American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-10

| could no. see daylight. | had plen-
ty of food, but could not eat with my
face so muflled up. True, there was
a small hole in the bag near my
mouth, but could not reach that, as
my hands were wedged down by the
iron. At last two kind hearted sold
iers took compassion on me, and
while one watched the other fed me.
Ga Saturday night man came t.
me, and after drawing the bag so
tight as to nearly suffOcate me, said
to the guard, Don't let him go to
SLEEP, as we will carry him out to
hang him directly" | heard them
90 up Oh the deck, when there was
a great rattle of chains and other
noises; and while ] was trying to
imagine what was gong on, and
what they intended to do, | was
dragged out by two men, who both
pulled me at times in opposite di
rcctions, We, however, reached a
boat, in which | was placed, and
roWed short distance, | could not
say then where we stopped, for my
face was still covered. After leav-
ing the boat L was forced TO walk
some distance with the heavy irons
still on my legs. was then sudden
" stopped and made to ascend three
or four flights of stairs, and as | stood
at the top waiting, some one struck
me n severe blow on the top of the
head, which stunned and half threw
me over, when | was pushed into d
small room, where | remained in an
unconscious condition for several
hours. The next morning some one
came with bread and coffee. l re-
manned here several days suffering
torture from the bag or padded hood
over my face. 1t was on Sunday
when it was removed and | was sha-
ven. 1t was then replaced. Some
hours after, Gen. Hartrauft came and
read to me several charges; that /
was engaged in a plot to aSSassinate
the President, and the day following
| was carried into a military court
and still hooded before all its mem
bers. remained but a short time,
when was returned to my cell for
another night and day, and then
again presented in this court. Mr..
Bingham, Assistant Judge Advocate,
read the charges against me, and
asked if had any objection to the
court, and replied No." and made
my plea of" Not guilty" They then
wished to know If l desired counsel
and when l answered affirmatively
General Hunter, the President of the
court, insisted that l should not be
allowed counsel. He was, however
overruled, but it was several days
before l was permitted legal aid, the
court in the meantime taking evi
dence with closed doors. On every
adjournment of the court, if only fol
an hour, | was returned my eel
and the closely fitting hood place.
over my head. This continued til
June 10, 1865, when l was relieved
, from the torture of the bag, but NJ,
hands and limbs remained heavil,
manacled.
On one Sunday, while was con
fined at this place (the Washington
+ Arsenal l was visited by gentle
man of middle stature, rather stout
, with full beard and gold-framed spec
tacles. He noticed my MAI a lies ant
padded head. I afterward Learned
, that he was Mr.. Stanto l., the Secre
: tary of War. 1t is proper to stat
, that when the hood was placed o.
, me, Captain Monroe said it was b.
order of the Secretary of War. NJ
E first thought was that l was to b
n hung without trial, and the hoo
was preparatory to that act.
? The first time | ever saw Mrs. SUI
! raft was in the Carroll prison yart
! on Capitol Hill. l did not see he
/, again until we were taken into coul
n the first day at the arsenal. My &c
was on the same corridor with hers
I and l had to pass it every time l wa
j, taken into court. l frequently lool
:, ed into her cell, small room abou
! four feet wide by seven feet lonS
\. The only things in her cell were a
!. old mattress laid on the bricks, an
n an army blanket. | could see I'll
+ irons Oh her feet, as she was gene
n ally lying on the mattress, and wa
n the last one brought into court. Sh
r occupied seat in court near til
, prison dor. The seat was twely
= inches high, and tue chains betwee
"a the irons on her feet were so shoI
, that she always had to be assiste
p to her seat. She was so sick at Oh
p. time that the court was compelle
Il to adjourn.
"a On the 18th of July, about mi,
q night, was conveyed to a steam
q boat, and arrived the next day ;
+ Fortress Monroe, and was thent
q taken to the .gunboat Florida. I'll
}, irons on my arms were temperate
+ removed, but Captain button,
/ charge Of the guard, ordered heav
Il Lille irons to be placed on me, whe
q Gen. Dodd, chief officer in charg
II more humanely countermanded Ii
II order and had the irons again +
7 moved from my arms. Twas place
4 for security in the lower hold of IL
), vessel, and compelled to descend
j, it by ladder. The rounds were f;
o. apart, aud as the irons on my fe,
% were chained but few inches apaT
r. my legs were bruised and lacerate
I fearfully. The hold where | WI
n cont!Eed was close and dirty, bu
q after two or three days | was ALLOW
N ed on deck in the day time, but W;
/; closely guarded. j was allowed
% speak to no one of the crew. We a
I rived ut Fort Jefferson, on the ID
20 TOrtugas, and were hauded over
al Colonel Hamilton, commanding, wi
8 placed me until the next day in
80 cascmate. The next day | was take
IN before Colonel H., who informed Il
il that he had no more stringent orde
j concerning me than other prisone
nr confined there.
ID managed to get along comfort
4. bly, for while, though to some
N the prisoners the officers were vel
II cruel. One man by the name
of Dunn, while helping in unloading
ii Government transport, got hold
lamar and i'm hi hnI foo frnnl