Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-21
JEFFERsoN DAVIS IN PRISON.
Lieut.. Tripler's Story of His Pleasant
Life at Fort Monroe.
From ne San Frdncisoo AItd

q
was in 1865 First Lieutenant in the
Twelfth United States Infantry, and, in
the absence Of my Captain, commanded
Company of the First Battalion Of that
regiment. Early in October / was order
ed to Fort Monroe, and reported for duty
to Gen. N. A. Miles. My rank as Lieu
tenant subjected me to detail as officer of
the guard, and as such had for the twen-
ty-four hours of my detail immediate
charge of our distinguished prisoner, my
orders being mot to allow him out OF my
sight during my tour OF duty" Mr.. Da-
Wis was confined to room in Carroll
Hall, which was designed as quarters for
L1eutenants, who are entitled to two
rooms only, so all the rooms, except the
mess hall and library, are in suites of two
rooms each. The doOrways were all graf
ed with iron, and a sentry walked before
each on pile OF cocoa mating some four
inches thick The officer of the guard
was not allowed to leave the room unless
relieved by the officer of the day, nor to
sleep at all during his twenty-iour hours
of duty. The grated windows were lock
ed. the keys being in the custody of the
officer of the dav. AS was the custom, on
my first day of duty as officer Oft the guard
| was introduced by nv predecessor to
Mr.. Davis thus: "Mr. Davis. Mr.. Trip
Ter, of the Twelfth" Mr.. Davis said
''Are you Stuart Trlpler?" l said, eyes,
sir" He then said he remembered my
grandmother Mrs. Hunt), and had very
pleasant recollections OF my father (Sur-
geOn Tripler, Of the army. We had that
first day no further conversation until the
time came for his daily walk around the
parapet. At that time the officer of the
day came, accompanied by two negro
prisoners, unlocked the door, when Mr.
Davis, dressed in snuff.colored clothes,
with Raglan OVercOat and soft, high
crowned black felt hat, stepped into my
room. Gen. Miles entered at this time
with the daily papers, which were placed
on table in Mr.. DPS room. The prison
ers commenced at once to clean up the
room, and we lett in the following order:
Mr.. Davis and officers of the guard, ten
PAGES behind two sentries, q couple of
PAGES behind them the officer of the day,
and lastly, some distance off, Gen. Miles
strOlled along reading.
We took our time, and Mr.. Davis, by
his instructive and most entertaining
conversation, rendered this most de-
lightful duty. He seemed to know every
thing. He had the unusual faculty OF
drawing young man out and making
him show his best side. We would some
times stop abreast of the water battery,
in front of the commanding officers quar-
tiers, and recline on the crest of the works,
where he would relate pleasant stories of
the old army, ask after common friends,
and often give me points in my profession
which were invaluable. To show how
small a matter he would notice and speak
Of, there were number of trees growing
along one of the fronts of classmates which
bore clusters of small berries. Mr.. Davis
said: "Ileut. Tripler, l saw you riding a
nice-lOOking horse the other day, but it is
out of condition. Those berries you see
there are one of the best condition medi-
cines l know of, and you can find them
ali over the South; remember that; it's
worth knowing" On our return Dr.
Cooper's servants came in with Mr.. Da-
Wis lunch. All his meals were supplied
from DR.. COOper's table, and Mrs. Cooper
was notable housewife, and the markets
Of Fort Monroe were well supplied; you
may be sure Mr.. Davis did not suffer. The
only request he ever made me during the
time / was stationed there was to bring
him few apples each time l came on
guard, which / did. / rather think he
asked me for the sake of letting me think
| was DONG him favor in return for his
exceeding Kindness to my grandmother
when he WAS Secretary of War. He
could make a request in such way that
you felt he had conferred a favor on you
in preferring 1t.
c. c. Clay was confined in the rooms
directly beneath Mr. Davis, but had Mrs.
Clay with bin, and was not guarded as
Mr.. Davis was. Mrs. Clay used to send
sometimes a pitcher of punch to Mr.. Da-
Wis. My orders not fOrbidding it, the
pitcher was always passed in. Mr.. Davis
was supplied with good cigars by his
friends. know they were good. because
Mr.. Davis remarked that ''smokers are
gregarlOus and l can't enjoy cigar
alone" and offered me one nearly every
night, after he bad assumed his most sa-
tsnic-lOoking night rObes-he wore a red
flannel night gown, cap and drawers. He
was never annoyed, insulted or worried
during his stay. Gen. Miles was coldly
civil, and others "ofiiclally polite" l,
perhaps, and as was natural, was more
kindly disposed, but never exceeded my
instructions. l think Mr.. Davis will
himself give the lie to the exaggerated
accounts OF his sufferiDgs. Imprisonment
is not pleasant under the most favorable
circumstances, and no fallen chief of
great movement could have expected or
received more considerate treatment than