The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-07-30
JEFF DAVIS AS A PRISONER.

ers." said Mai. John S. Stevenson to
| reporter of the New York World the
| other day. The ma iOr was out ir the
| late war with the Third Pennsylvania
| artillery, which garrisoned Fortress
| Monroe while the president of the
southern confederacy was confined
| there,
There are many incidents connected
| with Davis Imprisonment that l think
have never appeared in print, and if
| you viii take notes for while | will
| give them to you," continued the ma
| ior. and he related the following:
about the middle of May 1865,
| considerable excitement was occasioned
at the fortress by the receipt of orders
| from the war department that the post
| should prepare the easements for the
reception of prisoners of war. The
order was promptly carried out, and
on May 10 the steamer William p.
Clyde steamed up Hampton roads,
| having on board Jefferson Davis and
| Clement G. Clay. She came to anchor
| off the fortress, and | was one of the
| first officers of the garrison to visit the
! distinguished prisoners. 1t was neceS-
sary TO issue very strict orders for the
| them had suffered the horrors of south
ern prisons, and the news of President
Llncoln's assassination was fresh in
their minds. The namG of Davis was
closely associated in their minds with
all the sutferings and privations of the
long campaign, and the crimes and in
dignities against the government. On
ly an opportunity was lacking to lead
to the killing of the confederate ex-
president. Any one of the men would
have shot him down at sight, even had
he known he would SWING for it the
next moment.
'Dayis was accompanied by his wife
and children and Mrs. Clay with her
husband. Mrs. Clay was extremely
solicitious for her husbands comfort
and requested the officers to treat him
kindly. He, too, was pleasant and
courteous in his manner Mr. Davis
was morose and cold in his demeanor
He was suffering from neural lgia,
which had deprived him partially of
his eye sight, and was besides half
crazy from dyspepsia.
The prisoners were permitted to
stay on shipboard for three days with
their families, but on May % Charles
Dana, assistant secretary of war, made
preparations to bring them ashore. A
strong line OF sentrleS was stationed
about the fortress, but at points whence
it was impossible to see Davis when he
landed. Col. Pritchard went aboard
and led Davis out, after permitting
him to take leave of MS wife. Imme-
diately on landing Gen. Miles took
charge of the prisoner and led him in
10 the fortress by way of the water
battery postern, Pritchards guard
forming an impenetrable line upon
either side. At the entrance of the
fortress the inner guard escorted him
10 cell fitted up for him in the gun
room.
Extra precautions were taken to
make this cell secure from possible
raids by relief parties. The embrasure
was heavily barred, and an army
blanket hung inside to keep out the
light. Davis bed-a hospital cot
was placed beneath the embrasure The
door opening into the gun-room was
also heavily barred. A sentinel was
locked in the cell with the prisoner
while just outside the door an officer
OF the guard was stationed to watch
embrasure was stationed an extra
guard of thirty armed sentries.
''Strict orders were issued regarding
the treatment of Davis He was al
lowed no reading matter except the
Bible and prayer-book. His food, a
regular army ration, consisted of coffee
without milk for breakfast, with a lump
of bread; salt beef, bread and coffee for
Il L
supper He was allowed no knife or
fork, lest he should attempt suicide.
As he was i'll with dyspepsia and had
Tor long time been able to eat moth
inc but the daintiest food this rough
food was nauseating. He didn't at
tempt to eat, and went without food
for several days. He was getting a
practical inkling of how union soldiers
suffered in the southern prisons al
though the food offered him was sump
tuous compared with that given to the
latter.
about this time an incident occur
red illustrating his bitterness toward
the north. He was so i'll that DIR. Ban
croft was sent to prescribe for him.
Where are you from?' he asked
the doctor.
Massachusetts, was the reply.
I'D sooner die than permit you to
touch me or have anything to do with
me; is there no other doctor here?
- There's DR.. Craven, of New Jer-
sew
I" New Jersey! Well, that's an i'm
provement on ankeedom; send him to
me-
80 DR.. Craven attended the arch
rebel and found him really i'll.
THE monotonous tramp, tramp of
the sentinel, pacing up and down his
cell, annoyed Davis. He first glared
at him angrily and then requested him
to stop walking. The sentry had or
ders not to speak to the prisoner. so he
said nothing but continued his meas
ured tread. At last Davis became eX-
asperated, and, rushing upon the SOL
der, attempted TO wreSt the musket
from him.
This conduct was promptly report
ed, and soon ali order came from Wash
ington directing that Davis be put in
irons. The order was executed at
once. Blacksmiths came to the cell.
and instead Of using the common style
of clasp shackles, the old-fashioned
Cudlu anu DIOciI DidGGltt were
and the smiths proceeded to fasten
them on with rivets.
". BY whose order is this outrage
perpetrated?' asked Davis, trembling
with rage, his gaunt face livid with
passion. 4 protest; | will not submit
to this indignity, and Davis caught a
hammer from one of the men and
would have smashed the blacksmith's
skull if soldier had not caught his
arm.
Capt. Titlow, who had charge of
the ironing, said: Mr.. Davis. l am
soldier, acting under orders from my
superior officer. You, too. are a sol
dier. and know as well as / that the
order will be carried out, whether you
submit quietly or resist.
Does President johnson know of
thisP' groaned Mr.. Davis. as he sat
down upon his cot and permitted the
Sy,,ithS to rirat tho Shacbla- r ,.-os