The National tribune., 1885-08-27
JEFF DAVIS IN PRISON.
Charles S. TripIers Story Of His Pleasant Life at
lSan Francisco AIta.1

San Francisco Alta.
Twas in 1865 First Lieutenant in the 10Th
U. S. Inf, and in the absence of my Captain
commanded Co L of the first battalion of that
regiment. Early in October was ordered to
Fort Monroe. and reported for duty to Gen. n.
A:Miles. My rank as Lieutenant subjected me
to detail rs officer of the guard, and as such
had for the "a hours of my detail immediate
charge of our distinguished prisoner my orders
being not to allow him out of my sight dur
ing my tour of duty" Mr.. Davis was confined
to room in Carroll Hall, which was designed
rs quarters for Licutenants, 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 grated with iron
and sentry walked before each on a 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 "a hours OF
duty. The grated windows were locked, the
keys being in the custody of the officer OF the
day. AS the custom, on my first day of
duty as officer of the guard l was introduced
by my predecessor to Mr.. Davis thus: Mr.
Davis, Mr. Tripler of the 18th" Mr.. Davis
said: " Are you Stuart Tripler?" l said:
Yes sir" He then said he remembered my
grandmother Mrs Hunt and had very pleasant
Tcc0lleCtionS of my father Sturgeon 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-coiored 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 a table in Mr.. DIS room.
The prisoners commenced at once to clean up
the room, and we left in the following order:
bIr. Davis. and officers of the guard, 10 PAGES
hob ind fyrn ,triac 10 Of, id
them the officer of the day. and lastly, some
distance of, Gen. Miles stroled along reading.
We took our time, and Mr.. Davis by his in
structive and most entertaining conversation,
rendered this most delightful duty lie
seemed to know everything. lie had the un-
usual faculty of drawing young man out and
making him show his best side. We would
sometimes stop abreast of the water battery, in
front of the commanding officers quarters, 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 q matter he would notice
and speak of there were 4 number of trees
growing along one Of the fronts of casematcs
which bore clusters of small white berries Mr..
Davis said Lieut.. Tripler, 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 medicines | know of,
and you can lind them all over the South;
member that; it's worth knowing" On our
return DR.. Cooper's servant came in with Mr..
Davis's lunch. All his meals were supplied
from DR.. CoOper's table, and Mrs Cooper was a
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 a few apples each time
| came on guard which | did. | rather think
he asked me for the sake of letting me think |
was doing him favor in return for his exceed
ing kindness to my grandmother when he was
Secretary OF War. He could make request in
such way that you felt he had conferred
favor on you in preferring it.
c. C. Clay was confined in the rooms directly
beneath Mr. Davis but had Mrs. Clay with him,
and was not guarded as Mr.. Davis was. Mrs
Clay used to send sometimes pitcher of punch
to Mr.. Davis. Ny orders not fOrbiddng it, the
pitcher was always passed in. Mr.. Davis was
supplied with good cigars by his friends |
know they were good, because Mr.. Davis re-
marked that smokers are gregarious and I
can't enjoy a cigar alone and offered me one
nearly every night after he had assumed his
most satanic-lOokiug night rObes-he wore a
red flannel nightgown, cap, and drawers. He
was never annoyed, insulted, or worried dur
ing his stay. Gen. Miles was coldly civil, and
others "oiiicially polite" |, perhaps, and as
was natural, was more kindly disposed, but L
never exceeded my Instructions | think Mr..
Davis viii himself give the lie to the exagger-
atcd accounts of his suhcrng5. Imprisonment
is not pleasant under the most favorable cir
Cumstances, and no fallen chief of great move
ment could have expected or received more
cOnsiderate treatment than did Mr. Davis.