Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-11-17
cLUTcHEO By JEFF. DAVIS.
A WGtsontowR Mans WrestIe With the Con
federate Cheftdm at Fortress Monroe.
Watsontown Herald.

Watsontown Herald.
Elisha Kisner, q modest, unpre.
tending gentleman, we'll known in
this community and at present en-
ployed by the Watsontown Planning
Mill Company, was a member OF
the Third Pennsylvania heavy ar
tiIIery, which was stationed at Fort.
ress Monroe when jefferson DaVl
was taken there, soon after his cap.
ture. Mr.. Kisner was detailed
among others, to stand guard over
the rebel chief. In an interview
with Mr.. Kisner the other evening
he gave an interesting account OF
what occurred during this period of
nearly year.
Ibid / ever tell you how old JET
took me by the throat ?'' he asked /,
while he shook all over with laugh
ter. "Well, il was something in
this way. There were two sentries
in Jeff7s room, and this night l
happened to be on duty. Davis was
lying on his bed, apparently trying
to get nap, and our orders We're to
pace his room constantly, but under
no consideration to speak or enter
into any conversation with him.
My shoes, which were then new,
screeched as 1 passed his bed, and
this seemed to annoy him. Once
as [ passed him he turned to lne
and growled out, Il wish you'd
make less noise.' replied, Il wish
you'd keep quiet Then he turned
over with his face to the wall and |
kent walking back and forward
past his bed. In a minute or two
ne grow led again, Can't you keep
quiet" To this | replied Can't
you hold your jaw?' Then he got
up and commenced to walk the
floor, mad as Gagged lion. l passed
him and turned to go back, when |
met him about the middle of the
room. Just as l WIS about to re-
pass him he suddenly sprang at me,
and with his left hand caught me
by the throat. l struggled to get
loose, but he held me as in a wise.
could not use my gun, as he held
me close to him. l struggled for
breath, but he had shut off my
wind. The scuffie drew the atten-
ton of the other guard in moment
and also the officer outside, when
he ratified his sword against the iron
grated door, and then old jeff let
loose of me and went back to bed.
l tell you | was weak in the knees
when he did let go, and though he
only held me moment or 50, it
seemed like an hour.
"BefOre this occurred an old reb
outside, who had the privilege of
bringing jeff his meals, used to
bring in lots of fried and stewed
oysters, and many other things we
soldiers couldn't get. He nearly
always brought more than old jeff
could eat, and Jeff used to give US
lots of good things. but after this
fuss he'd always throw everything
that was left out of the window,
and wouldn't even give us a smell
to save our lives. He was a spun
ky old cuss, | tell you. He wanted
air, and then he would be taken
out onto the ramparis by two Cap
tains, two Lieutenants, two COrpO-
rails and two privates, and walked
around for fifteen minutes or half
an hour. Those officers and men
had to surround him to keep the
guards from shooting him every
time he went out. The way he
was fixed they couldn't kill him
without killing one of the other
men, and perhaps more. After JEFF
collared me, one of the guards
drew his picture on the wall, repre-
senting him dangling on the end
of a rope, with an inscription not
very mplimentary to jeff under
meath it. 1t made the old fellow
furious when he saw it, and of
course it was blamed on me. He
called the attention of the officer to
it, but did not get much sympathy
from him.