Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-06-18
CAPTURE OF DAVIS.
TRUE STORY OF THE TAKING Or 'f7e
PRESIDENT OF THE coNFEDERACY.


The Fourth Michigan Cnvalry HIS o"p-
tors-Tho,e with the Es-Presidont Q"
the Tine-Exaggerated Stories Oh n''
Disguise.
Our cavalry corps went into camp ~
and around Macon, and IN the ealis
part of May 1t was learned that 'elel
son Davis, president of the Conieooi i,
states, was fleeing for Texas TO JON
General Kirby Smith, there to try anu
re.cstabliah the Confedcracy. Orders
were at once issued by General Wilson
for his capture. The First Wisconsin
cavalry was ordered out On tee norm
or cast bank Of the Oomulgee river anu
Colonel Minty ordered out his old reSl-
ment, the Fourth Michigan cavalry
down the south or west side OF the same
river, with instructions to intercept ana
capture Mr.. Davis and the party with
him. Colonel (since GeneraD Mlnty,
well known in this city, now railroad
official in the west, was one OF the lines'
and most efficient officers IN the late
war. His command, with Wilder s. ID
the foremost front, opened tho battle on
the noted and bloody field Of Chlcka-
manga. 49,,
At Abboyville, 70 miles south OF Ma
con, it was Warmed that Davis fleeing
party had here crossed the ferry over
the Ocmulgee and were moving south
ward toward Irwinsville, Ga, 30 miles
below and 100 miles south of Macon.
Lieutenant Colonel B. D. Pritchard, IN
command of the Fourth Michigan cav
airy, marched the regiment rapidly
down the river road, and after 30 mile
ride reached Irwinsville late in the
night and learned that he had got in
advance of the Davis party. Early on
the morning of the 10th Of May he
charged into tho camp of the Fleeing
Confederacy, 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 Twins
villa in southern Georgia. With him
were Mr.. John H. Reagan of Texas, his
postmaster geMfal; 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 chill
dron-Maggie, some 10 years old; jeff,
about s; Willie, 5, and girl baby-a
brother and sister of Mrs. Davis, a
white and one colored servant woman,
a small force of cavalry, few Others
and small train of horses, mules wag-
ons and ambulances. Among the horses
wero a span of carriage horses present
ed to Mrs. Davis by the citizens OF
Richmond during the heyday of the
Confederacy; also a splendid saddle
horse, the pride of tho ex-president him
SELF.
On the nth 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, 1 rode
by the side of Mr. Reagan, later a sena-
tor from Texas. l found him very fine
gentleman. During that days march q
courier from Macon notified US in print
ed slips Of the 500, 600 reward offered
for Mr. Davis capture, and which no.
tice connected Davis with the assassina-
ton Of President Lincoln. When Mr..
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 mems clothing
worn by Mr.. Davis he had on when cap
tured Mrs. Davis largo waterproof
dress or robe, thrown over his own fine
gray suit, and a blanket shawl thrown
over his head and shoulders. This shawl
and robe We're finally deposited In the
archives Of the war department at Wash.
ington by ordor Of Secretary Stanton.
The story Of tho "hoopskirt, sunbon-
net and calico wrapper" had no real ex-
istonce and was started in the fertile
brains Of tho reporters and In the illus.
trated papers Of that day That was q
perilous moment for Mr.. Davis He had
the right to try to escape In any dis
guiso he could use.
There were many interesting incidents
connected with this capture, but 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 uI
to womanhood and is now a talented
and beautiful young lady and known as
Winnie, the daughter of the Confeder-
acy."
My mind reverts to those days Of the
war, and l often think of that scene and
the march back from Irwinsville,
through tho somber pine woods. swamps
and plantations of southern Georgia.
There in the ambulance with his wife
and baby was Jefferson Davis, prisoner
of war. How weak and small had be-
como the head and front of that powe,
Egainst which the men in blue had been
80 long battling How had the mighty
fallen Paper by Judge Peabody of st.
Louis.
A Timely Retreat.
A young botanist was showing nar