Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-06-28
only gives increased pain on all sides to
protract this interview"

At tnese W0rQs, tne DlacK5mlCn advanced
With the shackles, and seeing that the pris
oner had one foot upon the chair near bin
bedside, his right hand resting on the back
of it, the brawny mechanic made an attemp,
to slip one of the shackles over the ankle
80 raised; but, as if with the vehemence
and strength which frenzy can impart even
to the weakest invalid, Mr.. Davis suddenly
seized his assailant and hurled him hall
way across the room.
On this Capt Titlow turned, and seeing
that Davis had backed against the wall fol-
further resistance, began to remonstrate
pointing out in brief, clear language tha
this course was madness, and that orders
must be enforced at any cost. "Why com
pei me-" he said, "to add the further in
dignity of personal violence to the necessity
of your being ironed."
81 am prisoner of war;" fercely retort
ed Davis; 81 have been soldier in the
armies of America, and know how to die
Only kill me, and ny last breath shall be 9
blessing on your head. But while I have
life and strength to resist, for myself and
for my people, this thing shall not be
DONE"
Hereupon Captain Titlow called in a ser
geant and file of soldiers from the next
room, and the sergeant advanced to seize
the prisoner. Immediately Mr.. Davis few
on him, seized his musket, and attempted
to wrench it from his grasp.
Of course such scene could have but
one issue. There was short, passionate
scuffle. In a moment Davis was thrown
upon his bed, and before his four powerful
assailants removed their hands from him,
the blacksmith and his assistants had done
their work-one securing the rivet on the
right ankle, while the other turned the key
in 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 bis
shackIed feet to the 6oor The harsh clank
of the striking chain seems first to have
recalled him to his situation, and dropping
his face into bis hands, he burst into a
passionate food of sobbing, rocking to and
fro, and mutteriug at brief intervals: "Oh,
the shame, the shame"
The next day, (May 24,) the doctor
found Mr.. Davis, very naturally, in state
of mental and bodily irritation, aud suffer.
ing from chronic neuralgia, which had
"destroyed the sight of his right eye" The
shaokles were removed in five days, by the
urgent advice of his physician, be being
too i'll and feeble to bear them. He was
allowed a walk of an hour on the ramparts
in June, though at first so feeble he was
unable to stand on his feet more than half
an hour. In August, while suffering from
erysipelas and carbuncle, he was removed
to more comfortable quarters in Carroll
Hall. Not having the work before US, we
can only say of his treatment from June to
November what is said in the review, that
Mr.. Davis continually complained Of his
deteriorating health, and protested against
the rigor and indignity of his treatment as
the head of six millions of people and a
prisoner refused impartial trial. His prison
fare, too coarse for one in his sensitive
health, was improved by supplies from the
doctors table. He was not allowed the use
of knife or fork, and all his letters we're in.
spected by the Government.
We make the following additional ex-
tracts which are interesting:
After he was allowed to have reading
matter, almost all he chose to read were the
Bible, prayer book, Bancroft's History of
the United States aud the New York Her.
aid. In the first two he found religious
consolation, no doubt; for be appears to
have been sincerely religious; in the last
his mind was interested with history, phi
losophy, and comprehensive view of the
current news of the day.
In his conversations with the physician,
he spoke freely and frankly of the Generals
and public men on both sides In Albert
Sidney Johnston he realized the ideal of a
perfect commander, remarking that all that
Napoleon said of Oessaix and Kleber, ex.
cept the slovenly habits of one of them,
might be combined truthfully and said of
Johnston. Be spoke of Stonewall jackson
with great tenderness and with somewhat of
reverence. The "Confederacy," be said,
"lost an eye and an arm in losing him, p
He expressed himself in high terms of Gen
Lee as great soldier and pure Christian
gentleman but he was not disposed to say
much about Joe Johnston. His old pre-
judice against this latter General evidently
exists yet. He did not have a very good
opinion of his Cabinet or the rebel Con-
gress, and was quite severe on Toombs,
whom he designates "a destroyer, born
Jacobin ;" on Foote, "a man of no account"
and on the Rhett faction of South Carolina,
which was never Sat home save when in
the attitude of contradiction" He thinks
"General Grant a great soldier beyond
doubt, but of new school," He says that
if Grant had started in his career as Com.
mander 10. Chief earlier in the war he would
probably have failed from the same causes
which Mcclellan and others did. If he
had not started with an enormous account
in bank, his checks would have been dis
honored. Davis owned to Gen. Butler, sthe