Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-24
A vIRGINIAN AT FORTRESS MONROE.
A Look at jeff. DAVIS and Talk with his
Wife

a VlhGlhlAN Al fohihLoo mVNnVI'
A Look at jeff paysii Wiz end Talk with his
From the Richmond Examiner
We have from the lips of Virginia
gentleman who within the last week WIS.,
tied Fortress Monroe, the citadel that
holds Jefferson Davis, narrative OF the
inner domestic life of Mr.. Davis. and
that of his devoted and estimable wife,
who, through the humanity Of President
johnson, is allowed to be near him and
visit him daily. The narrative, besides
being interesting, is far more truthful
than the sensation stories of Northern
correspondents, whose stock IN trade
consists in Imagination.
Soon after landing, and while walking
by the fort, our narrator had the pleasure
of observing Mr.. Davis, between eleven
and twelve o'clock in the forenoon,
taking his customary walk upon the ram
parts of the fort. From that distance he
looked weak and emaciated, and used
cane for support. His suit was the old
familiar gray, in which he so aften ap-
peared to the citizens of Richmond, as
his erect form strided back and forth
through Capitol Square, to and from the
Presidential mansion and his Office in the
Customhouse. His hat was the broad
brimmed felt, also familiar to our citl-
zens, and which he always wore in taking
his rides to the lines around Richmond.
Subsequently the gentleman had a
pleasant interview with Mrs. Jefferson
Davis, at the residence of DIR. Cooper,
the Post Surgeon. He found Mrs. Days
" al home, in an apartment comfortably,
though not elegantly furnished, and she
did not seem to want for anything. Her
conversation was the same thst so often
charmed visitors when she, the wife of
the President Of brave nation s.rug-
Cling for their liberties, dispensed the
courtesies and hospitalities of the Presi-
dental mansion She spoke freely and
feeingly of the health of Mr. Davis.
Though weak from long confinement and
want of chsbge Of air, his general health,
she thought, was good, and his spirits had
revived since she had been permitted to
visit and see him,
Mrs. Davis spoke warmly and frequently
of the kindness of DR.. Cooper also, Of
all the officers of the fort and post. She
was dressed in black silk, her usual
toilette in Richmond, and without orna-
ment, and seemed happy in the privilege
allowed her. Her youngest daughter,
George, is with her, a beautiful little
girl, with somewhat of sadness in her
eyes and face. The other children, Jehy
and an older daughter, are in Montreal,
Canada. Mrs. Davis old dining-room
servant, Frederick, who waited at the
Presidential Mansion, is also with her
He says he never intends to leave her,
and is exceedingly attentive, almost an,
ticipating her wants. lie accompanied
Mrs. Davis and the children in their
Journey to Charlotte, North Carolina,
previous to the fall of Richmond, and,
needless of the allurements of the Yam
KEGS has remained true to the end. The
Southern people will not forget this
faithful negro, who, though a freedman
by the result of the war, elects to remain
the trustworthy servant still.
Mrs. Davis nurse, Mary, is also at the
fortress, in attendance upon little Geor-
gle. She, too, is very devoted and at
tentive to the health and wants OF her
mistress, by winch name she yet addresses
her. Mrs. Davis, in the course of con.
versatiou, spoke kindly and feelingly OF
the sympathetic expressions OF the
Southern people, and their coincidence
expressed for herself and husband touch
ing the situation in which the latter had
been placed by the untoward fortune oil
war. She expressed a desire to see some
of the leading SoutherR newspapers, and
in this connection alluded to the Rich
mond Examiner, expressing her graft,
tude at its altered and softened tone of
comment upon the Ex-President. For
this we claim no credit Mr. Davis is
a prisoner, not a felon, and so long as It
is attempted to make him one, he will
find in this journal champion aud
defender to the last
In the course of one of Mrs Davis
recent interviews with her husband, MT
Davis expressed himself as much re-
lieved and gratifed by the fact that an
Indictment against him had been found.
He now hoped for a speedy trial he was
easy in hi $ mind as to the result Mrs
Davis was of the opinion that the i'm
proyements in his spirits, though appa-
rent from her first coming, has increased
since the announcement of the finding
of the indictment against him.
Some of the uupleasantness and petty
annoyances that have made Mr.. Davis
prison so irksome to q great Gagged mind
like his, have been done away with by
the authorities at Washington. Mrs.
Davis is permitted to visit him any time
from 10 IN. to p m, and after k5o
pm, to the hour of closing the gates,
whirh is o. clock.