tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68517622005929057782024-03-17T19:58:49.389-07:00 DAVIS'S WIFE OUTS HIM AS A COWARD.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851762200592905778.post-84635201949694136232014-12-13T10:26:00.228-08:002024-03-16T16:07:46.446-07:00IF NOT FOR VARINA DAVIS'S LETTER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 32pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> "I SAID IT WAS MY MOTHER“</b></span></span></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;"> " I SAID IT WAS MY MOTHER " </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlF8vhoOqUiaw0cX7E5UwJ4Q3TZOWcIr5ucFSm4vbJBdS2NP2ChfQ0DEGuwXII6lYF4Iz4qKSykygkU9RimhivrMVyMwMM7hh9QF4uAUpTwNkK-y6jespf7k1nmWvZPskypDzBA5XqtzM/w638-h354/Varina+I+said+it+was+my+mother+better.jpg" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 400;" width="638" /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;"><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Above: Part of Varina Davis's letter to her friends, the Blairs. Varina tells her friends to destroy the letter.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If not for Varina's letter -- and her book -- reasonable men could disagree if Davis was a coward.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">It was not the dress that was cowardly -- that was smart. It was Davis running away as bullets flew -- already dressed in his wife's clothes. His children were in danger.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">He wife was in danger.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">She wrote -- in the letter -- to destroy it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Varina even wrote why they should destroy it -- it would bring shame upon Davis.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #0b5394;"><b>The Blairs did not destroy her letter.</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwm-0y5XTbejdMxUDBaIiImO6S-BNlKT78wdm17z7XEhRQ-XAs8LyMwXXmMpwZ72kervnOgDPEXwhlWVPt_c6HKmu64dHIa4mT9e6MxVBBW-YW3MX3E6_BO508cMIoyxMSYbS5XM38nXdgYfKnG5EhFmS0OexrxWT-JCAfzU5BbhRhTwldY6iSzLfbDPI/s400/Davis%20wife%20Varina%20book%20title%20force%20assailants%20front%20page%20Jefferson%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="400" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwm-0y5XTbejdMxUDBaIiImO6S-BNlKT78wdm17z7XEhRQ-XAs8LyMwXXmMpwZ72kervnOgDPEXwhlWVPt_c6HKmu64dHIa4mT9e6MxVBBW-YW3MX3E6_BO508cMIoyxMSYbS5XM38nXdgYfKnG5EhFmS0OexrxWT-JCAfzU5BbhRhTwldY6iSzLfbDPI/w640-h408/Davis%20wife%20Varina%20book%20title%20force%20assailants%20front%20page%20Jefferson%202.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Hind; font-size: large;">VARINA DAVIS BOOK ABOUT JEFF DAVIS<br />VARINA REFUSED TO LIE FOR DAVIS.<br /><br />______________________________________________<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">In her book about Davis, Varina reveals many things. <br /><br />One of those being Davis speaking to her in front of a group in Richmond, as Davis was getting ready to flee from Richmond.<br /><br />Davis, who loved to act macho -- told her to force assailants "to kill you."<br /><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><br />Think of that - "force your assailants to kill you"</span><br /><br />He was really speaking to the the crowd -- the inference was -- he would of course not surrender either. He would force the enemy to kill him. Macho man Davis.<br /><br />Varina -- according to Union soldiers -- all of whom greatly admired her the rest of her life! - was the brave one.<br /><br />Varina jumped in front of Davis as Davis (dressed as a woman) stood motionless, face down. The soldiers were wearing at him, telling him to identify his/her self or they would blow his +++ head off. (Varina was offended by the cursing, and said so)<br /><br />It was at that moment -- read her letter!-- that Varina said to shoot her -- meaning Varina!-- shoot her, but leave her "mother alone!"<br /><br />Davis would soon berate Varina - according to a witness - blame her for them being captured. Never mind she just saved his life.<br /><br style="font-family: Hind; font-size: x-large;" /><span style="font-family: Hind; font-size: x-large;">______________________________________________</span><br /><br />Why should Varina kill herself rather than surrender? <br /><br />Davis explained why.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #cc0000;">Jeff Davis</span><span style="background-color: #0b5394;"> said "For a Davis to surrender would bring shame upon the South."</span></span></div></span><span style="background-color: #073763; color: white;"><br /><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5amHlkLZEyG9gQ54FKzcPZfbwBEaKo9qaI142j41zFQOZ_BG4CVCJNPNfFrNoKZdHtZULo_HgPwIjWPzOVkNWEjOI0t2JkuQ9BoJYM2Gb_OQijbuvRhxoW3D4MQrex41goZcemU0qrCTQNshj9jFE_CEXMA4WUnPpGzX7vgwMvtDqRmtGL04Pir0lCs/s589/Varina%20book%20Davis.JPG" style="clear: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="589" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5amHlkLZEyG9gQ54FKzcPZfbwBEaKo9qaI142j41zFQOZ_BG4CVCJNPNfFrNoKZdHtZULo_HgPwIjWPzOVkNWEjOI0t2JkuQ9BoJYM2Gb_OQijbuvRhxoW3D4MQrex41goZcemU0qrCTQNshj9jFE_CEXMA4WUnPpGzX7vgwMvtDqRmtGL04Pir0lCs/w640-h260/Varina%20book%20Davis.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Varina -- in a letter to the Blaire Family, told them Davis ran away when the Union troops came near, and when bullets' flew.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>It's important to know -- Varina, though she writes to spare Davis embarrassment - was truthful to her friends, the Blairs. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><blockquote><blockquote>It's also important to know -- that Varina's version of Davis actions are the same as Union reports. </blockquote></blockquote></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Union officers all wrote reports, (see below) and Varina unknowingly confirmed almost every detail of those reports.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>So, that those who claim the Union officer's lied about Davis cowardice and wearing her dress -- have never dared mention Varina's account is in sync with the officers.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Those who claim Northern papers made up lies about a brave man - that is not accurate either.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>_______________________________</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>That was not some "Yankee newspaper."</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>It was Southern newspapers who first broke the story of Davis running away in a dress --not "Yankee" papers.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>_______________________________</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;">WHEN DID HE PUT THE DRESS ON?</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Apparently Davis was already wearing her dress -- as noted by Jeff Davis's own nephew, who apologized for helping Davis put on her dress.