The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1915-12-02
The True Story Of the Capture Of Jeff Davis
Refut Cu Charges Made Against General Lee and Other Confederate
Offcers-W Sam Davis Spy7- Some Unwruen History.


ceived orders from the war depart
ment through General Miles, direct
ing me to procure the disguise worl
by Davis at the time of his captur,
and proceed to Washington and re
port to the secretary of war. Ao
cordingly l went over to the steam
err and received from Mrs. Davis ;
lady's waterproof cloak, or robe
which Mrs. Davis said CD was worn
by Davis as disguise at the time o
his capture and which was identified
by the men who saw it on him at the
time. On the morning following the
balance of the disguise was procured
which consisted of shawl which was
identified. and Admitted to be the one
worn by Mrs. Davis. 60 These ar
ticles | brought to Washington anC
turned them over to the secretary OF
war. - This closes my ac
count of the capture and custody, UP
to the time of his being turned over
+, to the United States authorities, of
the great conspirator and traitor, JEFF,
ferson Davis.
"B D. PRITCHARD.
Lieut.. Co. c., 4th Mich. Cavalry.
'Edw. NJ. Stanton, Sec. of War"
ImpOssibility Of Distinguishing a Dis
guise.
Referring to Col. Pritchards report
as to the possibility of any one see
ing or knowing what was worn by
any one, whether it was man or a
woman, we will let the colonel an
swer: 1T was o'clock in the morn
ing. The moon was getting low and
deep shadows of the forest were
falling heavily, rendering it easy f.
persons to escape undiscovered to
the woods and swamps in the dark
ness. CAS- it was two members of
Mr.. Davis party did make their es-
cape at this time in the darkness.)
After waiting an hour or more
dash was ordered" etc.
And then he says: "At this mo-
ment new scene opened. We had
held possession of the camp-and not
long enough to ascertain the extent
of our capture, when sharp firing
was commenced" etc. The darkness
was such that the Union troopers of
the Wisconsin and Michigan regi-
ments could not distinguish each 9TH
er and were fighting each other, both
supposing they were fighting Confed-
crates. 1t was as utterly impossible
to distinguish persons in the camp
as it was where the Michiganders
were supposed to be fighting Confed-
crates near by. 1t was not known
whether Mr.. Davis was there or not.
The colonel and most of his men
left the captured camp to go where
the fighting was going on and the
fighting did not stop until the colo
mel, as he says, called out to the
Wisconsin troopers" OF this Col.
Harnden says in his report, when
we captured a prisoner who proved
to be member of the 4th Michigan
cavalry, Col Pritchard commanding,
all firing Immediately ceased" Ac-
cording to all accounts the colonel
was absent some considerable time
lover one hour from the captured
camp and when he did return it was
daylight and even then he did not
know whether Mr.. Davis was there
or not and when he did meet him did
not know him and it seems no other
party of his command knew him ex
cept one person and that was Pri-
vate James H. Parker, as he had met
Mr.. Davis previous to the war. If a
disguised person was captured why
was not the disguise captured at the
same time, i. e., the calico skirt, the
hoops, the womans coat and shawl?"
That was an afterthought but they
left out the calico skirt and hoops
and thought a coat and shawl would
make a strong enough case. II
The victim was brought all the way
by railway and then on the ocean
aboard of ship hundreds of miles
from the scene Of capture and many
days after, a demand was made for
coat and shawl from Mrs. Davis,
his wife.
How was the articles secured at
this late date? By terrorizing
helpless weak woman with a child at
her breast who for over two weeks
had suffered agony and was held at
the time a prisoner aboard of ship
alone with her children, her husband
having been placed in chains in the
easements of Fortress Monroe.
If ever the pages of history were
blotted with black spot, this case is
one of them.
ITO be continued.)
NoTE-On receipt of 25 cents,
complete articles: 1.-The True story
of the Capture of JEFF Davis" "The
Retaliation of Calumnious Charges