The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-12-25
Che Albaag geoister.
How JEFF. Davis Went Out to Cowhtde n
Wisconsin Boy and How he Didn't DO ii.

How JEFF. Davis Went Out to Cowhfde
Wisconsin Boy and How he Didn't DO it,
lFrom the Milwaukee Sentinel. Nov. 81
1t Is probably Known to but very few
of the present tscitizens of our State that
Wisconsin has the high distinction of
having given Mr.. Jefferson Davis, ex-
President of the ex-Confederate States,
his first public whipping.
1t should be remembered that. Master
Jeff. was educated for the army at the
expense of the Government he SO un-
gratefully betrayed, and entered the SER
vice as lean, lank, overbearing Lieu
tenant, and was stationed at Fort How
ard and Fort Winnebago about the years
1929 to 1881. In 1880 or 1881 he was
stationed at 1.-THE latter post, where the
circumstances We are about to relate oc-
CURED. For year or two previous
Buckeye boy named Stewart full
sized, well-built, muscular man, as good
natured as an elephant-had been in the
employ of Judge Arndt, of Green Bay,
In building what were called Mackinaw
boats, with which most of the river
transportation was done At the time
we speak of, Stewart was engaged in me-
chanical works at Fort Winnebago, where
DAVIS was stationed
JEFF. in the meantime, had become en-
amored of pretty young woman, of
semi-aboriginal origin, or in plain Eng
lish, halfbreed, and was very jealous
of any attentions bestowed upon her by
others. From some cause or other the
monster within him fixed his green eyes
upon Stewart, and he swore by all the
buttons on his coat that he would cow
hide the miserable Yankee out of his
skin. The idea of such miserable wisp
OF skin and bones attacking such built
man as Stewart was preposterous enough,
and his threats were regarded as mere
Southern gasconade But Jeff evidently
calculated, as he did on later occasion,
that thelow-born plebeian would never
dare to resist q high born Southerner,
but would crouch and take all he might
see fit to lay on, and so, providing himself
with good cow hide he watched his op-
pertunity.
The desired occasion was not long de-
layed. One evening, after the days
work was ended, as Stewart was walking
in front of the fort, Davis came out and
without ceremony began to lay it on.
But he found, as he did in the rebellion,
that there were two parties to the con-
troversy, A blow or two was sufficient
to arouse. the lion, and Stewart, as he
turned upon him, planted his left diglts
under jeff 5 right ribs, and his right one
under his left ear, and knocked him end
over end. Stewart was not professional
pugilist, and did not wait for his adver-
sary to rise, but pounced upon him like
tiger, and laying Jef7s wrists side by side
on his chest, held them both as in vice
with his left hand, and kept his right
hand ready for further action. Poor Da-
Wis, half dead from the two sledge ham,
mer blows he had received, squirmed and
twisted in vain. There he was, fast as
though he had been in the iron arms of
guillotine, and at the mercy of his ad-
versary. By this time Stewart had be-
come quite cool. and told Davis he de-
served good pounding; "but," said he,
eff you will take back what you have
said about me, and agree to let NE alone.
l will let you up without further injury" !"
No, he would never do any such thing
Then Stewart began to slap JefFs face
first on this side and then on the other,
and then repeated his demand for the
pledge, and JEFF. again refused Then
he pulled his nose and twisted it, and
slapped his face some more In the
meantime the garrison was all astir, and
General, then Major, Twiggs, the same
that went over to the rebellion with his
whole command of United States troops
stationed in Texas, a giant of man
physically, standing about six feet six,
and of full proportions. but confessed
coward withal, came out and peremptorily
ordered Stewart to let Davis up, an order
which, as commander of the fort, he could
have executed summarily if he had the
pluck to doit- Stewart replied that he would
not let him up an inch till he apologized
and promised TO keep the peace, and said
he, Major, you can't make me do it ;
and JIG yoa want to take q hand in this
fight, just try 1t on, and I will whip you
and your whole garrison ii you will bring
out your men In squads of not more than
six at = time" And then he went on
maniE Eulating Jeff's. cheeks and nose and
ears and repeating his demands for sin.
demuity for the past and security for the
future" while Twiggs looked on in mute
establishment at the audacious pluck of the
Yankee boatbuilder. jeff, seeing no way
to escape, either by bluster, main strength
or the interferepce of the Major, conclu
ded to accept the situation, took all back
and promised to treat Stewart as gentle
man, and was let up, remarking, as h,
went away, that he never received sucl
blows from man or horse; and probabl,
he never did again till another Buckey,
boy met him in another wilderness. HI
said he felt as If he had been kicked b,
mule. Jeff should have remembers,
that lesson, and.never again presumed, a
he did in getting up the rebellion, upo
Yankees holding still to be kicked
The writer of this article did not wit
ness this interesting fight, but was we
acquainted with Stewart, and receive
the foregoing account of the affair fror
his own mouth soon after the occurrence
rs well as from the lips OF others VIII
witnessed it; and the narrative we hav
.,,x =, ~, ~e1sod y,,,Sx, NO on hcfo n all