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>You do not instantly put on a woman's dress the moment you hear gun fire. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br />Davis was in an entirely different group the day before -- Davis met up with Varina's group for some reason. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b> Some have wondered if he connected with her - because he had a better chance of passing the many road blocks set up by Union Army.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>It was a smart move - really, to be with Varina -- maybe he could maybe fit in, by disguise-- and maybe get through road blocks.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;">THE DRESS WAS NOT COWARDLY</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Davis wearing a dress was not cowardly - in fact it was smart. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>There were only a few suitable dirt roads in the whole state, and Davis entourage had estimated six wagons, almost 30 horses, and tons of equipment. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Some forty adults, and four children. Three slaves to attend Davis and Varina.<br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Union troops had Davis locked in -- apparently, front and back. He could not -- he would never -- fight his way out. Davis had never been in an actual battle anyway. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Cowardly part was that as shots were fired, Davis did not pause - he was ready.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;">OBSESSED TO SHOW <br />HE WAS BRAVE IN OWN CLOTHES</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Davis -- according to his biographer--was "obsessed" the rest of his life to prove he was not a coward that day.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>That biographer believed Davis.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>But Davis was a coward that day, as Varina would document. Again, not for the dress, but for telling his wife to get herself killed</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>then running away as his wife and children were in danger.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>________________________</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: #0b5394;">WHAT WOULD LINCOLN DO </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>No one alive, then now or ever, would think Lincoln would dress like a woman, run away in a dress, while his wife and children were in danger.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Lincoln - at Fort Stevens, July 14, 1864 stood tall as he watched Confederate forces approach Washinton DC.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>The man next to him -- almost as tall as Lincoln, was shot by rifle fire -- through the head. Lincoln did not flinch. Lincoln remained standing. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>__________________________</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>Varina Davis, wife of Jeff Davis, is hated by many in </b><span><b>Virginia</b></span><b>, even today. </b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>For example, </b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Virginia Historical Encyclopedia trashes Varina -- calls her essentially ugly, ill-suited, and suggests she was stupid. </b> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>It is quite unlike a "History Encyclopedia" to trash any "first lady" -- and it takes a while to learn why of COURSE they would trash Varina.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Because Varina told the truth -- embarrassing truth-- about her husband.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">______________________________________</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">SHE SPENT TIME IN THE NORTH!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Virginia Historical Encyclopedia journal trashed Varina this way:</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">✔️</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> Trashed Varina's appearance</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">✔️</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Trashed Varina's intelligence</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">✔️</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">In</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">sulted her father</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">✔️</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Claimed Varina "Spent time in the North</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">" </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"></span></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Remember, the Virginia Historical society dreamed up this attack 60 years later. None of them ever knew her.</span></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> Yet they blamed her for "living in the North" is a vile deception.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">She lived with DAVIS - in the North!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Varina lived in the North with Jeff Davis -- obeying him, catering to him, and having his children. But the encylopdeia folks needed to hate her anyway.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">As for the slam she was not attractive -- </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">She was actually very attractive in her youth, and exceptionally smart. Davis was much older - an ugly sick looking cross man of bad temperament. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> He chased Varina, not the other way around, after his first wife died.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">__________________________________</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>As US soldiers surrounded Davis at gun point, pointing revolvers at his head -- Varina jumped in front of Davis!</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">It was at that moment</span> - when US soldiers promised Davis they would blow his head off if he did not identify himself --<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> that Varina jumped in from of him- - and said "Leave her alone-- she is my mother"</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">The Blairs did not destroy all of the letter -- out of twenty pages, eight remained. </b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> It's impossible to know what's on the pages the family destroyed. Maybe the family did throw away the more embarrassing things. </b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">But there is plenty in her letter. And plenty in her book.