[583]
his head was not on a level with Miss Howell's, but was lower.
Mr. Davis had on a black morning gown, belted at the waist, and reaching to his ankles, a shawl over his head, beard, and shoulders, and a black cloth under the shawl, covering his forehead.
They had got about six or eight rods from the tent when I, who had been watching them all the time, saw that the old woman had on boots.
I at once said to Dickinson: “See!
that is Jeff, himself!
That is no woman!
That is old Jeff Davis!”
and started on the run after them.
As I got up to them, I exclaimed: “Halt!
Damn you, you can't get any further this time!”
Mrs. Davis at that moment came running out of the tent, and when she reached Mr. Davis, she put her arms around his neck and said: “Guard!
Do not kill him!”
At the same instant Corporal Munger, of Company C, mounted, came from another direction and headed Davis.
I said to him: “Never mind, Munger, I will take care of that old gentleman myself.”
Lynch and Builard were quite near at the time.
Munger was the second man who saw and recognized Davis.
Next to Munger was Lynch, who had been foraging around near the second tent, and who had already secured Mr. Davis' bay horse, with the pistol-holsters filled with gold coin.
The only portion of the face of Mr. Davis which could be seen, when he was disguised, were the eyes and the nose, he covering the moustache, mouth, and beard with the shawl, held closed with one hand.
After Mr. Davis was halted, he did not attempt any further disguise, but soon returned to his tent.
Paw-Paw, October 15th, 1877.
Dear Sir:--Your letter, of September 28th, came to hand in due time, but I have neglected to answer it until now. You wanted a full statement of the capture of Jeff Davis, as I remembered it to be. It has been some time since the capture, but I will give you as full an account of the matter as I can. I don't know as I can give you the conversation of Davis, just as it was, but think I can give you the substance.
It was between twelve and one o'clock on the morning of May 10th, 1365, and as soon as we got within a few rods of the camp the regiment was halted and a portion was dismounted, and advanced partly around the camp, and there waited for day; and. as soon as it commenced to get light, the dismounted men charged on the camp, and the mounted men followed after.
I was among the mounted men, and as we came into camp I saw a horse that I thought was better than my own, and I stopped to exchange, Corporal George Munger stopping with me. I dismounted to change the saddle from my horse to the other.
As 5 was about to buckle the girth, I saw what I supposed to be some women leaving camp, and spoke to Munger and told him they ought to be stopped, and he rode out and halted them.
I followed after as soon as I could mount.
When Munger overtook them, Mrs. Davis turned and said: “We are going to the spring after water.”
Munger told her she would have to go back, and at the same time rode around in front of them.
Davis saw that he was caught, and threw off his shawl and waterproof.
Mrs. Davis threw her arms around his neck and said: “Don't shoot him!”
Davis said: “Let them shoot!
I might as well die here as anywhere!”
I think he asked if “there was a man among us.”
About this time Adjutant Dickinson and some others came up and took him in charge.
In regard to what he had on, as near as I can recollect, it was a waterproof skirt, and a dark shawl over his head and shoulders.
He was about twenty-five rods from camp when stopped.
I was one of the guards that went to Fortress Monroe with Davis, and from there we were ordered to Washington, where a statement of the capture was made before the Secretary of War by George Munger, Crittenden, Andrew Bee, and myself.
You will find that statement the same as this, or nearly so.
