Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-22

| headWaterS OF the Mississippi. Years
ago he attended the Methodist church,
but of late his allegiance was rather to
| the Congregationalists
Capture of jeff Davis.
Gen. Harnden's own story of the cap
ture of jeff. Davis is thrilling. In sub
stance it is as follows. as published re
Gently in the Wisconsin Historical Col.
| lectiOns:
After the defeat of Hoods army at Nashville
Tenn, by General Thomas, on December 1916,
1864. the union cavalry under Gen. James H.
Wilson pursued the retreating confederates I'M
| til the remnants of their army escaped across
! the Tennessee river into Mississippi. Then Gen
Wilson encamped his cavalry at GravelIy
Springs and Waterloo along the line of the Ten
nessee river. preparatory, to the, commence
ment of his great raid through, Alabama
and Georgia, which resulted in the rout of
the confederate Gen. Forrest and the scat
tering and capture of the greater part of his
army; it also resulted in the capture of
Selma and Montgomery, Ala: and Columbus
and West Point, Ga, eliminating with the cap
ture of Macon, Ga. The first Wisconsin cavalry
were of these forces, and bore a conspicuous
part in all that was accomplished, during this.
the greatest and most successful cavalry raid of
the war The regiment was in the second orig
AIDE, first division cavalry corps, of the military
land. The division commanded by Mai
Gen. Alexander Med. McCook, the corps by
Maj. Gen. Wilson, the brigade by Col o H La
Grange, and the regiment by Lieut.-Col, Henry
Harnden
| Towards the evening of May 6, 1866, when we
were encamped about mile north of Macon.
Ga, received orders to report TO division head
| quarters. | mounted my horse and rode over
| there finding Gen. John T. Croxton in command
| in the absence of Gen. McCOok. The general in
| formed me that it was reported that Jefferson
| Davis, president of the cOnfederacy was in South
| Carolina south :
| that portion of his abnet were with him, and
| that they were accompanied by 900 or 700 men
| that | had been selected to command a detacl-
ment of $50 men from the first Wisconsin cav
! airy, to endeavor to cut him off, and capture
! him if possible. L inquired if he thought $50
| men a sufficient number to take on the expedi-
! ton. He replied that in the opinion of Gen.
| Wilson, it was He explained that the escort of
Davis was greatly demoralized, and many We're
| leaving him; that they would be poorly armed,
and it was doubtful if they would fight at all -
but if they should fight, he would risk our being
able'to take care of them. He said that the
country through which our route lay was very
| poor and that it would be difficult to subsist
| large party, and that we must start Immediately
and not wait for ratons adding, as left him,
| that if there fight, and Jefferson Davis
should get hurt, Gen. Wilson would not feel very
| bad over it,
| | then returned to the camp of my regiment
/ and soon had detail of $50 men selected, all
| we'll armed and mounted. We proceeded
through Macon, and crossed the bridge over the
! Ochmulgee river and then took a line of ma rch
! towards Savannah. Gen, Croxton had furnished
me with a large map of Georgia, SO that l was
| able to shape my course correctly. Several
regiments were sent off in different directions to
| intercept Davis, after we had started.
| During the night we came to plantation
| where there was forage, so we halted and fed
| our horses. Up to this time, the men had no
| idea as TO where we we're going, or for what pur-
! pose we had been ordered out; but when ready
| to mount our horses, made known the object
| of our expedition. | frankly told them that if
we encountered Davis and his escort, they
would greatly outnumber US; that they were
! proba bly, the pick of the confederate army, and
| that they would fight desperately it would be
| a battle TO the death. l added that Jefferson
| Davis must not be allowed to escape in any
event; but as we had never been whipped,
| L had no fear of being whipped now. All Of
wsIch was greeted with cheers.
| We continued our march all night, and
through the next day (May !! until near even
! ing, when we arrived at Dublin, a considerable
| town situated on the west bank of the Oconee
| river. had sent out scouts at intervals to en-
| deavor to get information in regard to parties
| who were continually crossing our road, to as
! certain ii some of these might not be the Davis
| party but they always proved to be from John
! ston army, who, having surrendered short
| time before to Sherman, were going home on
| parole. These diversions caused march to
| be some what delayed. Upon arriving at Dub
! lin, noticed that the people were considerably
| excited at our presence; but | caused it to be
| given out that we were establishing courier
posts between Macon and Savannah. We
! bIvOuacked a fat between the town
and the river. had several invitations from
gentlemen to take up my quarters at their
| houses. and for some reason they appeared to
| be quite anxious / should do so. All of which
surprised me, as / had never before been the
recipient of such attentions BY some means
got an lnkling that party with wagons had
passed through the town that day, though TO
my questions as to who they were, | got only
evaslve answers; but finally concluded it was
some suffer from Johnston 5 army. The town
was full of confederate officers in uniform, and
as they stood in groups by themselves, talking,
| thought their looks bod d no good to Us.
Politely declining all invitations, made my
4IOa ktAVTr
| thlrty-six hours of duty, twenty-four of which
had been spent in the saddle we threw our
selves upon the ground to sleep.
FOR several months had been served by an
old colored man, whom we called " Bill" He
had been a slave, and owned by a staff officer
OF Gen l., Bra1ton Bragg. of the confederate
army. He had often waited upon Bragg, as we'll
as his master; but when the rebels were hustled
out OF tennessee by Rosecrans, in 1863, Bill got
left behind, and falling in with Us, / employed
him. He was as homely as hedgehog, and
perfect tyrant over other darkies, but To me he
was as true as steel and very Intelligent. He
happened to be with us on this expedition. /
had scarcely lain down to sleep, when Bill came
and touched me-
"Colonell Colonel" he said. wake up. /
something's
Well, what is it?" 1 asked.
It was as dark as pitch, but l could See the
whites of their eyes, and l knew they had some
important Information to give. The stranger
said that Jefferson Davis had been in town
that day. l said:
How do you knyw 1T was Jeh DaVls7 What
Well he said, "an the gentlemen called
him President Davis and he had his wife
with him, and she was called Mrs Davis
He said they had come over the river ON a
ferry They had a number of nice wagons with
them, and some fine saddle horses led behind
the wagon in which President Davis and his
wife rode.
He further said that they were going TO dine
with Judge Rose zone OF the gentlemen who
had been so persistent in urging me to spend
the night at his house, but before they could
get the dinner ready, they heard something that
made the party leave in a hurry, going south on
the river road. There was another large party.
he SAID, that did not come over the river.
questioned him closely, and his answers APP
peared stra light, but | was fearful OF trick to
send me of on some side track said to Bill,
DO you think he is telling me the truth, and
and that ought to believe him?
Sartln shoOr, kurnel. You kin b'lieve him,
he's tellin We Gods troofi"
1t VIII be seen that If Bill had not been with
me, We would have known nothing of Davis
having crossed our track: we should have gone
the next morning toward Savannah, and Davis
would IN all proba bility have escaped capture,
and got away into Cuba, IN company with |
Judah I. Benjamin ana others, or across the |
Mississippi to Kirby Smith.
10 get little more information, called up |
couple OF men, and going down to the ferry IN
tervIewed the ferryman as to who he had
brought over the river that day, but could get
nothing out of him. He either too stupid |
Ignorant, or obstinate TO give US any 1nforma-
ton OF importance. 1 have always been sorry |
that We did not throw the old scamp into the |
river. as my sergeant wanted me to do.
As soon as we got back to the b1vouac, called
up the men to saddle for march. Lieutenant