</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">________________________________</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">DONATED TO LIBRARY OF CONGRESS</b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> The Blair children, in 1910, donated those 8 pages to Library of Congress--you can visit them in person, to this day</b></div><div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #990000; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiId7EovMKsOl88X5SemN5xlJhPXr1aGIbB6Szc4nGXwS21CbB-P4t39IF9c_LdVoPVqoN8Umr2rQebRFijE7hs9wJuEoij2OJroqcy813nWM7P5Tc9mLiJAobzlBzNUbPqg3FpTcAJJn1QqPB1AeSWpbjxMKR2xNYMrrYqc12At2DS1SelTrnEMqpGq30/s300/Letter%20page%203%20i%20think%20Varina.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="193" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiId7EovMKsOl88X5SemN5xlJhPXr1aGIbB6Szc4nGXwS21CbB-P4t39IF9c_LdVoPVqoN8Umr2rQebRFijE7hs9wJuEoij2OJroqcy813nWM7P5Tc9mLiJAobzlBzNUbPqg3FpTcAJJn1QqPB1AeSWpbjxMKR2xNYMrrYqc12At2DS1SelTrnEMqpGq30/s1600/Letter%20page%203%20i%20think%20Varina.gif" width="193" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #990000; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThX06-2BI26ilgCG8OhZr3Nv1EFjwgfpgyNWqfDbRDp2JMJ92Z-bAddtd-1Nhp12HyuezV6kHfKzNjQLMuIlIEIlLi3N465jW67s_a8aUcCb4kmXNm5tN5lX2oQolsUm_oI9gAXnEvsecXIg2p-11WRBSwbVIsFevMughaY8tpGz0bu3-W9kI3dm5N4M/s400/Varina%20letter%208%20pages2.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="400" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThX06-2BI26ilgCG8OhZr3Nv1EFjwgfpgyNWqfDbRDp2JMJ92Z-bAddtd-1Nhp12HyuezV6kHfKzNjQLMuIlIEIlLi3N465jW67s_a8aUcCb4kmXNm5tN5lX2oQolsUm_oI9gAXnEvsecXIg2p-11WRBSwbVIsFevMughaY8tpGz0bu3-W9kI3dm5N4M/s320/Varina%20letter%208%20pages2.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #990000; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DmM5TKSfzRbJ8NaNHM80WhsE2vuVwIR_WIsdDnlmw1mLLxbE6Z_QMYt9gy1U3-xZKUJDGk7G89q-PYyLh6q5dD6pEhHDQzUDb8k6TOqD4u6nVr2-qVR4d_BsWY2kJRgD-KQxYJYyeBo-p8zX3vm_-WjjCF_ivrwCexRrJLlK4MbQ1dFn8dstAl1CW30/s300/Varina%20not%20sure%20which%20page.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="192" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DmM5TKSfzRbJ8NaNHM80WhsE2vuVwIR_WIsdDnlmw1mLLxbE6Z_QMYt9gy1U3-xZKUJDGk7G89q-PYyLh6q5dD6pEhHDQzUDb8k6TOqD4u6nVr2-qVR4d_BsWY2kJRgD-KQxYJYyeBo-p8zX3vm_-WjjCF_ivrwCexRrJLlK4MbQ1dFn8dstAl1CW30/s1600/Varina%20not%20sure%20which%20page.gif" width="192" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #990000; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">In a public dinner in Washington DC, 1916* the Blair children, </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">now old themselves, explained they all knew it was an open secret for the three years that Varina lived with the Blairs ---that Davis ran away in his wife's dress.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><blockquote style="background-color: #b45f06;">"For a Davis to be taken alive would bring shame upon the South."</blockquote></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="color: #073763; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">.</b></div><br /></span><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">______________________________________</span></b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">If not for Varina's letter to the Blair's, specifically the sentence <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">"I said it was my mother,"</span> South/ Davis apologists could have fooled future generations. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Or even believe it themselves.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Naturally, Davis's supporters claim US soldiers lied, and newspapers lied. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xxx-large;">___________</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>STRANGER THAN FICTION</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>When the Union soldiers allowed Davis and his wife and a slave to enter a tent for him to change.....</b>.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> --Varina emerged wearing the dress -- <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">the very dress- - Davis had taken off.</span></b></span></span><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> So reported the Union officer in charge. He did not make a big deal of it -- just a line in his report.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Varina put on her dress -- the dress Davis had just taken off. Likely to prevent the Union soldiers from taking it as a </b><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">souvenir. Varina wrote that the Union soldiers scavenged (stole) assorted items from Davis's wagons.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Those details are in the Union reports.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xxx-large;">_____________________</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> Union soldiers reports below.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">_____________________</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: #ffa400;"><blockquote><b style="background-color: transparent; font-size: xx-large;">Davis Obsession -- </b></blockquote></b></span></blockquote></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">Davis was obsessed after his capture to prove he did not wear his wife's dress.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">To that end -- Davis had these pictures taken later -- and donated the pictures and the clothes<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> he claimed to have worn during capture to the </span>"Confederate Museum" where all of it is proudly shown to the public.</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Of course that proves nothing. But generations of deluded Davis supporters buy those pictures as truth. Never mind pictures taken years later -- of clothing he gave them -- proves anything.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlaydICiYOJnk6i0Ac8_Uqbq6GQKab6_nQVYAfSqSWeUnMs_ZSzMb-C3tb0BJ7gOOMbbpwwcIjo5a_jML2nPRKq-fv2eQapTRyY-gu-KkBWLo2hVjFYW7Xf0SiodLzl2skAW_dOI5szw/s1600/Suit+Davis.PNG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlaydICiYOJnk6i0Ac8_Uqbq6GQKab6_nQVYAfSqSWeUnMs_ZSzMb-C3tb0BJ7gOOMbbpwwcIjo5a_jML2nPRKq-fv2eQapTRyY-gu-KkBWLo2hVjFYW7Xf0SiodLzl2skAW_dOI5szw/s640/Suit+Davis.PNG" width="434" /></span></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Davis claimed these were his exact clothes -- at the moment of capture. Utter nonsense. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Does that look like Varina's mother?</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b> Remember Davis wanted those staged photos to prove he was not in a dress.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>_______________________________</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>VARINA'S LETTER</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>AT HOME IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>SINCE 1910.