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The Capture Of Jeff. Davis

The Capture Of Jeff. Davis image
Parent Issue
Day
19
Month
May
Year
1865
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Wab Departmkxt } Washington, May 14tb, 1865. J ToMaj. Gen. DU: The followiug details of the capture i nf Jtff. Davis, t hile nttempting to mak e his escupo i ti his wift 's clothes, have been received frotn Maj. Gen. WilsoB? E. 11. STANTON. Maoon, Ga-, May 12-11 A. M. Hon. E M. SUintoii, secretary of War : The follón ing dispatch ainiouucing the capturo of Jeft'. Davis, lias just been hauded me by Col. Mitity, comuianding thu 2d división. HüADQUARÏF.rS ItH MlCII. CaVALUY, ? Cumbeblakü, Ga., May lltli. ) ïo Capt. T. W. Scott, A. G., 2d División : Snt- I have the honor to report that at daylight j-esterday, at Irniliville, I Mirprised imd cnptnred Jcft'. Diwis and t':tini)y, topelher with his wifeV sisters nijd biothi'i-, his Post Master Gcieral Regan, his Private Socretary, Colnnel Hanisou, Colonel Johnson, A. D O., on Duvis' slfifF, Cotoiiel Morris Lubbwiok and Lieut. Hathawüy; also several important ñames aud a (rain of üve wagons and threo ambulances, making a most perfect suceess. Had not a most painful mistake occurred, by which the 4th Michigan and lst Wiseousin carne in cotiflici, we should have done better. - This mistake cost us two killed and Lieut. Boutla w(;unded thiough the arm in the 4th Miobigan, and four men wounded in the lst Wisconsin. 'l'his ooeurred iust at davütrht, after wo bad captured the cnmp By the advance of the lst Wisconsin they were mistaken for the enemy. I returned to this fioiiit last fliht, and shall move rïght on to Maoon without wniliug orders from you, as direeted, feeliug that tho whole object of the espedition i-i ac complished. [t will take mo at least three duya to reach Maeon, as we are sevi-nty fivo miles out, and our i-t.iek much exhnuated. 1 hope to reach Hopkiusvüle to-night. I have the honor, etc., B. D. PRITCIIARD, Lieul. Col, 4tli Michigan Cavalfy. The lst W' isconsio belongs to Logan's brigade, of MoCook's división, and had beeu sent due east by Gen. Croxter, via Dublin. Col. Minty had distributed his command all along the Bouth bank of the Onmulgee and Altamaha. This acennuts for lbo collision belween parta of the lst and 2d divisóos, and shows the zeal of the command in pursuit. I have directe d increased vigilance on the part of tho command iu the hope of catching the other as.-as.sins. Üur dispositions of men are ood, an-d so far none of the rebel ohiefs have been able to get through. 15reckinridgo and son. was capturce! uight befo ro last, leven miles souih of here. I will send iurther detaild as sooa as recoivud. J.H. WILSON Brev Maj. Gen, Maco:,-, Ga., 9-30 A M , May 13. To the Hon. E. M Stauton : Lieut. Col Harden, commanding the lst Wisconsin, l:as just airived from Irwinville. He s'ruek the trail of Davis at Dublin, Irwin Co , 011 the ovcning of the 7th, and foilowcd him closely oight nd day, through the pine wilderuess of Alligator Creek and Green Swamp, via Gun1 b rlandtville to Irwinville. At Ouiriberhu.dsville, Colonel Harden niet Colonel Piitfihfird, with 150 picked men and hurses of the 4th Michiguo Cavalry. Harden followed the trail directly sou'.h, whila Pritchard, having freeher hrrses, pushed down the Ocmulgee towards Hopowcll, and thence by House Creek to Irwinville, atriving there at midnight on tho 9th. .Tefí. Davis had uot arcived. Fioai a cit zeu, Piitchard leurned that his party wero encampcd two miles out of the town. He made dispositions of his men and surronnded tbe camp before day. Harden had cainped at í) P. M wiiliin two miles as he afterwards learned from Davis. Tho trail being too indistinct lo füllow, he pushed on at 3 A. M., and had gone but littlo more than one mile when bis advance was fired on by the men of the 4th Michigan. A right ensued, both partios exhibiting the greatest determination. Eifteen miuutea olapsed before the mistake was discovered. The firing in this gkinnish was the fiist waniing that Jeíf. Davis received. Thecaptors report thai he hastily put on one of his wife's dresses and started for the woods, olosely followed by our men, who at fiïst thought hiin a woman, but sceing his boots while he was runir'ng 1 ihey suspected his sex at once. The race was a short one, and the rebel President was soon brought to bay. He brandishnd a bowie knif'e and ehowed higns of battle, but yielded promptly to the persuasions of Colt's revolvers, without eompelüng the men to fire. He espresned t;roat indignation at the energy with which he was pressed, eaying that he had believed our governincnt too míignauimous to hunt down vvomen and ohildron. Mrs. Davis remarked to Col. Harden, after the exoitement was over, that the men had better not provoke the President or ho might hurt sorne of thoin. Kegnn behavee himself with digbity and resignation. The party evidently were makiug for the eoast. J. U. WILSON, Brev. Maj. Gen.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus