It is laid down in our Cavalry Tactics, that, "to perfect the troopers
in conducting their horses, and in the use of their arms, they are
exercised at the running at the heads,"--of the Rebellion nowadays, be
it added. This is high and exciting drill, especially when the scene is
the pine woods of Georgia, and the "heads," not of canvas stuffed with
hay and planted on posts in the riding-ground, but of the flesh and bone
of the President and chief men of the Confederacy in flight.
As there are many curious accounts of the capture of Jefferson Davis
going the rounds of the press, it seems proper that one should appear
that is literally true, to the minutest detail; and such a one will here
be given.
The Colonel of the Fourth Michigan Horse Cavalry is Robert H. G. Minty,
an officer who has not his superior in the service, and the only one of
whom the question is urged, in and out of the army, "Why is he not among
the Generals?"--but he being in command of the Second Cavalry Division,
the command of the regiment devolved upon the Lieutenant-Colonel, B. D.
Pritchard. We had heard of the capture of Lee and the surrender of
Johnson, and knew that the fugitive "head" of the Confederacy was being
piloted across the State of Georgia. It was certain that he was in the
country south of Macon, but it was not known that he had crossed the
Ocmulgee River. General Wilson had already sent a force to scour the
left bank of that stream, and deeming it important that cavalry should
ride the right bank also, to pick up, if not Jeff himself, information
that would determine more definitely his whereabouts, ordered Colonel
Minty to furnish a regiment for that purpose, and he selected the Fourth
Michigan Cavalry. Lieutenant-Colonel Pritchard was sent for, and
received his orders with the map spread out before him, noting carefully
the fords and ferries of the river, with the roads leading to and from
them, and being enjoined to put all under the strictest watch, unless he
got information of Davis having crossed the river, in which case he was
to exercise his own judgment in pursuing him. How happily that energetic
officer carried out his orders the sequel shows.
All cavalry movements commence with the "Bugle Call"; and on the seventh
of May, at eight o'clock, P. M., the "General" sounded in our camp.
Tents were thereupon struck, saddles packed, and full preparations made
to march. A half-hour later "Boots and Saddles" rang out, and speedily
followed, "To Horse"; then there was mounting with deliberate haste "the
steed" or mule, and the "mustering squadrons" went pouring forward in
the moonlight, on their night's march. Our course was to Hawkinsville, a
village on the bank of the Ocmulgee River. The air was warm, the roads
very dusty, and towards morning there were gathering signs of rain. The
country passed over was nearly a pine barren, thinly inhabited, but
showing some, though very few, good plantations.
A little after daylight we halted to rest the men and horses, and feed.
Corn was got from a plantation-crib near; and while the horses fed, the
men busied themselves with their own breakfasts or stretched themselves
out to sleep. At eight o'clock it began to rain, a warm, welcome rain,
that laid the dust that was so suffocating even under the night-air.
After noon we set out again, and, passing through Hawkinsville, we
bivouacked for the night about three miles beyond, having travelled
since we left Macon fifty odd miles. The rain fell in torrents,
accompanied by thunder and lightning, which, by the way, gave rise to
an occurrence that illustrates to what little accidents oftentimes men
may owe the preservation of their lives. Lieutenant Fisk had thought to
pitch his tent at the foot of a proud pine, but observing the ground
dished at that point, he chose a spot a few feet distant, which was a
little higher, and hitched his horse to the tree. In the night a
thunderbolt rived the pine, killing the horse, but the Lieutenant
escaped without injury.
At five o'clock, A. M., on the 9th, we resumed our march on the road to
Abbeville, passing through the like stretch of pine country, and reached
that delectable town about three o'clock, P. M. Here we fortunately
struck the trail of the fugitive "Head." Lieutenant-Colonel Harnden,
commanding the First Wisconsin Cavalry, had left Macon on the 6th of
May, the day before ourselves, moving south, to the left of the
Ocmulgee, and having got on the track of a train of wagons and
ambulances that was proceeding westward, he diligently followed it,
making forced marches to Brown's Ferry on the Ocmulgee, and crossing the
river got into Abbeville a few hours before us, where he waited to meet
Pritchard, and inform him of his pursuit of the train. He said, however,
that he did not think Davis was with it, as it was reported that he
travelled by himself,--which, as we learned after the capture, was the
fact,--but that he thought Mrs. Davis was, as the people told him there
was a lady-like woman with the wagons. Harnden had but seventy-five men
with him, and Pritchard tendered him an additional force, if he thought
himself unable to cope with the train, in case he overtook it; but the
proffered aid was declined, and the officers then parted, Harnden
expressing his purpose to pursue the direct road to Irwinville, as the
train had taken that route, and would make that point that night,--and
it did in fact camp within four miles of Irwinville, and within two of
Jeff Davis.
Pritchard, after parting with Harnden, sent a strong picket to the
ferry, and then resumed his march on the river-road. About three miles
from Abbeville he found a negro watching his master's broken-down wagon.
From him he learned some interesting particulars concerning the train
which Harnden was pursuing, and which had crossed the ferry the night
before,--among them this: that, when the party with the train came to
pay the ferryman, the latter went to strike a light, which the former
forbade, saying that they could pay well enough without a light, and in
fact did pay him a ten-dollar gold-piece and a ten-dollar Confederate
note,--a circumstance, which, with other things, made Pritchard believe
that Davis crossed the river with the train. He also learned that the
river-road was intersected at Wilcox's Mills by a cross-road leading to
Irwinville; and as Davis appeared to be in the habit of travelling away
from the train, it seemed not improbable that he might be found on a
road parallel to the one the train was following. Accordingly, that
nothing on his part should be left undone to effect the capture of the
fugitive, he selected thirteen of the best-mounted men from each company
of his command, and determined with them to follow the road to
Irwinville, at which point, if Davis should not be fallen in with on the
way, he could communicate again with Harnden. Captain Hathaway, in
command of the remainder of the force, was left at Abbeville, with
orders to patrol and picket the river.
All things being arranged, we pushed rapidly for Irwinville. This was
also a beautiful moonlight night. The dust having been laid by the rain,
and the air bracing, the horses stepped out at a free and steady pace,
that brought us to our destination about two o'clock, A. M., of the
10th, but neither finding Davis on the road, nor, to our surprise, the
Wisconsin regiment in the town. Without any unnecessary disturbance, we
halted to gather information,--the men, meanwhile, sliding from their
horses, to catch, for the moment, a bit of sleep. In the midst of this
quiet a woman began to scream, and an officer near went to learn the
cause. She complained that some of the men, "Burners," had got into her
smoke-house and were appropriating her hams. This was speedily
rectified, but not her disposition to talk and scream. She said,
"There's a camp of our men out there, two hundred of them, and they will
pay you'ns for pestering me!" And she screamed as if she would alarm the
camp. About this time, a negro boy belonging to the woman was pulled out
of bed, and having "allowed" that he knew of this camp, and had been to
it, he was promptly taken to the head of the column to serve as a guide.
Pritchard, convinced that he had found Davis's camp, and determined to
make sure of his capture, sent Lieutenant Purinton with twenty-five
dismounted men to gain the other side of it, in order to prevent escape
in that direction when he should charge in from this side; he also moved
his command forward about a mile, and then quietly waited for day to
break. The realization that we were near to, and probably would seize,
the head of the Confederacy, and thus destroy at once the political
organization and rallying-point of the thing, made us all tremble with
anxiety. To put the finishing stroke to the Rebellion was our high duty,
and would be a crowning proof and act of patriotism. At this time we
knew nothing of the reward for the apprehension of Davis; we knew only
that he was the chief man of our country's enemies, and we were resolved
that none should blame us if we failed to capture or kill him.
At daybreak the order was passed in a whisper to make ready to enter the
camp. The men were alive to the work. Mounting their horses, the column
moved at a walk until the tents came in sight, and then at the word
dashed in. The camp was found pitched on both sides of the road. On the
left hand, as we entered, were wagons, horses, tents, and men; on the
right were two wall-tents, fronting from the road. All was quiet in the
camp. We encountered no guards: if there were any out, they must have
been asleep. The order of the force entering the camp should perhaps be
given. Captain Hudson commanded the advance guard; Lieutenant Stauber
followed, with a detachment of the First Battalion; next, Lieutenant
Boutell, with one of the Second Battalion; and Lieutenant Bennett
brought up the rear guard. The force in advance of Lieutenant Boutell,
immediately on entering the camp, dispersed among the tents on the left
of the road. Some of his men rode to the tents on the right of the road,
among them private James H. Lynch, of Company C,--it is well, for good
reasons, to mention the names of the enlisted men,--who, seeing a horse
saddled and bridled, with holsters and travelling-bag, held by a black
man in front of one of the tents, at once clapped the muzzle of his
Spencer to the head of the "boy," and secured the animal. This was
Davis's well-trained and fleetest saddle-horse, which Lynch, who was in
Richmond when the war broke out, and came and joined us at
Murfreesborough after the Battle of Stone River, claims to have
recognized.
Scarcely had this horse been secured, when firing was heard down the
road, in the direction of Purinton. Pritchard instantly gave the order
to advance, and Lieutenant Boutell, who had continued on horseback in
the road, holding his men mainly in hand for any emergency that might
arise, promptly obeyed, and, crossing a slough of mud and water, swept
towards the firing, and was greeted with a volley that killed two of his
men and severely wounded himself in the left arm. He had been previously
wounded in the right arm in the Atlanta campaign. He, however, quickly
formed his men for fight, uniting them with those under Purinton, and
for a few minutes a decidedly earnest conflict was waged, when a man by
the name of Wright, Sergeant of Company A, discovering that our
opponents wore the blue uniform, and divining that they must be the
Wisconsin regiment, ran, swinging his hat, over to them, and stopped the
firing,--an act of cool bravery, that saved, without doubt, many lives.
The fight originated from the party of Lieutenant Purinton coming in
contact with the advance of the Wisconsin force, which was in motion
towards the Davis camp. It was in charge of a Sergeant, who was halted
by Purinton, and answered, "Friends."--"Advance," returned
Purinton.--But the Sergeant, believing that he had met an enemy, wheeled
his men and fled, but soon returned with the rest of Harnden's force. As
he wheeled, Purinton's men fired. The Lieutenant, when he halted the
Sergeant, stood out in the road; but the distance between the parties
and the darkness prevented a recognition. And here let it be observed,
in answer to who may complain of Lieutenant-Colonel Pritchard's action
in this matter that, while he could not foresee all the contingencies
that might arise, he certainly took all reasonable precaution to avoid
any accidental conflict between the two commands, both for safety and
the success of the enterprise. His orders to Lieutenant Purinton were,
to be certain of the character of any party he might meet before
firing,--telling him, what was generally understood throughout the
command, that Lieutenant-Colonel Harnden was probably on that
road,--which orders the Lieutenant did his best to carry out.
But however Pritchard's arrangements may be cavilled at, they certainly
secured the capture of Davis. For the Wisconsin force, coming in the
direction it did, could hardly have crossed the body of mud and water
that lay between it and Davis without alarming him, and affording him
time to mount his horse, kept, as we found, ready saddled and bridled
for flight, and to escape into the woods surrounding the camp. But by
Pritchard's movement, Davis was not alarmed in season; and when he
discovered his horse out of his power, he sought to escape by stratagem.
That he had relied upon his horse for safety is evident from the fact
that his arms and money (gold) were on the saddle.
Andrew Bee, a private of Company L, went to the entrance of Davis's
tent, and was met by Mrs. Davis, "bareheaded and barefoot," as he
describes her, who, putting her hand on his arm, said,--
"Please, don't go in there, till my daughter gets herself dressed!"
Andrew thereupon drew back, and in a few minutes a young lady (Miss
Howell) and another person, bent over as with age, wearing a lady's
"water-proof," gathered at the waist, with a shawl drawn over the head,
and carrying a tin pail, appear and ask to go to "the run" for water.
Mrs. Davis also appears and says,--
"For God's sake, let my old mother go to get some water!"
No objections being made, they passed out. But sharp eyes were upon the
singular-looking "old mother." Suddenly, Corporal Munyer, of Company C,
and others at the same instant, discovered that the "old mother" was
wearing very heavy boots for an aged female, and the Corporal
exclaimed,--
"That is not a woman! Don't you see the boots?"--and, spurring his horse
forward and cocking his carbine, compelled the withdrawal of the shawl,
and disclosed Jeff Davis.
As if stung by this discovery of his unmanliness, Jeff struck an
attitude, and cried out,--
"Is there a man among you? If there is, let me see him!"
"Yes," said the Corporal, "I am one; and if you stir, I will blow your
brains out!"
"I know my fate," said Davis, "and might as well die here."