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3U0NVvlrP8rN6MS40VC9MrCPNhJu6D0gaVqzBMNdI5yWCJycEV9RK4xYbDlElyt6WMaUkPTGojwozRqmX0Oek3PHplHoIz9U86dLN6RJvKN-qySkPzS3RK9vYumWyQ8w6EKRsho7uHY/s400/Varina+letter+8+pages2.PNG" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="400" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3U0NVvlrP8rN6MS40VC9MrCPNhJu6D0gaVqzBMNdI5yWCJycEV9RK4xYbDlElyt6WMaUkPTGojwozRqmX0Oek3PHplHoIz9U86dLN6RJvKN-qySkPzS3RK9vYumWyQ8w6EKRsho7uHY/w640-h520/Varina+letter+8+pages2.PNG" width="640" /></span></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">___________________________</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizB6QxR7eXhMjdpGtD1jj60q22wJpjhlJGOg_eggEB0Dg4R219OhGUFiX69kbsMabA_8Q0GuRZTwzshzFcKOvS3VN_kVLEE8lP_QAwDm2glmFk3BLJvfTPRAN8O6CzB8-3bHPQ49DCkmW_U8EcRL-oOGalg9QsXMVDwi-ZnFeCRsmhu2qvCG1ZnyzW/s350/Keckley%20book.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="233" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizB6QxR7eXhMjdpGtD1jj60q22wJpjhlJGOg_eggEB0Dg4R219OhGUFiX69kbsMabA_8Q0GuRZTwzshzFcKOvS3VN_kVLEE8lP_QAwDm2glmFk3BLJvfTPRAN8O6CzB8-3bHPQ49DCkmW_U8EcRL-oOGalg9QsXMVDwi-ZnFeCRsmhu2qvCG1ZnyzW/w426-h640/Keckley%20book.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>THANKS TO ELIZABETH KECKLEY</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><blockquote><span style="color: #073763;"> I never heard of the rumor that Davis wore a dress, until I read Keckley's autobiography. </span></blockquote><p><br /></p><blockquote><span style="color: #073763;">That is how I got interested in Jeff Davis's "dress" and cowardice.</span></blockquote></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Keckley of course could not confirm that Davis wore his wife's dress the day of capture -- but she did confirm the dress shown in Chicago, said to be Varina's dress, was her work. </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Keckley only mentioned that dress -- and meeting Varina and Jeff Davis, briefly. She did confirm the dress she saw in Chicago, put on display, was a dress she made for Varina. She could tell by the stichting. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>She made no assumption if Davis wore it -- it would be stupid to wear a fancy dress made for formal dances, in the woods But it was a dress she made.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: x-large;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">_________________________________</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">__________________________</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/mcc.005/"><span style="font-family: arial;">LINK TO VARINAS LETTER </span></a><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8waYE4qKbpEV9dTZn6LTJpqoB-S7b6RDYUy-6VZ_HTaE-cr6Q1bB8iH93NQb2308HB35KdGnBB1PYTokvxifeSOPWYvmM0U8nC4QYRJ-DSWpX4ByY7OHYPabIz53Ghoa634azxckP1hY/s300/Letter+page+3+i+think+Varina.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8waYE4qKbpEV9dTZn6LTJpqoB-S7b6RDYUy-6VZ_HTaE-cr6Q1bB8iH93NQb2308HB35KdGnBB1PYTokvxifeSOPWYvmM0U8nC4QYRJ-DSWpX4ByY7OHYPabIz53Ghoa634azxckP1hY/s0/Letter+page+3+i+think+Varina.gif" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3U0NVvlrP8rN6MS40VC9MrCPNhJu6D0gaVqzBMNdI5yWCJycEV9RK4xYbDlElyt6WMaUkPTGojwozRqmX0Oek3PHplHoIz9U86dLN6RJvKN-qySkPzS3RK9vYumWyQ8w6EKRsho7uHY/s400/Varina+letter+8+pages2.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="400" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3U0NVvlrP8rN6MS40VC9MrCPNhJu6D0gaVqzBMNdI5yWCJycEV9RK4xYbDlElyt6WMaUkPTGojwozRqmX0Oek3PHplHoIz9U86dLN6RJvKN-qySkPzS3RK9vYumWyQ8w6EKRsho7uHY/w640-h520/Varina+letter+8+pages2.PNG" width="640" /></a></div></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">____________________</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0IgZihS0TCrnl5J9im9iplfclGWFSDluJ5KQ00gxUyFo0Tn2cm0W2qywQhUKu-wG4-5MV6q0zFh3cmkC_0rMZVmk4SXMyE6GL7hFekWGYHOchphzbRitTU_hOKfOBOZQxLz2L4rVWF4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="460" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0IgZihS0TCrnl5J9im9iplfclGWFSDluJ5KQ00gxUyFo0Tn2cm0W2qywQhUKu-wG4-5MV6q0zFh3cmkC_0rMZVmk4SXMyE6GL7hFekWGYHOchphzbRitTU_hOKfOBOZQxLz2L4rVWF4/w568-h640/image.png" width="568" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: x-large;"><b>"NEWSPAPER THING?"</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large;"> <b style="color: #990000;">_________________________________</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #660000;"><b>THE HOOP SKIRT DODGE</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">When asked in New York later about the dress (she moved to NYC) Varina would typically smile, and say "Mr. Davis did not wear a hoop skirt."</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Famous cartoons of the time, in jest, drew Davis in a formal dress. </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="background-color: #fcff01; font-size: x-large;"><blockquote>Of course no one claimed he wore a hoop skirt-- a formal very large dress worn only at the most fancy events. Always being in polite company, people smiled, and did not bother her further. She did not lie -- he did not wear a hoopskirt while trying to escape Union troops,</blockquote><p><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large;"> </span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">_________________________________</b> </p></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">IT WAS SOUTHERN PAPERS WHO FIRST REPORTED DAVIS COWARDICE</b></div><p><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><i><span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;">The "dress story" was not made up by Northern papers. </span></i></b></p><p><br /></p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">From North Carolina paper...</span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4UYYzDsiNFzBKv1LxuByzj-iUbXLsKsQxjxEC79QPzf09990Dn_Vfn1zvY4a4msOFtmm2gIolGrLC9H_63F-O4MKz7uioIpT9QWiz5qunQNmJj9HRbPRx04CWANy_LAfNhyphenhyphen8YJuMnuM/s1600/Davis+in+dress+North+Carolina+paper+May+1865.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4UYYzDsiNFzBKv1LxuByzj-iUbXLsKsQxjxEC79QPzf09990Dn_Vfn1zvY4a4msOFtmm2gIolGrLC9H_63F-O4MKz7uioIpT9QWiz5qunQNmJj9HRbPRx04CWANy_LAfNhyphenhyphen8YJuMnuM/s1600/Davis+in+dress+North+Carolina+paper+May+1865.JPG" width="275" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This bit of comedy was in a North Carolina paper, too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFRn8RvMCZ0FMYtNx8kpL6j1124Nj_828AtS43kebH40rtn96luQVavlSE4zQJ9Dvk9Zehea7g1blKFKRTbU6fq_5LKYgcJAhYqjd3yV73qyN5-O6eQaltZw53f7MOlmQAXNccw_ZAEQ/s1600/North+Carolina+paper+joke+about+Jeff+Davis+captivating.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFRn8RvMCZ0FMYtNx8kpL6j1124Nj_828AtS43kebH40rtn96luQVavlSE4zQJ9Dvk9Zehea7g1blKFKRTbU6fq_5LKYgcJAhYqjd3yV73qyN5-O6eQaltZw53f7MOlmQAXNccw_ZAEQ/s1600/North+Carolina+paper+joke+about+Jeff+Davis+captivating.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">_____________________________________________</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Davis had this picture taken </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>to "prove" what he wore.