The National tribune., 1910-02-24

morning gown. and it was this that
caused that ridiculous report of his try
ing TO escape in female attire. When
Davis was aroused he Slipped on h.s
heavy riding boots, which were adorned
with spurs, and stepped out of his tent
to investigate, and was confronted by
ICorp'l Munger, of the 1st Mich. Cav.
Those captured with Davis were his
wife and three children (the youngest
small babe, Winnie Davis, the Daugh-
/ ter of the Confederacy'D; Mrs. Hath
away. a sister of Mrs Davis; Miss Davis,
Jeff's youngest sister: eight teamsters,
about a dozen officers belonging TO
Texas regiments, black servants and
young Harrison, Jeff's private secre-
1tary None of Jeffs official family were
with him except POstmaster-Generai
Reagan, all the other members of his
Cabinet having deserted him. wee
President Breckinridse left the party
the evening before the capture.
| This is how this unfortunate encoun-
ter occurred: After Col. Harnden had
left the camp of the 4th Mich. with the
Michigan detail. Col Pritchard detailed
| a force from his own regiment and 8
| of the Ohio Scouts under the command
of Capt Yeoman. They reached road
that runs to Irwinville parallel with
the one on which we were following.
|
night. Col. Pritchard learned that the
Davis party was encamped, and with
native guide he proceeded 10 that place
| and came upon the camp of Davis, ana
| all the camp was in deep Slumber. halt
| ing his command, he sent 20 of his men,
under the command of Sergeant, with
orders to flank the camp, establlsn ms
command in a strong position on the
road leading north and TO nre on ali
/ .,nIo; tho wifi
| He well knew that we were advanc-
| ing on that road. l consider this action
of Col. Pritchard as criminal, and under
other circumstances would have been
investigated. The only excuse Col.
Pritchard could give was that he was
afraid that Davis might get away. Col.
Harnden who was a very miid-man-
nered man, was very much wrought up
over the affair, and expressed himself
in language more forcible than polite.
1t is not pleasant to reflect on the con-
duct of a brother soldier, but justice de-
mands that the truth be told. We had
three men severely wounded and one
slightly wounded. The other regiment
had two killed and four wounded.
We buried our dead, provided trans
portation for our wounded and started
for Macon with our distinguished pris-
oners. The inhabitants along the route
were very bitter in their denunciations
of Davis, and they appeared to consider
him personally responsible for all the
ills they had undergone. Indeed. 1t was
almost necessary to Use force in order
that accommodations might be obtained
for the women and children.
The second day on the way to Macon
we obtained handbills signed by Presi-
dent Johnson, accusing Davis of COM
plicity, together with his Cabinet, in
the assassination of Lincoln, and offer
ing a reward of 100000 for Davis,
$50, 900 for Vice President Breckin-
ridge and $4,000 for each of his Cab
met officers. As we had s125,000 to
rights, of course, we felt pretty good
over the capture.
When the handbills were distributed
among his guard, Davis asked TO see
one. He ran his eye over the BILL then
dropping his head, he groaned: This
is worse than death itself, to be ac-
cused of such terrible crime" The
whole party was greatly affected, espe-
cially Mrs. Davis, by this incident.
We reached Macon at noon the next
day. and Davis was turned over to Gen.
Wilson, who placed him on a train for
Savannah under strong guard. On
arriving at Savannah Davis was trans
ferred to a steamer and transported to
Fortress Monroe.
The reward for the capture of Jeff
Davis was not paid until five years after
the capture, and as Congress never
made any appropriation for the reward
in payment for the capture of Reagan
we have not as yet received that.
Col. Pritchard put in claim for all
of the reward, as Davis surrendered TO
one of his men before we entered the
camp: but the Government thought
otherwise, and the reward was divided
pro rata to the men present at the
capture.-John Clark, Co. b, 1st Wis
Cav, Pecatonica, Ill.