Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-28

kepuolcan oil the shackling scene in Mr..
DAVIS casemate, which to think of stops my
hearts vibration. 1t was .piteous to hear
the little children pray at their grace, that
the Lord would give father something which
he could eat and keep him strong, and
bring him back to Us with his good sense TO
his little children, for CHRIsT's sake" and
every day during the hardest, bitterest of his
Imprisonment, our little child MAGGIE had
to quit the table to dry her tears after this
grace, which was of her own composition.
l believe, Doctor, / should have lost my
senses if these seventies had been perseyered
in, for | could neither eat nor sleep for a
week but opiates, and the information of
the change effected by your advice, relieved
me; and | have thanked God nightly for
your brave humanity. 1t is easier to fight
with revolver than to repeat unpleasant
truths TO hostile and untrammeled power
in the full indulgence Of its cruel instincts.
All honor to the brave men who iearlessly
did so.
Though / ate, slept, and lived in my room,
rarely or never going out in the day, and
only walking late at night with ROBERT for
protection, | could not keep my little ones
so closely confined. Little JEFF. and BILLY
went out on the street to play, and there
JEFF. was constantly told that he was rich
that his father had "stolen eight millions"
etc. BILLY was taught to sing, well
hang JEFF. DAVIS on a sour apple tree" by
giving him a reward when he did so; and
he made such good friends with the soldiers
that the poor child seemed to forget great
deal of his regard for his father The little
thing finally told me one day, "You thinks
Pse somebody; so is you; so is father, but
70 ,nf. = e lint /
am a Yankee every time" The rough
soldiers, doubtless, meant to be kind, but
such things wound me to the quick. They
took him and made him snatch apples off
the stalls, if ROBERT lost sight of him for
moment.
Finally, two women from Maine contem
plated whipping him, because they found
that he was his fathers son; but " a man
more wise did them SURPRISE" and took him
off Just in time TO avoid very painful
scene to them as well as TO me. These.
things went on in the street, refer only to
the street eachings-though these womerT
were, with one other, dishonorable excep-
tions to the ladies in the house, until Capt.
- was ordered to Savannah on duty. He
brought with him person who | heard was
his wife. As never went into the parior,
/ did not see her; but my little son JEFF.
went accidently into the room one day, and
interrupted a conversation she was indulg-
ing herself in with one of the negro walters,
in which she was laying down the proper
policy to be pursued toward Mr. DAVIS"
The servant, having been brought up by
lady, felt very uncomfortable, and said,
Madam, there is his son." She called lit
tie JEFF. up to her and told him his father
was "a rogue, liar, an assassin, and that
means a murderer boy and hope he may
be tied to stake and burned a little bit at
a time with light-wood knots. COP forbid
you should grow up comfort to your mo-
ther. Remember, you can never be gen.
tleman while this country lasts. Your
father will soon be hanged, but that death is
too quick"
9he negro retired mortified, and sent
ny nurse to call little JEFF; and so
with his little face purple with modification,
and wet with tears from his streaming eyes,
he came up to me, leaving the pious and pa
triotic lady to find another audience as con-
genial to her tastes as the first had been.
L commended JEFF's gentlemanly con-
duct in making no reply; cautioned him
against ever prosecuting or distressing wo-
man or a friend, if it took that shape; made
application for permission the next day to
go away to Augusta; was refused, and then
prepared the children to go where they
would not see such Indignantly patriotic
and prophetic females. Nothing, however,
but the dread of intruding into secret and
sacred grief prevented my writing poor
Captain - sympathetic note, to condole
with him upon the dispensation of Provi-
dence under which, in the person Of his
wife, he groaned.
Hourly scenes of violence were going on
in the street, and not reported, between the
whites and blacks, and | felt that the chill
dren's lives were not safe. During General
IS regime a negro sentinel leveled his
gun at my httfe daughter to shoot her for
calling him uncle"
could mourn with hope if my children
lived, but what was to become of me if
was deprived of them? So sent them off
with many prayers and tears, but confident
of the wisdom of the decision. On the ship
| understood 4 man was very abusive in the
hearing of Mr.. DAVIS, when my faithful SER
want ROBERT inquired with great interest,
"Then, you tell me am your equal? You
put me alongside of you in everything y
The man said Certainly" Then," said
ROBERT, "take this from your equal" and
knocked him down. The Captain was APP
pealed TO, and upon a hearing of the case
justified ROBERT, and required an apology of
the leveled leveler.
Little JEFF. is now at the endowed gram
mar school, near Montreal, in charge of n
Mrs. MORRIS, who has the care Of ten little
boys of good family, some of them Southern
boys, and is happy, so he writes me. Mrs.
MORRIS superintends his clothes and person,
and teaches him his lessons. She was chosen
by the faculty of the college for her high
character. MAGGIE is at the Convent Of The
Sacred Heart, in the same place where Gen.
WILLIAM PPEsToE's little girls are and
very kind they are to her. A nun is always
present with the small girls, who are sepa-
rated from the large girls. Little BILLY is
his grandmother's one pet and idol, always
with her, and in pretty good health. Ihave
sent their dear father picture of MA6GIEs
school, and little scrubbed letter from his
big boy to me.
As soon as the dear children were gone, ]
hoped with my little weak baby (you see l
am very honest with YOU to make my es-
cape out of the country to them; but when,
upon coming to Augusta-which General
STEEDNAN gave me leave to do Immediately
upon his accession to command, through
the very kind intercessiOn of General BRAN
NON, who succeeded General BIRGE-I was
informed by gentleman, who said he had
been told so authOritatively, that "if l ever
quilted the country, under any possible OBJ
iect, | would-uO matter what befell Mr..
DAvIs-never be allowed to return" |
abandoned the intention. As might makes
right in my case, and as my sisters health
had failed rapidly in the South, and as she
is a girl of rare Judgment and good feeling,
sent her with my nephew to New York, en-
route for Canada, to take care of my devoted
mother, who is now too old and delicate to
be left alone.
My two nephews joined me here about n
month ago, and desired to take me home
with them, but finding that the length of my
tether only permitted me to browse Gin
Georgia." they stayed two days and were
then forced 10 go home TO their families.
My baby has grown fat and rosy as the
"Glory Of France "a rose which Mr..
DAVIS recOllects near the gate Of our home.
Under the kind treatment / have received,
the fine country air five miles from Angus
tai and the privacy, l have also grown
much better; can sleep and eat, and begin to
feel alive again with the frosty air, and low
ing words and letters which meet me here as
in Savannah.
Mr.. GEORGE SCHELEY is my host, and
never had child in her fathers home 4
warmer welcome. | am at 70 expense, and
entirely GLADLY welcome The little baby