But his wife threw her arms around his neck, and kept herself between
him and the threatening Corporal.
No harm, however, was done him, and he was generally kindly spoken to:
he was only stripped of his female attire.
As a man, he was dressed in a complete suit of gray, a light felt hat,
and high cavalry boots, with a gray beard of about six weeks' growth
covering his face.
He said he thought that our Government was too magnanimous to hunt women
and children that way.
When Colonel Pritchard told him that he would do the best he could for
his comfort, he answered,--
"I ask no favors of you."
To which surly reply the Colonel courteously responded by assuring him
of kind treatment.
Arrangements were forthwith made to return to Macon. The dead and
wounded were gathered up with far different feelings from those with
which we were wont to perform such sad duties, as the conviction that we
had been fighting our brothers struck a chill into the hearts alike of
officers and men. The dead were borne to Abbeville, and there tenderly
buried; the wounded were carried through with every attention to Macon,
full rations being allotted to them from Jeff's wines and other
"amenities" captured.
The prisoners having finished the breakfast which their servants were
allowed to prepare for them, we, joyful at our success, though saddened
by the price so cruelly exacted, took up the line of march for Macon.
Lieutenant-Colonel Harnden and his tired 'boys,' sharing in the general
feeling, led the way.
Mrs. Davis was very watchful lest some disrespect should be shown her
husband. She assumed the responsibility of the disguise, saying she put
the clothing on the "President." She complained that the guard kept
their guns cocked; but when it was explained to her that the Spencer
carbine was for safety carried at half-cock, she seemed content. In
personal appearance she is nearly the opposite of her husband, who is a
man wearing an ill expression of countenance, slim, spare, and under six
feet, while she is quite fair and of good size. On the road both Mr. and
Mrs. Davis were at times seen in tears. She read the Bible to him, and
he regularly asked a blessing over their meals. We "Vandals," as he so
often proclaimed us to be, did not disturb him. There were men among his
captors who had been prisoners at Andersonville, but they spoke of him
without malice; they only asked for justice, as they recalled their
fearful experience. Davis recognized and claimed the horse Private Lynch
had seized, and when he pleased, was permitted to ride him.
The members of Davis's staff submitted with better grace than he to the
capture and march, and were generally quite communicative; but when
speaking to Jeff, they removed their hats, and addressed him as
"President Davis." The most interesting individual of the captured party
was James H. Brooks, a little mulatto boy, about the size of Davis's
son, who was his playmate. The little fellow readily affiliated with the
Yankees, and became quite a pet.
About dusk of this day, the 10th of May, we reached Abbeville, where
Captain Hathaway's detachment joined us.
The news of Davis's capture spread like wildfire. The country people
came in great crowds to see him;--he did not show himself, however,
usually avoiding the sight of those who flocked to him. We did not
understand that the people had come to sympathize with him, or to do him
honor, but only that they were simply seeking to gratify their
curiosity. To us they expressed exultation at his capture and the
prospect of peace.
The day we reached Hawkinsville we met a reinforcement coming out from
Macon to join us. The brigade band accompanied it, and was drawn up
beside the road to play "Yankee Doodle" as we passed; but so eager were
the performers to see Davis, that they forgot their music, and the tune
came to a laughable break-down. Immediately after, they struck up "Old
John Brown," the boys putting in the words,
"And we'll hang Jeff Davis on a sour-apple-tree,"
with gusto,--which so affected him that he pulled down the curtain of
his ambulance. This force also brought out President Johnson's
proclamation of a reward for the capture we had already made. Reagan was
the first of the prisoners to read it, and he then handed it to Davis.
After this the party seemed to be more cast down.
It should be mentioned, that, in addition to the detachments under
Lieutenant-Colonels Harnden and Pritchard, there was a force sent out
under Colonel Rowland to patrol the left bank of the Flint River, so as
to make certain of Davis's capture, if he should conclude the forces on
the banks of the Ocmulgee. It will be observed that he was captured in
the country between the two rivers, not far from the Ocmulgee.
Without any mishap, from the time of the capture to the end of the
journey, save the breaking down of the ambulance, the loss of which was
supplied by the pressing of a carriage for Davis's convenience, we
arrived at Macon on the evening of the 13th, in triumph; and the bugle
thereupon sounding the "Recall," the great drill of "Running at the
Heads" ended, and the troopers were dispersed to their quarters.