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>These are clothes are on display to this day at Confederate Museum. They of course take Davis at his word, as if taking a picture and donating those exact garments are proof what he wore that day.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM1wj_L3CutC8GQ3dBZE5P0TwryW3RV50Kzf1KtSGmauh1S2U2ncubqqX8g_qKIdPWTpnJCSdxtEXwJJdogI3Qp79Nl3xlSkYGOV_ThItbi6FpKPC3wmO95UX6tGD9AvhNooenIrQWF4/s1600/Davis+gun+and+spurs.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM1wj_L3CutC8GQ3dBZE5P0TwryW3RV50Kzf1KtSGmauh1S2U2ncubqqX8g_qKIdPWTpnJCSdxtEXwJJdogI3Qp79Nl3xlSkYGOV_ThItbi6FpKPC3wmO95UX6tGD9AvhNooenIrQWF4/s320/Davis+gun+and+spurs.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>THE SPURS AND PISTOL DAVIS HAD ON HIS PERSON</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnImOBlllt2kxGRtehc9O2fO8OuOtdENs0B1m0um-8FwrCRYuzFOjNmswsfltUR-L2A1xoQMRmJI4O3ohVIvZMbakBlqW-tJQc9dB7vJa6A-YW1PTPr9Sjc84CH8jr7R5yaybY325P2I/s1600/Captureo+Mother.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnImOBlllt2kxGRtehc9O2fO8OuOtdENs0B1m0um-8FwrCRYuzFOjNmswsfltUR-L2A1xoQMRmJI4O3ohVIvZMbakBlqW-tJQc9dB7vJa6A-YW1PTPr9Sjc84CH8jr7R5yaybY325P2I/s320/Captureo+Mother.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: #351c75;">Report to the Secretary of War, by Col Pritchard</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #134f5c; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #134f5c;"> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SMoOAAAAIAAJ&rdid=book-SMoOAAAAIAAJ&rdot=1">BELOW</a></span></span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SMoOAAAAIAAJ&rdid=book-SMoOAAAAIAAJ&rdot=1"> is from the report to the Secretary of War</a>, by Col Pritchard, who was there at the capture. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Pritchard was of course there when Davis was allowed to get out of the dress, and was there when Varina emerged wearing the dress Davis just took off.<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SMoOAAAAIAAJ&rdid=book-SMoOAAAAIAAJ&rdot=1"> Link again. </a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9p_Vnp8rGDebFYKRm4DWV07ObpBbGyPnP1Kwlb0PFQhncaJZQ3AAiaj7L3SCyyceHXrrN2b6YhpNg_coe21_rHJmLXdDfbYsr7MUnACq0qK18s3uDIt4Hc4D8SLdm3leP5QavqhAmnJ8/s1600/Davis+capture+dress+report+VIP+Varina.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9p_Vnp8rGDebFYKRm4DWV07ObpBbGyPnP1Kwlb0PFQhncaJZQ3AAiaj7L3SCyyceHXrrN2b6YhpNg_coe21_rHJmLXdDfbYsr7MUnACq0qK18s3uDIt4Hc4D8SLdm3leP5QavqhAmnJ8/s640/Davis+capture+dress+report+VIP+Varina.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>A more full account is below</i></b>....</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">_________________________________</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY EVEN NOW</span></b></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">HATES VARINA DAVIS</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XhzeoEJL4QSJoVNTtbATJmZKnHXxKP40P89uQ9V0lwSu875gdMc0kz-l8w89nVTlAez9N1wLMDsyBWiuWSSfUhoBY0ZdEcJeFUDGR-SJqffEEH1d4GD5JI0c2R8rMJ9Y9nlfJmqq3bM/w290-h257/CaptureVarina+davis.JPG" width="290" /></span><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XhzeoEJL4QSJoVNTtbATJmZKnHXxKP40P89uQ9V0lwSu875gdMc0kz-l8w89nVTlAez9N1wLMDsyBWiuWSSfUhoBY0ZdEcJeFUDGR-SJqffEEH1d4GD5JI0c2R8rMJ9Y9nlfJmqq3bM/s1600/CaptureVarina+davis.JPG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span><span><b>I noticed while researching Varina Davis, was the loathing, just beneath the surface, for her by <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">the Virginia Historical Society -- to this day.</span></b></span></span><br />
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</span><span><b>160 years later they seemed to hate Varina Davis! Why? </b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><b>Keep in mind Varina was very loyal to Davis -- saved his life, protected him from everyone, and while she wrote that letter, she had no idea it would be saved and published.</b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><b>Varina did all she could to spare him humiliation.</b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>So why do they -- 160 years later -- hate Varina Davis? <span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br />
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</span> <span>Every thing Varina did --everything she said, in public, was that an obedient wife. Her two volume book on Davis is as flattering as it could possible be.</span></span></b></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span>
</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Yet see this article about Varina in "Encyclopedia Virginia" </span>which essentially glorifies slave owners, specifically Davis, and Lee. </b></span></blockquote><p><br /></p><p> </p><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>But their tone and personal cruelty to Varina is amazing, given the supposed "academic" nature of their publication.</b></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b> <span style="font-size: x-large;">They claimed Varina was homely, and suggested she lured a lonely Davis into marriage. When just the opposite was true. Davis was already an ugly man, and old.</span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>They claim she lived in Washington DC as if that was horrible -- <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">but she lived there WITH DAVIS and left when Davis left. </span></b></span></span></span><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;">They Can you imagine concocting a like lie "She lived in Washington" as an insult, when she lived there with Davis! </b></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>They claimed she was "manifestly ill suited" for first lady and was not attractive -- </span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>
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</span> <span>Actually Varina was HOT. </span></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>Varina was young, shapely ever so obedient. Exactly what Davis wanted in the bedroom and out. </span></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Davis was twice her age. </b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> He courted her, and he ruled over her. She did what he said. She adopted every view, every slogan, every thought he did. Women submitted to the man like man is supposed to submit to the God of the Bible</b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Varina, after Davis died, would say the right side won the war. That is why Encyclopedia hates her. </b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">___________________________________<br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">___________________________________</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="background-color: #990000; color: white; font-size: x-large;">UNION SOLDIER REPORTS <br /></span></b><br /></span><span style="font-family: Hind; font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /><b>HE CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS<br /> Julian G. Dickinson</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"> <span><br />
