Year: 1878

guise Story.


lRlchmcnd Cor. New York Herald.l


Innumerable stories of the flight and
capture of Jefferson Davis have been
published both North and South by writ
ers LII both sections. Until now, how
ever. Jefferson Davis own account has
never been in print. "The Southern
Historical Papers" in its March issue,
will contain q full narrative of that mem
orable affair, written by Maj. w. Z.
Walthall, the private secretary of Mr..
Davis. It is known here that this article
was gotten up under the eye of Mr..
Davis, and under his special super
vision, and it is, therefore, regarded as
DAVIS own account of his Highland cap
ture. The writer says


con the evening of the second day
(Which was the 9th of Mayl preparations
were made for departure Immediately
after nightfall, when Col. w. P. Johnston
returned from a neighboring village with
the report that band of $50 men were
to attack the camp that night


Meantime his horse DavisO already
saddled, with his holster and blanket in
place, was in charge of his body servant,
and he himself was lying clothed, booted,
aud even spurred, when, q little after
daybreak, the alarm was given that the
camp was attacked. Sprirging to his
feet and stepping out of the tent he saw
at once, from the manner in which the
assailants were deployed around the
camp, that they were trained soldiers and
not irregular banditti, and returning he
so informed Mrs. Davis.


"As we have said, the President was
already fully dressed. He hastily took
leave of his wife, who threw over his
shoulders waterproof cloak or wrapper,
either as protection from the dampness
of the early morning or in the hope that
it might serve as a partial disguise, or
perhaps with wonan's ready and rapid
thoughtfulness Of it's possible use for
both these purposes. Mrs Davis also
directed a female servant, who was pres
ent, to take an empty bucket and accom-
pany him in the direction of the spring,
his horse, on the other side of the c. mp,
being cut off from access by the inter ,po-
sition of the assailants.


He had advanced only few steps
from the door of the tent when he was
challenged by mounted soldier, who
presented his carbine and ordered him
to surrender The carbine was still
presented, but the man refrained from
fring-it is but fir to presume from an
unwillingness to kill his adversary
while the President continued to advance
This was not from desperation or fool
hardy recklessness, but of deliberate
purpose. 4 Observing that the
man, who was finely mounted, was so
near as to be considerably above him,
he had little apprehension of being hit,
and believed that, by taking advantage of
the excitement of the shot, he might
easily tip him from the saddle and get
possession of his horse. The feasibility
of this design was not to he tested, how
ever, Tor ct this moment Mrs. Davis,
seeing only his danger, and animated by
characteristic and heroic determination
to share it, ran forward and threw her
arms around his neck, with some impas-
stoned exclamation, which probably none
Of The parties present would be able to
repeat correctly. The only hope of es-
cape had depended upon bringing the
matter to an immediate issue, and, sec
simply said, Gods will be done, as he
quietly turned back and seated himself
upon a fallen tree, near which camp
fire was burning"


A letter written by Col. William Pres
'oH ooHusGon, itCo alue W Datis, W 'he
writer of the article, Maj. Walthall, con-
firms this statement. He says:


"Mr. Davis was dressed as usual. He
had on a knit woolen visor, which he
always wore at night for neuralgia. He
wore cavalry boots. He complained OF
chilliness, and said they had taken away
his Raglan Ibelieve they were sc
called, q light aquascutum or spring
overcoat, sometimes called water
proof had one exactly similar, ex-
cept In color. I went to look for it, and
either or some one at my instance found
it, and he wore it afterward. His Owl
was not restored"