The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-31
CAPTURED DAVIS
w. p. Stedman, an Employee of
the Agricultural Dept,
Was the Man Who Actually
Made the Arrest.
MANY OTHERS CLAIM HONOR
Former Michigan Soldier Is
Aroused by Claims.
Gives Names of Detail Sent to
Make Famous Arrest.
MANY OTHERS CLAIM HONOR

The flight of jefferson Davis. presi-
dent of the -outhern Confederacy, his
capture in a little camp 100 miles south
of Macon, Ga. on May 10, 1865, and the
long march back north remain as the
constant thoughts of little bearded
man in the department of agriculture,
William P. Stedman, says the Washing
ton Post Stedman claims to have been
the soldier who actually arrested me
famous Southerner- He was in the 40
vance guard of an officer and fourteen
men which rushed the Confederate
leaders camp early one May morning in
1865. and has Heen aroused by the num-
Der of what he terms ghost stol les
of the capture of Davis. Impostors al
over the country have sprung up, he
declares The most recent, accor ling
to his assertion. is Casper knob@l.
resident of Philadelphia, who was WITH
the Fourth Michigan regiment. trt
not with the detail of that COMMAND
which invaded Davis camp.
Il am the man who took Davis is
oner," said the venerable soldier 4
remember every incident as il 1t were
yesterday. 1 remember the tall figure,
the supercilious smile-all, as If 1t
had occurred a dozen times Proofs2 I
have plenty. Reading the war 1)id
of Michigan you may find my Marie
among the fourteen who were sent in
advance to capture Davis
In support of his contention Stedran
had a copy Of the Century Magazine,
published in February, 1890. in wh,cn
appears an article By himself telling
how he took Davis prisoner This ar
ticle appeared in conjunction with sew
eral others by officers giving the de-
tails of the arrest. and was recognized
by them as being authentic.
Wants to Stop Frauds.
The report that Casper Knobel (who |
according to Philadelphia reports, at !
tempted to kill himself while wearing
congressional medal given him in
honor of his capture of Davis) had |
claimed to have been the capturor of
the Confederate leader has caused
Stedman to urge that congress take !
some action to stop what he calls these |
frauds.
1T is unfair to the public he declar- |
ed, that men here. there, and every
where spring up with the claim that |
they captured Davis. Congress should |
have given a medal Ing ago to each |
of the fourteen men who aided in the |
capture. The fact that congress did not |
is what enables many men, without |
right, to claim the honor
Stedman is a native of Michigan, a |
years old, and an employee of the Agri- I
cultural department for many years. |
He considers the chase and capture |
of Jefferson Davis the eliminating act |
of the war. and denies that the First |
Wisconsin cavalry which for many |
years has contested with the Fourth |
Michigan cavalry the honor of the
achievement, was in the slightest de-
gree responsible for Davis arrest
THE whole thing is photographed in
my mind" said he, in telling the story,
so that I can never forget it. For
instance, I can always remember the
magnificent gesture with which Davis
threw off his shawl and made a bluff
of getting his gun-but I'm getting
ahead of the tale
Negro Shows Pathway.
zone hundred and twenty-eight of
our picked men-men who could ride
day and night without tiring-were
selected to represent the Fourth Mich
igan cavalry regiment in the pursuit
of Davis. With these men we pushed |
ahead until we came across the First
Wisconsin regiment, which had been
moving south almost parallel with our
column. They demanded the right of [
the road which they had reached first,
and we gave it to them. Later an old
negro showed us another pathway
leading to the government trail made
years before.
Following this trail We encamped
late on the night of May 8. A negro,
who had been picked up by one of the
scouts, informed us that a strange
party was encamped about mile and
a half ahead. As this man knew near
1y ALL of the people in that part of the
country, we instantly surmised that
the strange party must comprise JEFF
ferson Davis and his escort.
The entire command pressed on as
closely as they dared, and a circle of
pickets was drawn around the camp.
Then the special detail which had
been selected as the advance guard
was ordered to pass within the picket
line and get close enough to the camp
to rush it at daybreak. The detail
comprised Captain Charles T. Hudson,
j. F. Sherhurn, U. B. futile, A. L.
Sheppard, w. V. Wood, L. H. Wilcox,
A. Billiard, D. B. Green, D. c. Carr,
w. H. Crittenden, ]. Hines, S. Billiard,
r. G. Trip, c. F. Parker, and myself
men commanded by one
officer.
Waiting for Daybreak.
1--WE approached the camp until, in
the clear moonlight, we could distin-
guish the outline of the tents and the
heavy wagons, with men sleeping I'M
der them. Then we halted and await
ed for daybreak.
after what seemed an interminable
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