Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America, was captured on May 10, 1865, near Irwinville, Georgia, by Union cavalry. His capture marked a significant moment in the aftermath of the American Civil War.

After the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Davis fled south, hoping to escape capture and possibly continue leading the Confederacy in exile. He traveled through the South with his family and a small entourage, but by May, as Union forces closed in, Davis was apprehended in the woods of Georgia.

Davis was taken to Fort Monroe, Virginia, where he was imprisoned for two years. He was charged with treason but was never tried. After his release in 1867, Davis lived the remainder of his life in relative obscurity, writing his memoirs and serving as a symbol of the Confederacy to some and a figure of controversy to others. He died in 1889 at the age of 81. His capture symbolized the definitive end of the Confederacy and the Civil War.