Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site
| Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site Jefferson Davis Capture Site |
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Main façade of the Jefferson Davis Memorial
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| Location | Irwin County, Georgia |
| Nearest city | Fitzgerald, Georgia |
| Coordinates | 31°39′52.4″N 83°23′12.1″W / 31.664556°N 83.386694°WCoordinates: 31°39′52.4″N 83°23′12.1″W / 31.664556°N 83.386694°W |
| Area | 12.668 acres (51,270 m2) |
| Founded | July 26, 1920 |
| Founder | James B. Clements |
| Governing body | Irwin County (Georgia) Board of Commissioners |
| Website | Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site |
| Official name: Jefferson Davis Capture Site | |
| Designated | April 1, 1980 |
| Reference no. | 80001094 |
 Location of Jefferson Davis Memorial
Historic Site Jefferson Davis Capture Site in Georgia (U.S. state) 
Location of Jefferson Davis Memorial
Historic Site Jefferson Davis Capture Site in Georgia (U.S. state) |
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Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site, also known as the Jefferson Davis Capture Site, is a 12.668-acre (51,270 m2) state historic site located in Irwin County, Georgia that marks the spot where Confederate States President Jefferson Davis was captured by United States cavalry on Wednesday, May 10, 1865. The historic site features a granite monument with a bust of Jefferson Davis that is located at the place of capture. The memorial museum, built in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration, features Civil War era weapons, uniforms, artifacts and an exhibit about the president's 1865 flight from Richmond, Virginia to Irwin County, Georgia.
When Confederate States President Jefferson Davis and a few remaining staff members crossed the Savannah River into the state of Georgia on Wednesday, May 3, 1865, they were headed for the Western Theater where he planned to unite Confederate States forces and continue the struggle for Southern independence. On Tuesday, May 9, 1865, they camped in a pine forest (present-day Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site), not knowing that pursuit was so close behind. At dawn the next day, they were surrounded by two independent groups of U.S. cavalry who were unaware of each other’s presence. Gunfire ensued until federal forces realized they had been shooting at one another. Two U.S. cavalrymen died during the skirmish. President Davis was taken prisoner and held in Fort Monroe, Virginia for two years until released. Today, a state memorial marks the location where he was captured. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
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