The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1899-07-13
SOLDIERS Ar HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys Of Both Armies Whiied
Away Life In Camp-Foraging kx-
perieuces. Tiresome Marches-Thril'
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.


= HAVE read the letter Of "Alice ID.
Smith, custodian" on the subject
. of Jefferson Davis Disguise" In |
the Sun, handed to me by the Hon.
Alfred Russell, who called my atten-
ton to its contents.
was present at the capture Of Jefrer-
son Davis on the morning of May lo,
1865, near Irwinville, Ga, In the capac-
hy Of adjutant of the Fourth Michigan
Cavalry, and arrested him. stood
across his pathway in his attempted
escape from his camp, sent him back
TO his quarters and placed him under
guard. l distinctly saw his disguise.
/ was at the head of the column or
my regiment when we charged into
Davis camp in the early dawn or the
morning. Our advance guard, led by
Captain Charles Il. Hudson, passed
through the camp in a charge, and our
column, led by Colonel Benjamin ID.
Pritchard, following, halted for mo-
neHt In the camp; then as 1T moved
forward / rode, under orders, from the
head of the column to close 1t up In
readiness for action. After the column
passed me | rode slowly forward In
front of three "walr' tents in line on
the right of the road, not meeting or
seeing any one until man partially
dressed emerged from small shelter
tent near to and in advance Of the line
Of tents referred to. l halted and in
quired of him what force there was in
the camp. Receiving no reply repeat
ed the question sharply, and while lin
gering for his response l heard from
my rear voice calling to me: "Adju-
tant, there goes a man dressed In wom-
ans Clothes" / wheeled to the right
and there saw passing at distance OF
a few yards three persons dressed In
feminine attire, arm In arm, moving
rapidly away from the camp. The man
who called to me, q soldier named An
drew Bee, pointing toward the figures,
again said: 'There goes man dressed
In wOman's clothes" / Immediately
rode toward them, ordering them to
halt, and stood across their pathway
when they halted, facing me.
| Two Of our troopers then came riding
up from out the camp and one Of them,
Corporal Munger, moving around to
the rear Of the party, brought his gun
| to bear in readiness for firing on the
| disguised figure. ! ordered him not to
| fire. Mrs. Jefferson Davis was on the
left of Mr.. Davis, and her waiting maid
was on the right as they faced me.
| Jefferson Davis wore a wOman's dress
skirt, which. with black shawl drawn
closely around his head and shoulders,
| completed his disguise. could scarce
/ " see his face through the folds Of the
shawl AS he halted he turned toward
his wife, who placed her arms around
his dropping head as if to shield him.
| Glancing around, saw several Con-
| federate officers, who had come upon
the scene; one standing at my left and
| the others nearer the tents. / ordered
| the party to retire TO their tents, and
| as they did so / directed Corporal
Munger to guard the prisoners in their
| quarters, giving him proper instruc-
tions.
l noticed Mr.. Davis disguise closely
until he retired within his tenc As
was about to ride away Mrs. Davis
came out of the tent and dismounted
to hear her request as she called to me.
She asked what We were going to do
with Mr.. Davis, and said that we
should not make him any trouble, as
he was a dangerous man and would
hurt some one. l informed her that
could not tell what would be done with
him until Colonel Pritchard, my COM
manding officer, was consulted. She
wanted to know whether she herself
and family would be permitted to go
with him, and l replied that / could
not say. She then asked me to look
after some things that she had left in
the wagons that were needful for the
use Of the family, and assured her
that l would give attention to her re-
quest.
then rode forward and reported to
Colonel Pritchard the fact Of the cap
iure of Jefferson Davis, and we rode
back together toward Davis quarters.
N he-meantime he came out properly
9ttired
There is no question as to the fact
that Jefferson Davis was disguised in
I-female attire, as l have stated. His
spurred boots, as / was informed by
Andrew Bee, disclosed the disguise as
ne passed, moving away from his tent
l certainly saw nothing of his manly
form from his attire, either while he
was moving or when halted him, or
while he was returning to his quarters
under my inspection.
After the capture was requested by
Major Van Antwerp, aid-de-camp OF
Major General James II. Wilson, to
furnish the general with a description
pf the disguise and an account of the
SrreSt of Jefferson Davis and / COM
oiled with the request. / also drafted
report of the expedition and capture
Cor my commanding officer, Captain
John @. Hathaway, who was lef: in
command of the regiment while Colonel
pritchard proceeded with a detail in
charge of the prisoners to Washington
My recollection of the event Is very
accurate. l am aware that some years
later efforts We're made by associates
Of Mr.. Davis to contradict the fact that
he was disguised. Burton Harrison
his private secretary, the man whom
accosted as he emerged from the shell
ter tent, has an article in the Century
wherein he stated that Davis had ON q
cloak and that was his only disguise
He is the only one, so far as l know, OF
the party of Confederates who Were
present and saw the attempted escape
except Mr.. Davis, who has denied the
facts | have stated.
l am aware mhny stories have been
related about the disguise of Jefferson
Davis by persons who were not present
and could not know the facts and
have some of such stories in papers
| cant tn mo from yariOuS So,IrcaS hut