</span> <span><b>By</b></span></span><b><br />
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</span> <span>Julian G. Dickinson, Late Adjutant 4th Michigan Cavalry and Brevet Captain, USV</span></span><br />
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</span> <span>Original Member of the Michigan Commandery, Insignia Number 3751</span></span><br />
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</span> <span>Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States</span></span><br />
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</span> <span>Read January 8, 1889 (First Published 1899)</span></span><br /></b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>...........................................</span></span><br />
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</span> <span>Being questioned by Col. Pritchard, he stated there had been several mounted men to the house ring the afternoon, from a camp near the village, to purchase forage and provisions, and the camp lay about a mile and a half out on the Abbeville road.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">What follows is Pritchard, unless ()</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Placing the freedman (freedman = men who were once enslaved, but no longer slaves) in advance for guide, and directing the utmost silence to be preserved in the column, we moved out on the Abbeville road.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> The night was rather dark, but clear and very quiet. We marched the distance of about a mile when we halted and made the necessary arrangements for the capture of the camp when light was deemed sufficient to enable us to discern its situation.</span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
</span> <span>A detail of 25 men, under command of Lieut. Purinton, was sent to make a circuit of the camp and get into position on the road beyond, to station pickets, and take precautions for preventing the escape of the occupants in that direction, awaiting our advance and capture of the camp.</span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
</span> <span>We rested until the first appearance of the dawn of the morning of the 10th. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The order was then quietly given to mount, and placing a small force under command of Capt. Charles T. Hudson, as an advance guard, with directions to charge forward upon the camp, our column moved in support. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The charge was uninterrupted by a picket of camp guards, and we speedily entered and </span><span style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: white;">enveloped</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"> the camp by a surprise so complete that no one seemed to have been disturbed.</span></span></span><br />
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</span> <span>The advance guard moved directly and quickly through the camp toward Lieut. Purinton's picket.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Our main column halted for a minute in the road before entering the camp. On the right of the road, in line, facing a clearing or parade, stood three wall tents; beyond the clearing there was, what appeared to me to be, a swampy thicket; on our left, in the woods, at some distance from the road, was a miscellaneous collection of tents and ambulances. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>The extent of the camp could not, however, be distinctly seen from our position.</span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
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</span> <span>At this moment some of our men appeared to be straggling from the column and Col. Pritchard directed my attention to it and to the care of the camp, and as he moved forward with the column through the camp, I rode out and took a position by the roadside until the column passed me. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>I then rode across the parade, in front of the wall tents, on the right of the road. I saw no one about the tents and there was nothing indicating who occupied them, until, as I passed the tents d started to move into the road beyond,<span style="background-color: #fcff01;"> I saw a man partially dressed, emerging from a "shelter-tent</span>." </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>I at once rode up to him and inquired what force was there in camp. He looked at me seemingly bewildered. Not hearing him reply to me, I repeated the question, and while lingering for a response, I was suddenly startled by a familiar voice calling.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">THERE GOES A MAN DRESSED IN WOMEN'S CLOTH!<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span><span>I turned and saw<span style="background-color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: white;"> </span><span><span style="color: white;">Andrew Bee,</span> </span></span><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">our "headquarters cook," who was standing close to the front of one of the wall tents and </span><span style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: white;">pointing to three persons in female attire, who, arm in arm, were moving rapidly across the clearing towards the thicket. Andrew called to me,</span><span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;"> <u>"Adjutant, there goes a man dressed in woman's clothes." </u></span></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
</span> <span style="background-color: yellow;">The person indicated was quite apparent, and I rode at once toward the party, ordering them to halt, repeating the order rapidly, they seeming not to hear, or not inclined to obey, until I rode directly across their pathway, when they halted</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">. At that moment</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #0b5394;"> <span style="color: white;">Corporal Munger</span></span><span style="background-color: yellow;">, of Company C, came riding up from the thicket, and taking a stand in the rear of the party </span><span style="background-color: #134f5c;"><span style="color: white;">brought his carbine to a position for firing upon the man dressed in woman's clothes</span></span><span style="background-color: yellow;">, at the same time applying to him an appellation that was in vogue among the troopers as a designation of "Jeff. Davis." </span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: yellow;">I ordered the corporal not to fire, there being no perceptible resistance.</span></span><br /> <br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><br />
