Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1866-06-29
JEFFERSON DAVIS PRISON LIFE.
There has lust been pubEshedin Ney

IuSlc mar JllSb pteH puuilSneuln new
| York i curious and Interesting work, en-
/ titled = Prison Life Of Jefferson Davis !;
\ embracing details and incidents in bis
I captivity, particulars concerning his
health and habits, together with many
/ conversaLions on topics Of great public
interest BY Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
John ] Craven; M. D., late surgeon
4 United States volunteers, and physician
/ of the prisoner during his confinement
in Fortress Monroe, from May 25th,
1865. up to December 25th, 1862
The book is filled with memoranda which
cannot but excite attention far and wide,
and though doubtless clap-trap and ma
levolent remark will be resorted to, in q
partisan spirit, to break the force Of many
of the facts, yet it will be difficult to
overcomeithe impression which they must
make upon the instinct of. common hui
manity and ordinary sense of justice.
i The procession from the United States
steamer Clyde into the fort. on the morn
ing of the 21st of May is described, with
Major General Halleck. Charles A. Da-
ma, then Assistant Secretary Of War, and
/ Colonel Pritchard, of the Michigan cav
airy, (who had made the capture of Mr..
Davis party with Colonel Miles hold
ing the arm Of Mr.. Davis, always thin
and now haggard, dressed in suit Of
gray, Mr.. Q. G. Clay following, amidst
the guard of soldiers, and through files
of other soldiers, all the way into the
casemate.
/ When Mr.. Davis was first placed in
his cell, he very naturally asked which
way the window or embrasure faced -
But both of the soldiers pacing up and
down his cell were silent, and repeating
the question, the continued silence indi-
Gated their strict prohibition of all inter-
change of words with the prisoner Left
thus, with a Bible and prayer book, and
tbeiordinary rations of beef and bread,
of which the sick man partook not, the
'rst day and night we're passed. Says
y. Craven:
On the morning of the 23d of May
ct bitterer trial was in store for the proud
plrit--a trial seyerer, probably, than
as ever in modern times been inflicted
pom any one who had enjoyed such en-
nence, This morning Jefferson Davis
vas sbackled. 1t was while all the
warming camps of the armies of the Po-
omac, the Tennessee and Georgia-over
wo hundred thousand bronzed and lau-
eled veterans were preparing for the
grand review of the next morning, in
which, passing in endless succession be-
ore the mansion of the President, the
,cnquering military power Of the nation
vas to lay down its arms at the feet of
he civil authority, that the following
cv7e was enacted at Fortress Monroe
Capt. Jerome r. Yitlow, of the sbird
pennsylvania artillery, entered the cell,
slowed by the blacksmith of the fort
aud bis assistant, the latter carrying in
bis hand the rafting shaqklcs Mr.. Da-
Wis was reclining on hishd, feversh and
] weary, after sleepless might, the food
! placed near him the precious day, still
lying untouched on its til plate near his
j bedside Well?" sal Mr.. Davis,
slightly raising his head.
! | have an important daty to perform,
sir" said Capt. Titlow, anl as he spoke
, the senior blacksmith took the shac2les
Z from his assistant. rsH
Davis leaped instantly from his recum-
bent attitude, a flush passing over his
face for a moment, and tbef his counte-
nance grew livid and rigid as death -
He gasped for breath, clutching his throat
with the thin fingers of his fight hand
and then recovering biniself slowly,
while his wasted figure towersd up to its
full height-now appearing toswell with
Indignation and then to shrink with tor
ror as be glanced from the CAPTAINS face
to the shackles- he said SLOWLY with a la
boring chest:
/" Ny God J You cannot baEe been
sent to iron me r.
8 Such are my orders, sir" replied the
! officer, reckoning the blacksmith to np-
proach. who stepped forward. unlocking
the paddock and preparing the letters to
do their Office. These letters we're of
/ heavy iron, probably fve-cightbs Of an
inch in thickness, aud connected together
| by chain of like weight. III
4 This is too monstrous," gfoanea the
1 prisoner, glariDg hurriedly around the
room. as if for some weapon or means of
self-destruction. 81 demand, Captain,
! that you let me see the commanding off,
Ger. Can he pretend that such shackles
I are required to secure the safe custody
of weak old man, SO guarded and in
such a fort as this ?" 1J s
= It could serve no purpose replied
Captain Titfow; CHS orders are from
Washington, as mine are from him
But he can telegraph, y intsa. osed
Mr.. Davis, eagerly; there must be some
mistake. No such outrage as you threat
en- me With is on record IN the historr Il
nations. Beg him to telegraph, aud de-
I lay until be answers" laF
!" My orders are peremptory," said the
officer. "and admit Of no delay For
your own sake, let me advise you TO sab
nit with patience. AS A soldier, sbir
Davis, you know / must execute orde-.s q