Jefferson Davis Memorial State Historic Site

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Georgia — The exact spot where Union cavalry captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis on May 10, 1865 — wearing his wife’s overcoat (not a dress, despite the famous cartoon!). A 13-acre site with a museum containing Civil War artifacts and a monument marking the capture location.

Visitor Information

About Jefferson Davis Memorial

Jefferson Davis Memorial State Historic Site in Irwin County marks where Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union cavalry on May 10, 1865 — one of the final acts of the Civil War. Davis, fleeing south with the remnants of the Confederate treasury, was caught at dawn near Irwinville. The museum tells the story of Davis’s flight, capture, and the persistent (and false) legend that he was wearing women’s clothing. A 13-acre park with monument and museum.

Things to Do

Visiting the capture site and monument, touring the museum, exploring the Civil War’s final chapter, picnicking, and reflecting on the end of the Confederacy in rural south Georgia.

Getting There

Located on Jeff Davis Park Road off Highway 32 in Irwinville. Open Wednesday through Saturday. The museum provides a nuanced telling of the Confederacy’s final days. The capture site marker stands where Union cavalry surprised Davis’s camp at dawn on May 10, 1865. Remote south Georgia location requires planning — Fitzgerald (15 miles) has lodging.

History & Ecology

Davis was captured on May 10, 1865 — exactly four years after the first shots of the Civil War. He was held at Fort Monroe, Virginia for two years before release on bail. The Confederate treasury gold he was supposedly carrying has never been found, spawning 160 years of treasure-hunting legends across southern Georgia. The park sits in the Wiregrass region — named for the tough native grasses of the Coastal Plain.

Insider Tips

Capture site: This memorial marks where Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured by Union cavalry on May 10, 1865 — effectively ending the Confederacy. Pro tip: Davis was captured near Irwinville, GA — he was trying to escape to the Trans-Mississippi to continue fighting. Controversy: A persistent myth claims Davis was disguised in women’s clothing — the truth is more nuanced (he wore his wife’s shawl in haste).

Best Time to Visit

Year-round: Museum and memorial. Spring/fall: Comfortable weather. Summer: Full hours. Winter: Mild.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened after Davis was captured?

Davis was imprisoned at Fort Monroe, Virginia for two years — held in chains for the first days. He was charged with treason but never tried — the government feared a trial might legitimize secession or result in acquittal. Davis was released on bail in 1867 and the charges were dropped in 1869. He never sought a pardon and was only posthumously restored to US citizenship in 1978 by President Carter.