</span> <span><span style="background-color: yellow;">Davis had on for disguise a black shawl drawn closely around his head and shoulders, through the folds of which I could see his gray hairs. </span><span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;">He wore on his person a woman's long, black dress, which completely concealed his figure, excepting his spurred boot heels</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span></span></span></div></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>The dress was undoubtedly Mrs. Davis' traveling dress, which she afterwards wore on her return march to Macon.</b></span></span></span></span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span></span></span></span></div><div></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b> At the time of the capture she(VARINA) was attired in her morning gown and a black shawl covering her head and stately form, while her waiting maid was completely attired in black.</b></span></span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
</span> <span><blockquote>Glancing from this party before me, and around the position, I was startled by the presence of several rebel officers who in the meantime quietly came upon the scene. The positions they had taken clearly indicated they were interested in the movement of their chief.</blockquote><p> <span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;">I ordered Davis and his party to retire to their tents and then moved toward the rebel officers in question, requesting them to also retire. I was promptly obeyed.</span></p></span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
</span> <span>I directed Corporal Munger to guard Mr. Davis and his party in their tents, and to take two men who came up with him for that purpose. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>I then rode forward to report to Col. Pritchard the episode that had taken place. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>In the meantime spirited firing had commenced, and the usual evidences of an engagement with an enemy appeared in the direction our column had advanced.</span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
</span> <span>As I passed Davis' tent, in going to the front,</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">Mrs. Davis called to me, and I dismounted to hear her request. She asked what we were going to do with Mr. Davis and whether herself and family would be permitted to go along with him. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>I informed her that I could not tell what would be done with any of them until I had reported to my commanding officer</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>. <span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">She then very earnestly said that we must not interfere with Mr. Davis as he was a very desperate man and would hurt some of us</span>.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> She further requested that I would see to certain things that she had in the wagon, and I promised to attend to that</span></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span><span>As I moved into the road I met one of our officers from the front with something from the wagon, in the shape of a canteen of most excellent fluid, of which he freely offered me a share. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>I mete Col. Pritchard just returning from an unfortunate conflict with the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, that regiment having come upon our pickets and mistaking them for an enemy, retired and formed for a battle, which forced our column to form in line and skirmish with them, in the belief that we had met a force of the enemy.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> Col. Pritchard brought the engagement to a close by dashing into the lines of the 1st Wisconsin and notifying them of the mistake.</span></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span><span>The fact was that the 1st Wisconsin and the 4th Michigan expected to find a desperate force of the enemy; the 1st Wisconsin, however, was marching without any knowledge of the locality of the camp, and without any expectation of finding it at that time, having been in bivouac most of the night, a few miles from our picket.</span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
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</span> </span><span><span style="background-color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: white;">I reported to Col. Pritchard the capture of Jeff. Davis<span> in his attempt to escape from the camp in female attire, and that I had put him under guard. In the meantime Mr. Davis put on his male attire - a suit of gray - and came out of his tent.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>When he (DAVIS) saw Col. Pritchard he shouted out some inquiry, which he followed up with the old familiar charge, "<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">You are vandals, thieves and robbers."</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">[Davis] evidently had worked himself into a rage, for when I went to him soon after, getting the names of the prisoners, he refused my request for his name, and I was obliged to receive it from his wife, who spoke up proudly, in answer to my repeated question, "his name is Jefferson Davis, sir."</span></span></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span><span>The captured party consisted of Jefferson Davis, accompanied by Mrs. Davis and their three children;</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> John H. Reagan, Postmaster General; </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>Col. Johnston, A.D.C.; Col. Burton N. Harrison, </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>Private Secretary, and Col. F.R. Lubbock, A.D.C., of Jeff. Davis' staff; Major V.R. Maurin, of the Richmond Battery of Light Artillery; Capt. George V. Moody, Mollison's Light Artillery; Lieut. Hathaway, 14th Ky. Infantry; privates W.W. Monroe and F. Messick, 14th Ky.; privates Sanders, Ingraham, Wilbury, Baker, Smith, Heath and Alliston, of the 2d Ky. Cavalry; privates J.H. Taylor and A.W. Brady, Co. E. 15th Miss., private J.W. Furley, 13th Tenn., </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>all of the late Confederate States army, and midshipman Howell of the Confederate navy, Miss Howell, a sister of Mrs. Davis, accompanied her.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> There were two colored women and one colored man, servants of the Davis family. Of the three children of Mr. Davis' family, the youngest was a babe and quite a favorite in our command (once on the march I saw it handed along the line);</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> the oldest child was a little girl about ten years of age, and the other child was a boy of about seven or eight years. There was also with the party a little colored lad about the same age as young Davis, and the two created considerable amusement for us by their wrestling exercises. Burton N. Harrison, the Private Secretary, was the gentleman of whom I sought so diligently to elicit information immediately preceding the capture.</span></span><br />
