Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1866-06-29
ROCKvILLE FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 29 1856

r
4 /" These are not orders for soldier, =
shouted the prisoner, losing all control
of himself4aa" They are orders for q
jailor for hangman, which no soldier
wearing q sword should accept! tell
you the world viii ring with this disgrace.
The war is over the South is conquered.
| have no longer any country but Amer
lea, and it is, FOL. the honor Of America,
as for my own honor and life, that !
plead against this degradation Kill
mel kill mel" he cried, passiopately.
throwing his arms wide open and expos
ing his breast, rather than indict on
me, and on my people through me, this
insult worse than death" v Aie' w
4 Z" Do your duty, blacksmith" said
the officer, walking towards the embra-
sure as if not caring to witness the per-
formance - 1t only gives increased
pain on all sides to protract this inter-
view" 97 2 abi9gsiai na mH
/ At these words the blacksmith ad7
vanced 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 ANGLE so raised !;
but, as if with the vehemence and
strength which frenzy can impart, even
to the weakest invalid. Mr.. Davis sud-
denly seized his assailant and hurled
him half way across the room.
IE-| 'I
On this Captain Titlow turned, and
seeing that Davis had backed against the
wall for further resistance began to re-
monstrate, pointing out in brief, clear
language, that this course was madness,
and that orders must be enforced at any
cost. Why compel me-" he said, ''to
add the further indignity of personal
violence to the necessity Of you being
/ ironed n nrn5..a
| 81 am prisoner Of war; ferccly
retorted Davis 80 have been soldier
in the armies Of America, and know how
to die. Only kill ne, and my last
breadth shall be a blessing on your
head But while / have life and
strength to resist, for myself and for my
people, this thing shall not be done"
| Hereupon Captain Titlow called in
sergeant and file Of soldiers from the
next room, and the sergeant advanced
to seize the prisoner. Immediately Mr..
Days flew on him, seized his musket,
and attempted to wrench it from his
grasp.
OF course such scene no''''
but one issue There
sionate scuffie. In a mol
flung upon his bed, and
powerful assailants
from HIM, the blat
ant had dc
the rivet
other turn
4 the ,el4
/ This done,
moment as if
raising himself
dropped his shqc
The harsh clank
seems first to have recaa .ssl
situation, and drolpir his fsce INFO bis
hands, he burst in,o p$ssionpte food Of
sobbing. rocking to andfro, and mutter-
ing at brief intervals ooh the shame,
the shame r.
It may be her stated, though out of
its due order-th1l we may get rid ofin
haste an unpleosi ut eifoject-t that Mr..
Davis, some two months later, when
frequent visits had made him more free
of converse, gave me curious cxplana
ton of the last feature in this incident.
He had been spcakhg Of suicide and
denoupcine II rs The worst form Of
cowardiee and folly. life is not like
a commission tLat y. can resign when
disousted with the teryice. Taking II
by your own hand is a confession Of
i ndcment 10 all tbatvo,,r worst enemies
can allego II Iasloften flashed across
me &c : tanrl;nr smedv for n0uralaic
torture bpt fbo9k Id I never sought.
M own deg,l .b1t .nce and then when
~ ,nie,ely fgoasief and not master Of
nv actions Wbso thew came to iron
me that day 1 ! last resource Of des-
nerat;on / seiqd ! soldiers musket and
ppttemnfed - winch 4 from his oragp
4 hon;ng tbst I, tl,e1 semitic and sunrise