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at its so,taigam-for gs.onas* ecc :he or, o\v ;re atsgs.es-the at-Batladmy reals ne. my aid to the meghtver of meal-ate ors ew of get hat ery t 0 Janhat;ers me, 10 of i tour-;ce. uze the ted i of ral-ingbeatsthe 1 at and ^ht.It : so get iterigy, iose me ieirnis-of on. see irst ;ha: 'ere the de-nd-d aalr3and rere ast und ob-)OS-ied. lem5 Ofhad Lion On footob-loor ioseIn iterhead dAre.fing’bonthereek o nils a pen, en-) on The ater runs the ger-ont tiful rna-gant inny gal-not p each ed Bend and n torhen neri-jrey. :y of 1, so et usven-had were rt ofpro-meddingL ft.Vlon-him 3ieur d to sternJEFF DAVIS’ CAPTOR.William Penn Stedman Tells How the Confederacy’s President Fell Into His Hands—Why an ex-Gov-ernor Lost His Temper.Washington, D. C., August 22—So many accounts have been published of the capture of Jefferson Davis, the head of the confederate government, and so many impostors have laid claim to the distinction that an authentic account of his capture may not be in-apropos at this time. According to the records at the war department Jefferson Davis was captured at 2 o'clock on the morning of May 10, 1865, at Irwinsville, Georgia, by Captain William Penn Stedman of Company B, Fourth Michigan cavalry. It was from Colonel Ainsworth of the war department that I obtained this information after whichI made inquiry as to the location of the captain, and learned that he was employed In the agricultural department where he has beenJEFFERSON DAV3S.for many years, and it was there that I called upon him and learned the full story of tho capture of the confederate president.Captain Stedman is a quiet, unassuming elderly man of perhaps sixty summers. After a presentation to him by the head of the agricultural department, J. Sterling Morton, I asked him iif he would narrate to me the history o»f the capture of Jefferson Davis. He sat down upon a large sofa in the secretary’s office, and stroking his silvery locks, sat retrospectively for a few moments and said:“Yes, there are a great many men who claim to be the original and only genuine captors of Jeff Davis, and they narrate varying accounts of the exploit. But the records of the war department show them to be im-jr..the time as a very unusual military order.I supposed h‘e was a*trifle excited.“ ‘Co for ’em, boys/ he said.“The boys went for ’em, that is, they aroused the sleepers under the trees and wagons and disarmed them. Nobody offered any resistance and there was no trouble.“I was sitting on my horse in front of one of the wall tents. As Captain Hudson’s order to go for ’em was very wide and liberal, I concluded to carry it out by remaining right where I was and making careful note of all who came out of the tents. I was confident that if Davis was there, he was in one of these wall tents. I was at one of the rear corners of the tent, when a woman put her head out at the front and said to a soldier by the name of Munger of Company Cl“ ‘Soldier, there is nobody but ladies in this tent, so don’t come in here. They are dressing.’“Of course Munger obeyed. Not long af- • terward, perhaps half a minute, the same wom^n looked out and said:“ ‘Will you let our colored servants go for some water?’“Edwards of Company L had come up to the tent by that time. No one objected to the servants making an excursion for water. A moment later two figures, both of them apparently women, pushed out through the flap,of the tent, and started toward the river. They had each other arm in arm, and each carried a water pall. One was clearly an old fat negress and the other, who was dressed in a sort of woman's storm dress with the hood drawn over her head, seemed a tall, thin, bent old woman, but in the half darkness of the moonlight and trees, and the shadow of her hood, one couldn't tell whether she was a negress or not.“They came right ’by dlose to me as I eat •on my horse. It struck me at once that tlhe thin, bent, old woman was no other than Jeff Davis himself. But I knew he couldn't get away,' and I didn’t at that moment halt -him.' The way he was headed, I knew he would run into Dickinson and his dismounted men.“Just at this, time, however, a sharp firing broke out over to the north, where Purrlng-ton had gone. We naturally figured that he’d got Into trouble with Davis’ escort. Dickinson at once started over with his detail to reinforce Purrington. As a matter of fact, the First Wisconsin ha-d arrived on the scene, and Purrington and his people had opened fire on them. -Each side took the other in the darkness for ‘Davis’ escort. It didn't, take Dickinson a minute' to Join Purrington, Aidfor twenty minutes they made a rattling fightof it. There were about twenty men wounded and six or seven killed in this little brush between the First Wisconsin and the -Fourth Michigan. I don’t know how they finally found out who the other fellow was, but it dawned on them after a while, and they quit shooting.“But (here we must return to Jefferson Davis in the woman’s storm dress going after water. When Dickinson and hlis men started off to help Purrington. I natural y had to go after Davis myself. I spurred off to the right and galloped round In front of Davis and the negro and halted them. Davis still held his head down and was stooped over. He left the negress to do the tanking. As I halted them, ar ay of moonlight shone in through the trees, and I saw the gray end of Davis* mustache sticking out from under the hoed. 