The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-18
sSs senior blacksmith took the shscEles

for O. moment, and then nM couht0h"hSS
growing livid and rigid as death!
He gasped for breath, clutchtng his throa,
with the thin fingers Of his right hand, anu
then recovering himself slowly, while ms
wasted Iieure lowered mp to itsfuil heign,-
now appearing to swell with indignatlou
and then to shrink with terror, rs ne
glanced from the captains face 10 tue
shackles-hc said slowly and with LABOR
ing chest: -. hoo, con,
to iron me ~ :.
"Sucb are nv orders, sir" replied the
officer beckoning the blacksmith to ap-
proach. who stepped forward, unlocking
the paddock and preparing the letters to
do their office. These letters were of
heavy iron, probably .eighths of an inch
in thickness, and connected together by
chain of like weight. believe they are
now in the possession of Major General
Miles, and will form an interesting relic.
"This is too monstrous," groaned the
prisoner, glaring hurriedly round the room,
as if for some weapon or means Of self
destruction. II demand, Captain, that
you let me sec the commanding officer.
Can he pretend that such shackles are re-
auired to secure the safe custody OF weak
old man, so guarded, and in such tort as
this p :. :,
alt could serve no purpose" replied
Captain Titlow: "his orders are from
Washington, as mine are from him."
But he can telegraph" interposed MT.
Davis, eagerly "there must be some ms
take. No such outrage az you threaten
me with is on record in the history oil ma
tons. Beg him to telegraph, and deia!
until he answers"
"My orders are peremptory," said the
officer, land admit of no delay. For your
own sake, let me advise you to suDmit
with patience. AS soldier, MIR. DAVIS
YOU know | must execute orders"
"Thesc are not orders for a soldier,
shouted the prisoner, losing all control OF
himself. "They are orders for lalior-
for a hangman, which no soldier wearing
sword should accept, tell you the world
will ring with this disgrace. The war IS
over the south is conquered l have no
longer any country but America, and 1t Is
for the honor of America, as for my own
honor and life, that plead against this
degradation. "Kill me! kill me !" he
cried passionately, throwing his arms wide
open and exposing his breast, rather
than inhict on me, and on my people
through me, this insult worse than death"
"Do your duty blacksmith" said the
officer, walking toward the embrasure, as
if not caring to witness the performance.
alt only gives increased pain on all sides
to protract this interview
At these words the blacksmith advanced
with the shackles, and seeing that the pri-
g ha no
bedside, his right hand resting on the back
of il, the brawny mechanic made an at
tempt to slip one of the shackles over the
ankle so raised; but, as if with the vehe-
mence and strength which frenzy can I'M
part even to the weakest invalid, Mr..
Davis suddenly seized his assailant and
hurled him halfway across the room.
On this Captain Titlow turned, and see
ing that Davis had backed against the wall
for further resistance, began to remon-
strate, 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 your being ironed -
81 am prisoner of war;" tiercely re-
torted Davis: 81 have been soldier in
the armies of America, and know how to
die. Only kill me, and my last breath
shall be blessing on your head. But
while have life and strength to resist, Tor
myself and for my people, this thing shall
not be DONE"
Hereupon Captain Titlow called in a
sergeant and file of soldiers from the next
room, and the sergeant advanced TO SelZe
the prisoner. Immediately Mr.. DAVIS
flew on him, seized his musket, and at
tempted to wrench it from his grasp.
OF course such scene could have but
one issue. There was short, passionate
scuffle. In moment Davis was thrown
mon 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 himself
and turning round, he dropped his shackled
feet to the floor. The harsh clank of the
striking chain seems first to have recalled
him to his situation, and dropping his face
into his hands, he burst into a passionate
food of sobbing, rocking to and fro, and
muttering at brief intervals: ooh, the
shame, the shame. 20
The next day May 24th) the Doctor
found Mr.. DAVIS, verynaturally, in state
of mental and bodily irritation, and suffer-
ing from chronic neuralgia, which had
"destroyed the sight of his right eye."
The shackles were removed in five days
by the urgent advice of his physician, he
being too i'll and feeble to bear them. He
was allowed walk of an hour on the ram
parts i'm June, though at first so feeble he
was only able to stand on his feet more
than half an hour. In August, while suf-
fering 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 COM
planned fhis deteriorating health, and pro-
tested against the rigor and indignity Of his
treatment as the head of six millions of peo-
pie and prisonerrefusedi impartial trial. His
prison fare, too coarse for one in his sensi-
tive health, was improved by supplies from
the doctors table. He was not allowed
the use Of knife or fork, and all his letters
were inspected by the Government.
This part of the book may be slurred