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</span> <span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">There was not the slightest show of any resistance on the part of any of the captured party, and they were all kindly treated by their captors.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"> That their wagons and tents were searched thoroughly, I have no doubt. Lieut. James Vernor obtained a trophy of Davis' wardrobe, a dressing gown, which he exhibits, but whether Davis wore it as part of his garments at the capture is not known</span>. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>It might possibly have been worn under his disguise.</span></span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br />
</span> <span>Their horses were all taken by our men and considerable sums of money in gold were captured.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">The gold was taken, as I understood from Col. Johnston at the time, in the holsters of the rebel officers, where it had been carried for safety and convenience</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">. Who captured the gold is somewhat of a mystery to this day.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;"> At the camp, immediately after the capture, Col. Pritchard was informed that one of our men, a Tennessean named James H. Lynch, was possessed of most of the coin and the Colonel searched him but found none of the gold;</span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>afterwards it is well known that Lynch distributed several pieces of gold coin among his companions and gave a few pieces to some of his officers. It is certain that the coin was never equally distributed.</span></span><br />
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</span> <span>In preparing for the return march their horses were all returned to the prisoners,<span style="color: white;"> <span style="background-color: #0b5394;">and Mr. and Mrs. Davis and family were allowed the use of the ambulances, which they occupied most of the time on our return march.</span></span></span></span><br />
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</span> <span>On the 12th of May, returning, we met Major Robert Burns, A.A.G. of Minty's staff, from headquarters at Macon, who brought to us President Johnson's proclamation, offering rewards for the capture of Jeff. Davis and other fugitives.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> The proclamation was the first intelligence we received of the assassination of our President, Abraham Lincoln, and of the reward.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> I have now in my possession the copy of the proclamation which was handed to me at that time. It was issued on the 2d day of May, 1865, was published to the Cavalry Corps, M.D.M. at Macon, on the 8th day of May, 1865, and reached our command, as I have said, on the 12th day of May. Mr. Davis was securely guarded during our return march. Perhaps his guard was more strict than it would have been had he not given notice that he would make his escape if possible.</span></span><br />
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</span> <span>Before reaching Macon, Col. Pritchard received orders to make a detail form his regiment in readiness to take his prisoners to Washington, and after we reached camp, he proceeded upon that service and conveyed Jeff. Davis to Fortress Monroe.</span></span><br />
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</span> <span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">The Secretary of War directed Col. Pritchard at Washington to obtain the disguise worn by Jeff. Davis at his capture, and Captain Charles T. Hudson undertook to procure it from Mrs. Davis.</span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">In his account of the affair, Capt. Hudson has related in a letter to Major-General J.H. Wilson,</span><span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;"> that Mrs. Davis stated to him that she attired Mr. Davis in her own dress, and she surrendered a certain garment which Col. Pritchard afterward described in his report to the Secretary of War as a "waterproof cloak or dress.</span></span><span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;">"</span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span>Though I did not examine the texture of the dress worn by Davis at the capture, and cannot say whether it was waterproof or not,<span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;"> it was beyond all question a "woman's dress," and precisely like the dress usually worn by Mrs. Davis after the capture during our march back to Macon.<span> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="background-color: #073763;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #073763;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="color: white;">I am very sure that not any gentleman's garment that could be described as a waterproof cloak was found or seen in the possession of Davis at his capture, or while on the march to Macon.</span></span></span><span><br /></span></span>
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</span> <span>Burton N. Harrison, Jeff. Davis' Private Secretary, in his paper in "The Century," November, 1886, on this subject, states that Davis was not disguised at all,</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span> and that he wore a waterproof cloak which he usually wore on the march; and by further statement seeks to discredit other witnesses present at the capture, by assuring the public only one of our troopers was present there, the one who accosted him, and that he and Mrs. Davis and that one trooper, were the only persons who saw Davis at his capture<span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;">; <span>when the fact is, that while Davis was standing in his disguise in my presence, three of our troopers saw him, besides Andrew Bee, who pointed to Davis as "a man dressed in woman's clothes;" and there was present not more than two rods from the disguised figure, Capt. Moody and within about four rods from him, Col. Lubbock and other Confederate Army officers, who doubtless saw what took place.</span></span></span></span><br />
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</span> <span>My record of the event was made at the time in the line of my duty, and I then correctly and officially reported the fact of his disguise to my commanding officers.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">_____________</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">STORED HERE -- FOR LATER</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">Varina, hated later by Jeff Davis adoring fools at the Encyclopedia of Virginia to this day, apparently because of her letter and book she wrote long before those boys were even born. See below.</span><br /></span>
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