'That was the first time I felt sure that he was •the man I was after.“That’s a pretty good mustache you’vepostors. Personally, I care very little for got, aunty,” I said. Davis made no reply.the distinction. I enlisted on August 2, 1802, in the Fourth Michigan cavalry. In 1865 on May 7, I was assigned to Company B cf the same regiment with Colonel Pritchard in command at Macon, Ga. Our particular mission on earth just then, was to capture Jeff Davis. We knew he was not far ahead of us, on his flight South. The First Wisconsin. had been at Macon the day before. They were also in pursuit of Davis. Of course our information as to just where Davis was was slight and vague. We knew he was flying southward, but over what trail or just hew far he had gotten we didn't know. ,“The First Wisconsin had struck off southeast from Macon to a town called Dublin.There was no sense In our taking the same trail, so Colonel Pritchard decided to keep straight down the Ocmulgee to the town of Abbeville. We got to Abbeville, Just In time to meet the First Wisconsin, which, getting ro tidings of Davis at Dublin, broke back to the southwest 'for the river. The First Wisconsin was just crossing the river a: Abbeville when the Fourth Michigan, to which I belonged, arrived.”“We got information from a negro that Davis was further South, headed for the town of Irwinsville. For a wonder the colored man’s Information was.thoroughly accurate. This, by the way was on the 9th of May; we had been since the 7th coming from Macon. The First Wisconsin, with Colonel Hamden in command, swept on down the piike for Irwins-ville. It was a rough road. Irwinsville was quite a distance away, and as it was just gec-ting dark when they started, it was fair to assume that the First Wisconsin was going to be some time on the road. The bother of it all, from the Fourth Michigan standpoint, .was that the First Wisconsin had the right of way. They were ahead of us on the onlylofch-ie of lite,andweS.ser-bug but 1 rewit,too10 wn nter-the ndon life and mus-that par-s for eing1 bis► usesatls-fail. 1 his with ch Jt poorand 1 his)E.imoa, Louis I due mday wor-moan mom-*rd’s then julcur, rayer i theCAPTAIN WILLIAM PENN STEDMAN,Who captured Jefferson Davis at Irwinsville, Ga.road to Imv3nsvllle, and from a moral' as well as a military point of view, claimed precedence over us in chasing the flying chiefs of the Late confederacy.”“Here Colonel Pritchard made a point of carefully interrogating the colored man who had furnished the Irwinsville information. He learned that the trail over which Colonel Harnden and the First Wisconsin were traveling swept in a broad circle to the west of the river and was told by the negro 'that if the Fourth Michigan took what was practically a private road, close to the river, to a place called Wilcox’s mill, and then followed an old abandoned government road from Wilcox’s mill to Irwinsville, we would probabiv be able to head off Davis and cut in ahead of Colonel Harnden and the First Wisconsin.“We had an arduous task ahead of us, and our mission was now twofold. We not only wanted to capture Davis, hut in order to do it we must beat the First Wisconsin to Irwinsville. It was our understanding that Davis had an escort of about one hundred men. In order to expedite matters, get ahead of Hamden and our Wisconsin rivals, Colonel Pritchard selected 128 men of the Fourth Michigan, who were mountod on the very best horses. With these, and I was one of them, we galloped off Into darknesss, down the Ocmulgee, over Hhe blind mill road which our negro guide had pointed out. In fact, we took the colored man along under tremendous protest on his part, so as to he sure and not lose our wav.“Wo got into Irwinsville a little after midnight on the morning of the 10th of May. Then for the first time wo got definite news of Jeff Davis and his party. Our Informant in. this instance was also a negro, who didn’t know Jeff Davis from Goorge Washington, wide as tho difference was. But he described to us a party camped about half a mile and a half north of Irwinsville, which wo took to bo Davis and hU people. W.e had not only got to Irwinsville ahead of the First Wisconsin, but ahead of Jeff Davis, also.“Colonel Pritchard organized to surround Davis. He dismounted 116 men of his 128, leaving twelve men mounted. I was one of the twelve. He broke the 116 into two parties, giving Lieutenant Purrington thirty men with instructions to scout quietly around Davis to the north. Tho balance of the 110 were put under command of Adjutant Dickinson, with orders to march directly up 'he road to Davis’ camp, first giving Purrington ample time to go around tho party and gee into position beyond. This would bring Davis between Purrington and Dickinson, and all chance for escape would be cut off.“When we were established in position Colonel Pritchard ordered the twelve mounted men, and I was No. 1 of the twelve, to advance. Wo came In among the tents and wagons at trot, expecting resistance. Nobody stirred, nobody even seemed to wake up. We halted in front of tho Iwo wall tents, and then Captain Hudson of Company B, who had Immediate charge of the mounted detail of twelve, gave what struck me atand I ordered Mm back to the tent.“As we approached the tent a Swede by the name of Andrew Bee, who was a private in Company L, and' detailed as Colonel Pritchard’s cook, came up. I told him the old, bent woman was no other than Jeff Davis. s At this information Andrew Bee seemed to £et vastly excited. He rushed wildly up to Davis, tore his storm dress from him, saying:“ ‘Come out of there.’