The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-01
The Fortress Monroe Prisoners.

| - O"A tHSoo H1ONfsOE, ou1y IL, 4ooO.-
From all tho sources Of information I
am able to command, there is no
| doubt JEFF. Davis is slowly but surely
declining in health from his protracted
imprisonment. evil rot even avail
| himself of the opportunities of exer-
else afforded him, and he has q space
OF about twenty by twenty feet he
could walk about in if he chose; but
all the long hours of each weary dav
he sits at the barred embrasure of his
casemate, sullen, silent, speechless.
With his chin alternately resting on
one hand and then on both, he looks
unintermittingly through this open
ing. Where rests his eyes and what
thoughts stir that brain no one can
tell. Before him arc the bay and the
passing ships, and the Rip Raps,
growing each day into a wondrous
work Of impregnable strength; and
beyond, the blue sky and tieeting
clouds a-d wild sea birds enjoying the
boundlesS freedom of the outer :,ir.
And minyling with these sights comes
that perpetual, mournful refrain. the
sound of the waves dashing upon the
beach. Here he is. II prisoner, and
under what circumstances and under
what terrible charges hanging over
him. Not Il moment is llc LETT alone
not II moment passes that he il not
under the vigilant eye of soldiers.
There is no egre:'s through those
strong iron bars. There is no escape
through this Gordon ni muslct,.
There can be no ATTEMPT ut rescue
NN \ 4 ~
that toxm h;;, grown more cmaciatcu,
those checks mere sunkru. those eyes
more lustruus, t!E,t brow more wrin-
kled-nis hair whittier. his words fewer.
his spirits sunkrn in perpetual gloom?
Health has left him, hope is gone:
that proud spirit. is broken, and the
end is not far. / am writing.no fancy
sketch. l have been told to-day that
jeff Davis, if he keeps up his present
prison habits and dependency, will
not live six weeks longer.
A CHAPLAIN ATTENDS HIM,
Yesterday Mr.. Davis requested per-
mission for Il Chaplain to see him.
This is the second request of this
kind he has made since his arrival
Chaplain kerfoot was sent to his cell.
He greeted the Chaplain with warmth.
''It is to you and to this book" (hold-
ing the Bible in his hand II must
look" he said, ''for consolation now"
The Chaplain talked, to him of his
spiritual condition, read to him pas
sages from the Bible and prayed with
him. After the Chaplain left, Davis
appeared to be in much better spirits
than he has been in for some time
past.
READING THE BIBLE.
He reads the Bible morning and
evening. Recently, I am told, he
protracts these readings much more
than ut the commencement Of his i'm
prisonmcnt. He confesses his belief
i'll the Bible, and processes to have
made 1t the ruling guide of his life
Ii is evident that he does not fancy
heing confined exclusively to reading
the Scriptures. for he sometimes
clamors for Il different style OF litcra-
tur"; but his request in this regard
thus f:ir has not been complied with.
This refusal to extend his reading
privileges, and not permitting him to
write to his wife or see letters from
her, have formed the burden OF his
complaints.
Ills EYE-s!GHT GROWING MORE DEFEc-
TIVE.
If permission WAS given him to have
all the books he wished he could not
read much himself, ;,"d for the com
fort derived from them would have to
rely mainly on others reading t" him.
One eye is now almost totally blind
and the other gives indication of
rapidly becoming SO. He has com
planned lately OF seeing objects d"nhl".
He still wears his goggles during the
day time.
HIS DAILY ROUTINE.
Life IN prison IS necessarily moncto
nous. With few it has ever irrn more
so than with Davis. He rises pretty
early, usually ut . O'Clock in The morn
ing He takes IL bath. the first thing,
using salt water at first, and winding