The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-07-17
From DR.. Cravens Book.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM MRS
JEFFERSON DAVIS


Adventures of tie Family from the incdrcerd-
tion Of Mr. Dauis mp to date.
The following letter will be read with interest
as giving most graphic view Of what the pris-
.oner's wife aud family had to endure from his
quitting them on board the Clyde, in Hampton
Roads down to the day of its date; certain parts
/. rejecting upon individuals by name | have
taken the liberty to strike out, but the remain
+ der of the letter is as Written.
MILL VIEW, NEAR AUGUSTA, GA, !
October 10, 1865. !
COL John J. Croreu, Chief Medical Officer
Eortrcss M0n,oe, Id:-Though you remain
irrevosabIy dumb am sure you hear me, and
in addressing you, | feel if writing 10 one Of
nv oldest aud most reliable friends. Every let
ter from my husband comes frcighted with good
wishes for YOU and thanks for all your Kindness
10 him in bis hours of anguish and solitude
Can you doubt that my prayers for you and ap-
probation for your goodness, have been even
greater than his, for l could do nothing 5 but
pray!
When he was taken from on the ship the
provost guard and souIe women detectives came
on board, and after the women searched our
persons, the men searched our baggage.
Either they OF The soldiers standing around
took everything they fancicd and some things
so iargethat did not see how their conduct
could escape the eye of the guard, and OF the
officers who superinteoded the search Ihey
then TOLD my servants that they could 60 ashore
IF they did not desire to go to Savannah The
husband of my negro nurse forced her to 90,
and the white girl LETT from an un"ilngness to
be exposed to a Southern climate. enrreated
to be permitted to dcbatk at Charleston, as my
sister, Miss Howell, still continued to De III, and
I feared to return on the ship with drunken
had cly I-pH Colo
Pritchard's authority to keep him in order; and
going back, Mrs. Clay, my sister, and myself,
would be the only women on the ship; but this
was refused. Acting as my own chambermald
and nurse, and the nurse also of my sister aud
Mrs CLAY, who were both i'll, we started for
Savannah. We had fearful gale, in which
she upper decks once twice dipped water and
40 one could walk; but as felt wretched as
could be, did not fear future state
God protected us from the fury of the ele
ments; but the soldiers now began to open and
rob our trunks again. The crew, however, gave
us some protection and one of the officers in the
engine room gave up his cabin, ard licked every
thing we had left up 10 it. The lieutenant Of
the 18th Maine, Mr. Grant though d plain man,
mad the heart of gentleman, and took of
US with the greatest assiduity Some of the
soldiers of the crew helped to nurse, and
saved me many hour of wakcfulness and
fatigue My little daughter Maggie was qnite
like an old woman; she took her sister early
every morning-for the nights rough |
could not sleep, because it was necessary to hold
the infant to avoid bruisng it-anl with the
assistance of our faithful servant Robert, who
held her still while she held her sister. she
nursed her long enough for mo TO rest. Little
jeff and / did the house keeping; it fair
division of the labor, and not unpleasant, as it
Il; ,.,n1 Cd
At the harbor Of Charleston the sick began to
improve. We procured ice and niilk, and the
days rest which the ship at anchor gave them
improved them much.
Arrived at Savannah, we trudged up to the
hotel quite in emf grant fashion. Margaret with
the baby aud Robert with the baggage; 1, with
Billy and Jeff. and Maggie in quite an old
fashioned manner, keeping all straight and
acting as parcel carrier, for we could not procure
any carriage and must walk until We reached the
Pulaski House, where, after a day and nj ht,
We procured comfortable rooms. The inn
keeper kind man, and felt for my unfor-
rtuna.e condition. He therefore did everything
in his power TO make comfortable a funny
incident happened the day [ arrived here.
a black waiter, upon answering my BELL and
being told to call my man servant Robert, re-
piled very impertinently that elf he should see
Robert he would give-the order, but die not ex-
pect to see him" When Robert heard it, he
waited till all the black servants had assembled
ut dinner, and then remarked that he should
hate to believe there was coioreG man SO low
as to insult distressed woman, but il so, though
peaceable man, he Should whip the first man
who did SO. The guilty man began TO excuse
himself, whereupon Robert said-"Oh, it was
you, was it? Well you do look mean enough
for that or anything else" From that time all
the greatest assiduity could do was done for me,
first from esprit de corps, and then from kind
feeling
The people of Savannah treated me with the
greatest tenderness. Had | been a sister long
absent and just returned to their home, could
have received more tender welcome. Houses
gere thrown open to me, anything and every
thing was mine. My children had not much
more than change Of clothing after all the
parties who had us in charge had done tighten
ing our baggage, so they gave the baby dresses,
and tie other little ones enough to change until
| could buy or make more.
Unfortunately for me, General-, who,
hear, was mot to the manor born,' was in COM
mand OF the district at the time | asked per-
mission to see him, and as | was so unwell that
could not speak above my breath with cold
and suffered from fever constantly--the result
of exposure on the ship-I wrote to beg that
he would come and see me, for lis aid had told
me the night before that | could Eot be per
mitted to leave Savannah, and having been
robbed of nearly all my means l could net afford
to stay at the hotel; and besides, as soon as T
reached the hotel detectives were placed to
watch both me and my visitors, SO did not feel
at liberty, thus accompanied, to 90 to priyate
houses.