“Davis straightened up dike a piece of steel.I don’t know what shape his Indignation at Bee’s rough handling would have taken, but Colonel Pritchard rode up and ordered Bee, the impulsive, to fall back. Davis tore the hood from his head and threw it on, the ground. He shook himself free from,, the •storm dress, which Bee had only half torn off. He was fuly dressed in his own proper clothes after he got rid of the storm dress, only he had no, hat. *“ ‘What is all this?” demanded Colonel Pritchard of me as he came up.“ ‘I think it is Jeff Davis,” I said.“ ‘Are you sure?’ asked Colonel Pritchard. Then he turned to Davis.“ ‘What may I call you?’ asked ColonelPritchard of Davis.“ ‘You may call me anything you please/ answered Davis, and his tone was hard and bitter.Meanwhile Purrington and Dickinson were kicking up a great racket about a furlong over to the north with/jthe First Wisconsin, and the bullets were buzzing like bees. Colonel Pritchard, like the rest of us, supposed it was Davis’ escort making a last fight for their chief. He sent six of our mounted men over to Purrington and Dickinson and went along himself. The rest of us, with Captain Hudson, were left to guard Davis and his party.“There were twenty-seven people, all told, with Davis. Beside Jeff Davis, there were Mrs. Davis, their two children, Winnie and Jeff, jr.; Colonel Lubbock, who was an exgovernor of Texas; Colonel Johnson, the son of General Albert Sidney Johnson, who was killed at Shiloh; Lieutenant Howells, of the confederate navy; and who was also the brother of Mrs. Davis; General Reagan, afterward senator from Texas, then Davis’ postmaster-general, and Burton N. Harrison, private secretary to Davis. The rest were servants, with a few soldiers of the confederacy.“There is one circumstance which* I forgot to mention, which Illustrates the cool bravery and chivalry of Mrs. Davis: When Andrew Bee, of Company L, so rudely tore tho dress from Davis, the latter quickly reached for his hip. ready to shoot if he produced a gun. Mrs. Davis was looking out of the wall tent, not far away. As I pointed tho carbine at Davis, she sprang In between us like a flash and pushed the muzzle of the gun aside.“ ‘Don’t shoot, soldier/ she said. ‘Mr. Davis isn’t armed.’“I had no intention to shoot unless he first produced a weapon; hut in verification of Mrs. Davis' statement I might add that Davis was not armed.“After Colonel Pritchard and his six mounted men went over to investigate the sort of row Purrington and Dickinson were having, Davis turned to me and asked:“ ‘Can’t we go up there by the wagons?’“I said ‘Yes/ and the party moved out in front of the tent near to .the wagons. Davis sat down on a log. Ho sat there, with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, and appeared very much dejected. Ex-Governor Lubbock, Colonel Johnson, Lieutenant Howells and Postmaster General Reagan joined him. and said what I supposed was intended to be something encouraging. But Davis never looked up nor mado them any reply.“It was at this point that another rude, sharp interruption occurred. A private by the name of Lynch of Company A came riding up at a trot, leading Davis’ famous horse. It was a beauty and very valuble.“ ‘See here, Jeff/ said Lynch, ‘you’re not going to need this horse any more. Can’t you give him. to me?’“Ex-Governor Lubbock sprang'to his feet from where he was sitting near Davis, and simply buried the volatile Mr. Lynch under a perfect -hailstorm of curses.“ ‘You scoundrel,’ he roared, 'if I were armed I would kill you In your saddle. I would die myself before I would see my President so insulted. s“ ‘President,’ repeated Lynch, scornfully, in no wise daunted by Lubbock’s wrath. 'President? What’s be President of?’“Lynch turned and went over to one of the wagons, and took a valise, which we afterward learned was tho private property of Mrs. Davio. It contained $6,000 worth of money and jewelry. Lynch slid out in the darkness and we didn’t meet him again until about six days later, when he again joined the regiment. But the valise was gone for good.“From hero J.eff Davis'and his party wore conveyed to Fortress Monroe, whero they arrived May 19, 1865. He was confined there under heavy guard for two years. Of course I had nothing more to do with Davis after we delivered him to the authorities at Fortress Monroe.“Ho was detained in prison at tho fort for two years, and In May, 1867, he was brought before the United States circuit court at Richmond, on a charge of treason and was admitted to hail, the charge of complicity in the assassination of Abraham Lincon being dropped as there was no evidence to substantiate it. In 1868 the United States circuit court held at Richmond entered a nolle -prosequi and he was accordingly discharged.”WEBSTER BALLINGER.A STIRRING TEXT.“Woll, Uncflo Rasbury, how did you like the sermon?”- “Pow’fui fine sermon, Marse John.” “Where did the preacher take 'his text?” “From dat potion oh de scripture whar-de postol Paul pints his pistol to de .Feslcms/'-rWashington Times. V-- • - • r ‘ ' •' - .* * ■ . '4 : #• - - •* •*
Newspaper Details
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brooklyn, New York, US
Sun, Aug 23, 1896
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Richard B.
IN, USA 26 May 2019
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