The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-11

! Captain Jerome &. Titlow, Of the Thir.
| Pennsylvania Artillery. entered the prison
er's cell. followed by the blacksmith Of til,
fort and his assistant, the latter carryin.
in his hands some heavy and harshy rat
ting shackles. AS they catered, Mr.
Davis was reclining on his bed, feverisl
and weary after sleepless night, the fooe
i placed near to him the preceding day still
Z lying untouched on its tin plate near hi.
bedside.
"Well!' said Mr., Davis as they entered
slightly raising his head.
! 81 have an unpleasant duty to perform
] sir said Captain Titlow; and as he spok.
the senior blacksmith took the shackles
from his assistant.
Davis leaped instantly from his recum
bent attitude, flush passing over his fact
for moment, and then his countenanct
growing liyid and rigid as death.
| He gasped for breath, clutching his
| throat with the thin fingers of his right
| hand, and then recovering himself slowly
while his wasted figure lowered up to its
full height--now appearing to swell with
indignation and then to shrink with terror
as he glanced from the Captains face tc
the shackles--he said slowly and with 8
laboring chest:
MyGod!" You cannot have been sent
to iron me p
Such are my orders, sir" replied the
officer, reckoning the blacksmith to ap.
proach, who stepped forward. unlockingthe
paddock and preparing the letters to do
their Office. These letters acre Of heaoy
iron, probably fue-eights Of an inch II,
thickness, and connected together by a
chain Of like aceight. believe they are
now in the possession of Maior-General
Miles, and will form an interesting relic.
"This is too monstrous," groaned the
prisoner, glazing burriedly round the room,
as If for sonS weapon, or means of selfde-
struction. II demand, Captain, that you
let me see the commanding officer. Can he
pretend that such shackles are required to
secure the safe custody of weak old man,
so guarded and in such fort as this?"
1t could serve no purpose" replied
Captain Titlow; his orders are from
Washington, as mine are from him
But he can telegraph" interposed Mr..
Davis, eagerly; there must be some mis-
take. No such outrage as you threaten
me with is on record in the history of ma
tons. Beg him to 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 soldier, Mr.. Davis, you
know | must execute orders"
"These are not orders for a soldier"
shouted the prisoner, losing all control Of
himself "1hey are orders for iaiIer-
for hangman, which no soldier wearing
sword should accept! l tell you the world
will ring with this disgrace. The war is
over the South is conquered; | have no
longer any country but America, and it is
for the honor of America, as we'll as for my
own honor and life, that l plead against
this degradation. Kill mel kill mel p he
cried, passionately, throwing his arms wide
open and exposing his breast, rather than
infict on me, and on my people through me
this insult worse than DEATH
do your duty, blacksmith" said the
officer, walking towards the embrasure as if
not caring to witness the performance at
only gives increased pain on all sides to
protract this interview.
At these words the blacksmith advanced
with the shackles, and seeing that the pris-
oner had one foot upon the chair near his
bedside. his right hand resting on the back
oft, 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 heweakest invalid, Mr.. Davis
suddenly seized his assaiant and hurled
him halfway across the room.
On this Captain Titlow turned, and see
ing that Davis had hacked against the
wall for further resistance, began to re-
monstrate, pointing out in brief, clear Ian
guage, 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."
i am prisoner of war;" iereely rasort.
ed Davis Il have been p soldier in the ar.
mics of America, and iknow how to die
Only Kill me, ard ny last breath shall be
blessing On ySur head But while I have
lie AMI strength to resist for myself and
Tor my people, this thing shall not be
Gone y
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 musket and ATTEMPTED to
wrench it from his grasp.
Vi course such q scene could have but
one issue. There was d short, passionate
scufile. In a moment Davis was flung up
on his bed, and before his four powerful as
sailants removed their hands from him, the |
and his assistant had done
their work-one securing the rivet on the
right ankle, while the other turned the KEY
on the paddock on the left.
This done, Mr.. Davis lay for a moment |
as il in stupor. Then slowly raising him.
self and turning round, he dropped his
feet to the floor. The harsh clank
of the striking chain seems first to have re-
called him to his situation, and dropping
his face into his hands, he burst into a pas
sionate food Of sobbing, rocking to and
FRO, and muttering at brief intervals: sOh,
The shame the shame!"
1t may here be stated, though out of its
Tue order--that we may get rid in haste of
IN unpleasant subject-that Mr. Davis
some two months later, when frequent Wis
is had made him more free of converse,
gave me eurious explanation of the last
feature of this incident. a
He had been speaking of suicide, and de-
it as the worst form of coward
ce and folly. "Life is not like commits
lion that we can resign when disguised
With the service. Taking it by your own
land is confession ofjudgment to all that
vour worst enemies can &llege 1t has often