Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-05-01
IcT Davis In Irons.

"Was JEFF Davis ever manacled p
asks "a constant readerr of the "Rem-
iniscenees.n He was, at Fortress Mon.
roe, on the ground that he had refused
to eat some of the food prepared for
him, and SHE'D tin plate at the head
of the soldier who served him. This
was revolt" strictly speaking, but
there was nothing TO fear from the an
CRY acts of an old man who was i'm
prisoned in the apartment of case.
mate. with guard in the outer apart
ment and sentinel posted on the out
side, at the port hold and at the door.
Butorders had undoubtedly been sent by
Secretary Stanton to put the fallen
chief of the Confederacy in irons il he
gave any provocation, and he gave it.
Captain Titlow, who was especially
charged with the custody of Mr.. Davis
and who is authority for this statement
was accordingly ordered by the com
mandant of the fort to place his pris-
oner in irons. Sommouing a black
smith, who was in the habit of riveting
irons on soldiers sentenced by court
martial to wear them, the Captain went
to the case-mate, accompanied by the
blacksmith carrying the letters and his
tools. They found Mr.. Davis seated on
his cot, there being no other furniture
besides but stool and few articles
of tinware. When he glanced at the
blacksmith and comprehended the sit
uation, he exclaimed: my God is this
indignity to be placed on me? Not
while / have lifep At first he pleaded
for an opportunity to inquire of Secre-
tary Stanton. Then his excitement
rose to fury as he walked the cell, vent
ing itself in almost incoherent ragings.
The Captain at length calmly remind ed
him that, as soldier, he must be aware
that. however disagreeable the duty
assigned, it must be performed.
and that, as in duty bound, he
should perform it. "None but
a dog would obey such orders"
replied Mr.. Davis, emphasizing his de-
termination never to be manacled alive,
by grasping the stool and aiming q
vicious blow. The sentries rushed for
ward to disarm him, but were ordered
back in their places. Captain Titlow
explained that such demonstrations of
self-defense were foolish and useless,
and that it would be much better for
Mr.. Davis to submit to the inevitable
necessity. But while receiving this adj
vice, he took the opportunity of grasp
ing the musket of one of the sentries,
and, in the furious endeavor to wrest it
from him, quite scuffle ensued.
That np1nI ha Hax~&a.r H.
precaution of clapping his hands on his
sword hilt, as he perceived Mr.. Davis
eye was upon it, and at once ordered the
corporal of the guard to send into the
case-mate four of his strongest men,
without side-arms, as he feared they
might get into the wrong possession
and cause damage. They were ordered
to take the prisoner as gently as posi-
bic, and using no unnecessary force, to
lay i'm down. 1t proved about as
muen as four men could do, the writh-
ings and upheavings of the Infatuated
man developing the strength of ma
MAC, until it eliminated in sheer ex-
haustion. When the unhappy task was
done, Mr.. Davis, after lying still awhile,
raised himself and sat on the side of
the bed.
As his feet touched the floor and the
chain elanked, he was utterly over
come--the tears burst out in q flood.
When he. became calm, he ap6logized in
manly way to the Captain for the
needless trouble he had caused him,
and they afterward maintained mutual
relations of personal esteem and friend
illness. The indignity had, however,
such an effect upon Mr.. Davis, that the
physician called in insisted on the re-
moval of irons. Permission to do this
was reluctantly obtained from WASH
ington, and the same man who had put
on the letters took them off. This act
did much to restore the deposed leader
of the rebellion to the foremost place,
which he had forfeited, in the hearts of
those who had rebelled. Perley
P0ore.