The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-06-17
Literary Notices.

Prison Life of Jefferson Davis embracing
Details and Incidents in his Captivity; par
ticulars concerning bis Health and Habits,
together with many Conversations on topics
of great Public Interest; by Bvt. Lieut..
Col. John ]. Craven, NJ. D.
DR.. Craven was physician in charge of Mr..
Davis from May 18th to December 18th, 1865.
Therefrom gathered he the materials for this
volume. Without any great pretension to
literary excellence, an army surgeon, not q
iiterateur, DR.. Craven has plain, clear, un-
elaborate but rather forcible style that makes
his narration very readable. But il is the
subject of the performance, rather than the
manner Of the performance, that has chief in
terest. DR.. Craven grew in sympathy with
the fallen chief of the rebellion, not with his
politics or. his designs, and SO he dedicates
his work to Secretary McCulloch. who, he
says, first Of all our Northern public men
has had the wisdom, magnanlmity and cour-
age to express sympathy for the misfortunes
Of the subject of our memoir" When we
consider that those ''misfortunesn might
mean failure to establish the Southern Con-
federacy, that is putting the case rather Gu
riously, to say the least. Albeit we would
not be understood as lntimating that the vim
dication of the Government, or the punish
ment of treason, makes cruelty to Mr.. Davis
necessary. We quote the transfer Of Davis
and Clay from the steamer in which they were
brought into the harbor at Fortress Monroe
to their prison quarters:
"The procession into the fort was simple,
though momentous, and was under the i'm
mediate inspection Of Major General Halleck
and the Hon. Charles A. Dana, then Assis
tant Secretary Of War; Colonel Prichard, OF
the Michigan cavalry, who Immediately effect.
ed the capture, being the officer in command
of the guard from the vessel to the fort.
First came Major General Miles holding the
arm of Mr.. Davis, who WAS dressed in suit
of plain Confederate grey, with grey
slouched hat-always thin, and now LOOKING
much wasted and very haggard. Immediate.
ly after these came Colonel Prichard accom-
panying Mr.. Clay, with guard of soldiers in
their rear. Thus they passed through files Of
men in blue from the Engineers Landing to
the Water Battery Postern; and on arriving
at the casemate which had been fitted up into
cells for their incarceration, Mr.. Davis was
shown into casemate No. and Clay into No.
4, guards Of soldiers b.ing stationed in the
cells numbered l, and 5, upon each side OF
them. They entered; the heavy doors GLANCED
behind them, and in that clang was rung the
hnal kaeli OF the terrible, but now extipetre
belhon. Here, indeed, is : fall, my country
men. Another and most striking illustration
of the mutabiiity of human greatness. Lee,
mi hor uIvo mn IF q a
in the cell of Mr.. Davis, Is relsted immedi.
ately after its occurrence by one who was
passive actor therein, my own connection
with Mr.. Davis not commencing until two
days after May the 24th), when was FIRST
detailed BY Major General Miles q hin It
tending physician.
"Being ushered into his inner cell By Gem
eral Miles, aud the two doors leading therein.
to from the guard room being fastened, Mr.
Davis, after surveying the premises for some
moments, and looking out Though the EN-.
brasure with such thoughts Easing over his
lined and expressive face az may be Imagined.
suddenly seated himself in q chair, placing
both hands on his knees, and asked one Of
the soldiers pacing up and down within his
cell this significant question, which way does
the embrasure face?s
The soldier was silent.
D0sa0i lbbiHx us VOICE = nttIo, re-
peated the inquiry.
but again dead silence, or only the meas
ured footballs Of the two pacing sentries
within, and the fainter echoes Of the four
without.
Addressing the other soldier, 4, II the f,r,.
had been deaf and had not heard him. he
prisoner again repeated his inoniry.
'sBut the second soldier vas silent to-
slight twitching Of his eyes only intimatins
that he had heard the question, but ~ for.
hidden 20 speak.
".Wsll,' aid Mr.. Davis, throwing h;,
hands up and breaking into bitter LAUGH, j
wish my men could have been taught your
disciplined and then. rising from his char. IS
commenced pacing beck and forth before the
emhfasure, nov looking u tho silent sentry
across the moat, and anon ct the two SILENT,
pacing soldiers Who were his companions i,
the casemate.
"What caused biz bitter langh-for even in
his best days his temper wns of the sstarnine
and atsabilioas Jps, seldom cauabls 81 hs;ns
moved boyoo1 = Sntlsf Was rs think;.~ =