- Jefferson Davis State Historical
Marker
- Located at on U.S. 319 just east of the Oconee River
Bridge, Dublin, Ga.
(text)
- JEFFERSON DAVIS
On May 7, 1865, Jefferson Davis,
with his family and a small escort, passed through Dublin enroute
south to avoid a screen of Union cavalry attempting to intercept
him. That evening, the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry reached Dublin and
camped at the ferry. Its commander, Lt. Col. Henry Harnden, could
learn nothing from the white citizens of Dublin; but late that
night a negro visited his camp and told him that the Davis party
"had passed through through the town that day, going south
on the river road."
At dawn, Harnden began a pursuit.
After many difficulties, he reached Abbeville (50 miles SW) close
behind his quarry. There, he met the 4th Michigan Cavalry, Lt.
Col. B.D. Pritchard, and, after briefing Pritchard, continued
his pursuit of Mr. Davis.
Pritchard, bound down-river to
intercept other Confederate officials, rode on some 12 miles;
then, abandoning his own mission, he made a forced march and,
finding the Davis camp by posing as the escort, he surrounded
it quietly and waited for dawn. Unaware of his presence, Harnden
moved up before dawn to surround the camp. His advance was fired
upon and, in the fight that followed, two Michigan soldiers were
killed before a prisoner taken by Harnden's men revealed the
identity of the "enemy."
During this unfortunate collision,
Pritchard closed in and captured Mr. Davis and his party, thereafter
claiming for the 4th Michigan the fruits of the 1st Wisconsin's
labors.
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- 087-4 GEORGIA HISTORICAL
COMMISSION 1957
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© Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
The University of Georgia
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