The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-08-07
VOL. ~.

JeG. Dovfs--Amother Report q
His Health. ard AnOtkeR AC
count of Hfa Habita.
[Correspondencs Of the Prsss.]
Foar MoxHoE, July 27, 1866.
Your correspondent has read, with a goot
deal of amusement, the many letters sent from
this post protesting to giye daily bulletins Q
has read them the more amusedly becaus,
most of them evidently rely for their fact,
mainly on the imagination Of the writers.
THE FACTS OF THE NATTER.
Imprimis, JEFF Davis is not fairly in health
Your readers will know that Hampton Vii
lage, which is not very far from here, was
for years before the war, favorite watering
place for the chivalry, who found health, and
sometimes rotundity for aforetime lank and
sallow frames. The same breezes that ther
blew in over the bay now blow-the same sur
| SINNERS on the waves. Lean Southerner,
grew fat, and pale South Carolinian cheeks
grew ruddy, four years ago; and now, the
| chief Of all the Southerners, lank, sallow JEFF
ferson Davis, wakes strong.
HOW he LIVES.
The correspondents to whom have referred
have grown eloquent over the habits of Mr.
Davis-his peculiar religious leanings, his
daily fair, his clothing, his walks, dc. They
have guessed arights here and there, but, in
general, their conjectures fall far wide of the
mark. Mr.. Davis, being . prisoner, is con-
fined in one of the casemates Of the fort, from
which there are no means of egress excep,
through the door and windows. There is but
one door, and this one is barred by stout, de-
TO aI ~, rdc chotfa1 s,,oc bet ap1 Hovo-
nets. The windows, also, are barred with
iron, that substance having been chosen be-
cause of its strength, and the proof experience
has given Of its peculiar fitness for the safe
keeping of criminals. During the day the
sunlight is allowed to filter In, and the bay
breezes stray through grizzled locks, and at
night the moonligh of course, the
moon is shining. Part of the time the priso-
ner sleeps, and the rest he remains awake,
except when, through dull routine of his po-
sition, he dozes over his Bible, which he
sometimes reads. Mr.. Davis rises generally
in the morning, performing his ablutions like
the Mohammedans and the rest of mankind
and at about the time that everybody else
does on this continent north of the equator,
he eats his breakfast, which is provided from
the table of his physician, who is expected to
know what is good for his patient.
Several times Mr.. Davis has passed sleep
less nights, caused, no doubt, by reason of his
past misdeeds and crimes that cry to Heaven
for vengeance and his appetite has tagged,
Notwithstanding the care of his physician.
He still remains alive and we'll, although it is
generally admitted here, If he had refused his
rations when he was first incarcerated he
would have succeeded in lodging the gallows,
which, it is further held, awaits him. At one
his dinuer is brought without any ceremony.
No walters or bakers are employed in the
fort, SO that napkins, silver, and the ruby are
wanting. At evening his supper is brought
all these attentions are received cordially.
Between breakfast and dinner the prisoner
looks ont of his cell window, over the bay,
amusing himself by watching the water, the
passing vessels, and the blue landscape in the
distance. If he does not look out of hiswin-
dows his gaze is turned either to the few arti-
cles of furniture which adorn his residence,
or to the silent guards who walk to and faO
before his door, to his Bible, or to whatever
may, at that particular moment, attract his
attention He is usually silent when not talk
ing to himself to his guards, to the person
who brings his meals, to DR.. Craven or Gen
eral Miles, who visit him daily. In the after
noon he passes his time much like he does in
the morning, breathing always the breezes
from off the water, as they form the only air
furnished him.
SOME OF HIS HABITS AND PEcuIIARIrIEs.
jefferson Davis is man somewhat ad.
vanced in years, although thus far he seems
to have sound mind in a sound body. He
does not look SO young as he did twenty years
ago, and yet this fact is made handle by the
New York Daily Nens, and other journals OF
that ilk, to grind dolorous complaints about
the barbarous treatment the 'illustrious cap
tive receives at the hands Of the Govern
ment, The operation of shaving is not per-
formed on him just now, mainly for the rea-
son that he allows his beard to grow, but also
for the reason that he might, in moment OF
desperation, make an attempt to commit
suicide. 1t is said that he has grown partial.
ly bald, but this cannot be ascribed to his
prison-life SO much as to the care and labor oi
the four years of rebellion he superintended.
His nose has assumed natural tinge because
of his libations from the Chesapeake, which
are twice as good, if not half as pleasant as
the libations Of blockade-run Cognac he used
| to take in the good old days Of the would be
independent confederacy. His eyes, from the
constant use he has been compelled to make
of them during the whole Of his life, are the
worse for the wear. He seems to have used
one eye, however, more than the other, as its
condition is not half a. good as its neighbol
on the other side of the bridge of his nose
1t is said to be blind, while the neighbor i.
fast becoming SO. Any way, whenever hi
promenades, as he does at dusk upon the ram
parts of the Fortress, he wears pair of grea
green goggles, which hang over his nose lik,
the great yokes over the necks of Chester
county oxen.
HOW HE LOOKS UPON THE RAMFARTs.
He looks precisely like member of th,
human race, as, with pipe at mouth, he walk
slowly over the ramparts, under the escort o
two officers, who are neither Of them Majo
Generals, but perhaps expect to be, on nc
count of their generous duties" He hai
clothes on, gray in color, rather fine in tex
ture, and wears q hat and pair of boots
These facts have been chronicled as extreme
ly important, but they are merely matters O
course. In all civilized society, on you
Chestnut street, and at this post especially
people are not allowed to promenade naked
even though under the escort of people wht
expect to be Major Generals. Besides, sacl
treatment would be barbarous and offensive
to the numerous persons who have occasion
to be in or to pass by the fort every day. Fol
these well-founded and generally acknowl
edged reasons, Davis, whenever he prone
nades, has his clothes on Ii his cell, cos
tune Is entirely matter Of choice. Wher
he retires to bed, it Is expected that he vii
dot his coat and boots. M
RKBsL CHIyAIaY TACTICS. We call atten
tic, ~ : ,n;lftnsx ol,rretn0ndAnce on the soc