The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-07-12

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''lt would serve no purpose, replied
Captain Titlow; CHS orders are from
Washington, as mine are from him.
But he can telegraph" interposee
Mr.. Davis eagerly; "there must b.
some mistake. No such outrage az
you threaten me with is on record il
the history of nations Beg him t.
telegraph, and delay until he answers
"My orders are peremptory," said
the officer, "and admit of no delay
For your own sake, let me advise you
to submit with patience. AS a soldier
Mr.. Davis, you know I must execute
orders"
"These are not orders for a soldier
shouted the prisoner, losing all control
OF himself. "They are orders for Jail.
or-for a hangman, which no soldier
wearing a sword should accept! I tell
you the world will ring with this dis
grace. The war is over; the South is
conquered; have no longer any coun.
try but America, and tits for the honor
OF America, as for my own honor and
lite, that [ plead against this degrade
ton. Kill me-! kill me" he cried pas
sionately, throwing his arms wide open
and exposing his breast, rather than
lnflict on me, and on my people through
me, this insult worse than DEATH"
EDO your duty, blacksmith" said the
officer, walking toward the embrasure
as if not caring to witness the pcrfor-
nance. ''It only gives increased pain
on all sides to protract this interview"
AT these words the blacksmith ad-
vanced with the shackles, and, seeing
that the prisoner had one foot upon the
chair near his bedside, his right hand
resting Oh the back of it, the brawney
mechanic made an attempt to slip one
OF the shackles over the ankle 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.
On this Captain Titlow turned, and
seeing that Davis had backed against
the wall for further resistance. began
to demonstrate, pointing out in trief,
clear language, that this course was
madness, and that orders must be en-
forced at any cost. "Why compel me-"
he said, "to add the further indignity
of personal violence to the necessity of
your being ironed ?"
II am prisoner of war;" fercely re-
torted Davis; II have been a soldier in
the armies Of America, and know how
to die. Only kill me, and my last breath
shall be blessing upon your head
But while [ have life and strength to
resist, for myselfand 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 seize the prisoner. Immediately
Mr.. Davis flew on him, seized his mus
ket and attempted to wrench it from
his grasp.
Of course such scene could have but
one issue. There was short, passion
ate scuf1e. In moment Davis was
flung upon his bed, and before his four
powerful assailants removed their hands
from him, the blacksmith and his assis-
tant 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 mo-
ment as if in a 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 flood
of sobbing, rocking to and fro, and NUT
tering at brief intervals, ooh, the
shame, the shame!"
It may here be stated, though out of
its due order-that we may get rid in
haste of an unpleasant subject-that
Mr.. Davis some two months later when
frequent visits had made him more free
OF converse, gave me a curious explana-
ton of the last feature of this incident.
He had been speaking of suicide, and
denouncing it as the worst form of cow
ardice and folly. "Lifes is not like a
commission that we can resigu when dis
gusted with the service. Taking it by
your own hand is confession of judg-
ment to all that your worst enemies can