Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1866-06-28

for moment, and then his countenance
growing rigid and livid as death.
He gasped for breath, clutching his
throat with the thin fingers of his right
hand, and then recovering himself slowly,
while his wasted figure lowered up to it's
full height-now appearing to swell with
indignation and then to shrink with terror,
as he glanced from the Captains face to
the shackles-he said slemly and with a
laboring chest:
sMy God (! You cannot have been sent
to iron me p
"such are my orders, zir," replied the
officer, reckoning the blacksmith to APP
proaeh, who stepped forward, unlocking
1.-THE paddock and preparing thu letters to
do their office. These letters acere of hea-
ryysroas, f,robn5g fFs-eighths of a.. inch iG
q! D. e ys'll5s
the possession Of Maj Gen. Miles, and
will form an interesting relic
''This is too monstrous," groaned the
prisoner, glazing hurriedly round the room,
as if for some weapon, OR means Of self
destruction. II demand, Captain, that
you let me see the commanding officer. =
Can he pretend that such shackles are re-
quired to secure the safe custody of a
weak old man, so guarded and in such a
fort as this %
ut could serve no purpose" replied
Capt Titlow; 'his orders are from Wash
lngton, as mine are from him."
"But he can telegraph" interposed Mr..
Davis, eagerly; ''there must be some mis-
take. No such outrage as you threaten
me with is on record in the history of ma
tons. Beg him to telegraph, and delay
until he answers"
My orders are peremptory," said the
officer, land admit Of no delay. For your
own sake, let me advise you to submit
with patience. AS soldier, Mr.. Davis,
you know [ must execute orders"
''These are not orders for a soldier"
shouted the prisoner, losing all control of
himself. They are orders for jailer-
for hangman, which no soldier wearing
a sword should accept! ] tell you the
world will ring with this disgrace. The
war is over, the South is conquered;
have no longer any country but America,
and it is for the honor of America, as for
my own honor and life. that [ plead ag-
ainst this degradation. Kill me! kill mel"
he cried, passionately, throwing his arms
wide open and exposing his breast, ''rath-
er then infict on me, and on my people
through me, this insult worse than death. :"
''Do your duty, blacksmith" said the
officer. walking toward tbs. easement. as if
not caring to witness the performance
ut only gives increased pain on all sides
to protract this interview"
At these words the blacksmith advance
ed with the shackles, and seeing that the
prisoner had one foot upon the chair near
his bedside, his right hand resting on the
back of it, the brawny mechanic made an
attempt to slip one of the shackles over
the ankle SO raised; but as if with the We
hemence and strength which frenzy can
impart, even to the weakest invalid, Mr.
Davis suddenly seized his assailant and
hurled him halfway across the room.
On this Capt. I. turned, and seeing
that Davis had backed ag ainst the wall for
further resistance, began to demonstrate,
pointing out in brief, clear language, that
this course was modness, and that orders
must be enforced at any cost. ssWhy
compel me- said he, ''to add the further
indignity Of personal violence to the ne
cessity Of your being ironed? p
Il am prisoner Of war" fercely rotor
ted Davis; Il have been soldier in the
armies of America, and know how to die
Only kill me, and my last breath shall be
a b1essisg on your head. But while [ have
life and strength to resist, for myself and
for my people, this thing shall not be
done"
Hereupon Capt. T. called in a sergeant
and file Of soldiers from the next room,
and the sergeant advanced to seize the pri-
soner. Immediately Mr. Davis flew on
him, seized his musket and attempted to
wrench it from his gsasp.
Of course such scene could have but
one issue. There was short, passionate
scufle. In moment Davis was flung up
on his bed, and before his four powerful
assailants removed their hands from him,
the blacksmith and his assistant had done
their work-one securing the rivet on the
right ankle, while the other turned the
key on the paddock on the left.
This done, Mr. Davis lay for moment
as if in stupor Then slowly raising him
self and turning round, he dropped his
shackled feet to the floor. The harsh clank
of the striking chain seems first to have
recalled him to his situation, and dropping
his face into his hands, he burst into
passionate flood Of sobbing, rocking to and
fro, and muttering at brief intervals: ''Oh,
the shame, the shame p
On the morning of May oath, was sent
for about half-past s A. NJ, by Major
General Miles; was told that State-prison-
er Davis complained Of being i'll, and that
] had been assigned as his medical attend
ant.
Calling upon the prisoner first time