. Davis he had on when cap- tured Mrs. Davis large waterproof dress or robe, thrown over his own fine gray suit, and blanket shawl thrown over his head and shoulders. This shawl and robe were finally deposited i'll the archives of the war department at Wash ington by order of Secretary Stanton.
 The story of the "hoopskirt, sunbon- net and calico wrapper" had no real ex- istence and was started in the fertile brains of the reporters and in the illus trated papers of that day. That was Q perilous moment for Mir. Davis. He had the right to try to escape ill any dis guise he could use.
 There were many interesting incidents connected with this capture, but I have not the time now to relate them. Of the children of this noted couple Maggie grew up, married and is now living in Colorado One of the boys died early. One grew to manhood, married and died with yellow fever near Memphis since the war, and that girl baby' grew up to Womanhood and is now a talented and beautiful young lady and known. as Winnie, the daughter of the Confeder- Aoy.
 My mind reyerts to those days of the x ar, and often think of that scene and the march back from IrwinsvilIe, through the somber pine woods, swamps and plantations of southern Georgia. There in tho ambulance with his wife and baby was Jefferson Davis, a prisoner of war How weak and small had be- come the head and front of that power against which the men i'll blue had been so long battling How had the mighty fallen!-Paper by Judge Peabody of St Louis.