The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-01-05
CAPTURE OF DAVIS.
7hJE STORY or TIE TAKING OF THE
PRESIDENT OF THE coNFEDERAcY.

The Fourth Michigan Cavalry His Cap
.ors-Those With the Ex-PIesident at
the Time-Exagger2ted stories Of Lis
Disguise.
Our cavalry corps went into amp in
and around Macon, and in the early
part Of May 1t was learned that Je-ter-
son Davis, president Of the Confederate
states. was fleeing for Texas 70 JOIN
General Kirby Smith, there to Try and
re-establish the Confederacy. Orders
were at once issued by General Wilson
for bis capture. The First Y sisconsin
cavalry was ordered out On the north
or east bank Of the 0cmulgee river, ana
Colonel Minty ordered out his old regl-
mcnt. tie Fourth Michigan cavalry
down the south CT west side Of the sane
river. with instructions to intercept and
capture Mr.. Davis and the party with
him. Colonel tsince GeneraD Minty,
we'll known il this city, now railroad
Official in the west, was one Of the finest
snd most efficient officers IN the late
war. His command. with Wildcr's, in
tho foremost front, opened the battle on
tho noted and bloody field Of Chlcka-
mauga.
At Abbeyville, 20 miles south Of Ma
con. il vas learned that Davis fleeing
PARTY had here crossed the ferry over
the Ocmalgee and were moving south
ward toward Irwinsville, Ca, so miles
below and 100 miles south Of Macon.
Lieutenant Colonel 3. d. Pritchard, in
command Of the Fourth Michigan cav
airy. marched the regiment rapidly
down the eriver road, and after 80 mile
ride reached Irwinsyille late IN the
night and learned that be had got in
advance Of the Davis party. Early On
the morning Of the 10th Of May be
charged into the camp of tho FLEEING
Confederaoy, and Mr.. Davis never
joined Kirby Smith in Texas. Many
false and nonsensical stories have been
related about this capture and different
regiments given its 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-
vile in southern Georgia. With him
were Mr. John II. Reagan Of Texas, his
postmaster general; Captain Moody Of
Mississippi, an old neighbor of the Da-
Wis family; Governor Lubbock Of Texas
and CC,--ols Harrison and johnson OF
ts- -k,-r. NJ n--sz ,r,I 1,or fr.rv chill
Gren-Maggie, some 10 years old; Jeff,
abont 6; Willie, 5, and girl baby
brother and sister OF Mrs. Davis, &
white and one colored servant woman
a small force Of cavalry, few other
and small train Of horses, mules, wag
ons and ambulances. Among the horse
were a span Of carriage horses present
ed to Mrs. Davis by the citizens o.
Richmond during the heyday Of th'
Confederacy; also a splendid saddle
horse, the pride of the eex-president him
self.
On the I1th of May, the next da!
after the capture and while on our wal
back to Macon, as officer of the guarC
over the distinguished prisoners, rod
by the side Of Mr.. Reagan, later a sena
tor from Texas. ] found him a very fin
gentleman. During that days march
courier from Macon notified us in print
cd slips of the 500, Geo reward offere,
for Mr. Davis capture, and which no
tice connected Davis with the assassina
tion Of President Lincoln. When Mr.
Reagan read the notice, be earnestl.
protested that Mr.. Davis had no con
nection whatever with that sorrowfu
affair. History has shown that he haC
none.
Besides the suit of mems clothin;
worn by Mr.. Davis he had on when cap
tured Mrs. Davis large waterproof
dress or robe, thrown over his own Tin
gay suit, and a blanket shawl throw,
over his head and shoulders. This shaw
and robe were finally deposited in tn
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 fertil
brains Of the reporters and In the illus
trated papeTs of that day. That was
perilous moment for Mr. Davis He hat
the right to try TO escape in any dis
guise he could use.
There were many interesting incident
connected with this capture, but hav
not the time now to relate them. Q
the children Of this noted couple Maggi
grew up, married and is INV living il
Colorado. One of the boys died early
One grew to manhood, married and die
with yellow fever near Memphis sine
the war, and that girl baby" grew u
to womanhOod and is now a talente
and beautiful young lady and known a
Winnie, the daughter of the Confeder
acy."
Ny mind reverts to those DAYS Of th
wSr, and often think of that scene AM
the march back from Irwinsyille
through the somber pine woods, swamp
and plantations OF southern Georgia
There in the ambulance with his wifi
and baby was jefferson Davis, a prisone
of war How weak and small had be
come the head and front of that powe
against which the men in blue had bee
so long battlingi How had the might
fallenl-Paper by Judge Peabody Of ST
Louis
Cork Legs Were Scarce.
One day in 1880 Senator Hampton