The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-07-11
Oh. the Shame ! the Shame !

Oh, the Shame! the Shame!
DIR. Craven, ,the federal post surgeon at fdrtr;es
Monroe has published extracts from his diary durin
the seven first months of Jefferson Davis imHrisp1
ment. The folo7ing is the true statement De III
stacking, for the excuse and justification of wh1e
so many false reports were at the time gotten up UT
have read nothing like it in history nor in fable sine
! "Prometheus Boand." And when the reader sha
have read it through to the end he will be really i
the name OF an American citizen and a man, to ex
/ claim, ''oh, the shame, the shame!n
/ On the morning of the Esd of May yet bitter lia
was in store for the proud spirit-a trial seFeser
probably, than has ever in modern times been inlsic
ted upon any one who had enjoyed such emiAeree
This morning Jefferson Davis was shackled.
1t was while all the swarming camps of the dfniie
of the Potomac the Tennessee and Georgia-oykr twt
hundred thousand bronzed and laureed veteIans--
preparing for the grand review of the nextmGrn
ing in which, passing in endless succession before fh
mansion of the president, the conquering mflitar!
power of the nation to lay down its arms Iat th
feet of the civil authority, that the following scea
was enacted at fort Monroe:
Captain Jerome E. Titlow, of the third Pen1Isyjva
MA artillery, entered the prisoners CELL follow bd by
the blacksmith of the fort and his assistant thelaEte
carrying in his hands heavy and harsbly-r5ttns
shackles As they entered, Mr.. Davis was redlinsn2
on his bed teverish and weary after sleepless hight
the food placed near to him the preceding ddy Stil
lying untouched on its tin plate near his bedside
Well! said Mr. Davis, as they entered, Slightly
raising his head.
81 have an unpleasant duty to perform, sir + said
captain Titlow; and he spoke the senior blacksmith
took the shackfes from his assistant
Davis leaped instantly from his recumbent atdftrde
a flush passing over his face for moment anb then
his couteuaHee growing lvid and rigid as death
He gasped for breath, cIuching his throat wiki the
thln fingers OF hls right hand, and then recokeEng
himself slowly, while his wasted figure lowered hp to
its full height-now appearing to swell with inEligna-
ton and then to shrink with terror be glanced cm
the captains face to the shackles-he said slowly and
with aboring chest:
"My God! you cannot have been sent to from me ~
~ Such are my orders, SIR, replied the oficer beck
onng the blacksmith to approach, who steppdd for
ward unlocking the paddock and preparing the Meters
70 40 their Office These letters were OF heavf iron,
probably veeighths or inch in thickness arid eon.
nected together by chain Of like weight. / believe
they are now IN the possession of major general Niles
and will form an interesting relic.
'SThs is too monstrous" groaned the prisoner
garing hurriedly round the room, as if looking for
some weapon or means of self-destrueton. II de-
Inand captain, that you let me see the commanding
officer Can be pretend that such shackes are' re-
dured to secure the safe custody OF weak old man.
guarded and in such a fort as this?"
''It could serve no purpose" replied captain Tit
low; his orders from Washington as mine are
from him."
But he can telegraph" interpoeed Mr. Davis,
eagerly there must be some mistake. Nb such
outrage you threaten with is on record lin the
history OF nations Beg him to telegraph, and delay
until he answers"
My orders are peFempory," said the officer eand
admit Of no delay. For your sake let me advise
you to submit with patience, As soldier, Mr. Dpvis
you know must execute orders"
"These are not orders for soldier" shouted the
prisoner, losing all control of himself They are
orders for jailor-for hangman, which no solllar
wearing 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 against ghs
degradation. XII me! kill me-! he cried, passion
atey, throwing his arms wide open and exposing his
breast, rather than inict me, and on my people
through me, this insult worse than DEATH =
DO your duty, blacksmith" said the officer welk.
ing towards the embrasure if not caring to itegs
the performance. " 1T only gives increased pain on
all sides to protract this interview"
At these Rord5 the blacksmith advanced with the
shackes, and seeing that the prisoner had one foot
upon the chair bis bedside his right hand resiiBr
on the back Of it, the brawny mechanic made an
attempt to slip of the shackles over the ankle so
raised, but with the vchemence and strength which
frenzy impaart, even to the weakest invalid Mr.
Davis suddenly seized his assailant and hurled him
half way across thereon.
On this captain Titlow turned and seeing that Davis
had backed against the wall for further resistance be-
gan to remonstrate pointing ont in brief clear IAN
guage, that this course Madness and that orders
must be enforced at any cost -''.Why compel me,
be said to add the further udgnity of personal vo
ence to the necessity of your being ironed?n
II am prisoner of war; fercely retorced Davis:
" have been soldier in the armies of America, and
snow how TO die. Only kill me, and my last breath
shall be blessing your head. But while ] have
fe and strength to resist for myself and for my fec
1le this thing shall not be donen
Hereupon captain Titow called in sergeant and
lie of soldiers from the room and the sergeant
advanced to seize the prisoner. Immediately Mr
Davis flew him, seized his musEet, and attempted
o wrench it from his grasp.
OF course such scene would have but one issue |
There short, passionate scuffle In moment
Davis was flung upon his bed, and before bis four
powerful assailans removed their bands from him. the
blacksmith and his assistant had done their worl--
me securing the rvet the right ankle, while the
ther turned the key on the paddock on the left.
This done, Mr.. Davis lay for 4 moment as il in
tupor. Then slowly raising himself and turning
ound he dropped bis shackled feet to the floor THE
arsh clank OF the striking chain seem first to have
ecalled him to his situation, and dropping bis face
no his Lands, he burst into passionate flood of COB
ing, rocking to and fro and muttering brief nler
ais: "Oh, the shame, the sbame!"