Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-21
JEFF DAVIS A 4 PRISONER.

cts, salu Mai. JOhn =. NtrNenSOn To
reporter OF the New York l,'Orid the
other day. The mjor was out in the
late war with the Third Pennsylvania
artillery, which garrisoned Fortress
Monroe while the president Of the
southern confcderacy was confined
there
There are many incidents connected
with Davis Imprisonment that | think
have never appeared in priut. and If
you will take notes for n while | will
give them to you,n continued the ma
jor. and he related :he 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 i.
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. II was neccs-
sary to issue very strict orders for the
government Of the soldiers. Many OF
| them had suffered the horrors of south
crn prisons, and the news of President
| LinColn's assassination was fresh in
their minds. The name Of Davis was
| closely associated in their minds with
all the sutlerings and privations of the
| long campaign, and the crimes and in
1 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
solictious for her husbands comfort
and requested the officers to treat him
kindly. He, too, was pleasant and
courteous in his manner Mr.. Davis
was morosc and cold in his demcanor.
He was suffering from neuralgia,
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 sentries 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 his wife. Imme-
diately on landing Gen. Miles took
charge of the prisoner and led him in
to the fortress By way OF the water
battery postcrn, Pritchard's guard
forming an impenetrable line upon
either side. AT the entrance OF the
fortress the inner guard escorted him
to a 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 cmbra,urc
was heavily barred, and IN army
blanket hung inside to keep out the
light. Davis bcd-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
the sentinel. In front OF the grated
embrasure was stationed an extra
guard of thirty armed senirics.
Strict orders were issued regarding
the treatment OF Davis. He was al
lowed no reading matter except the
Bible and praycr-boJk. His food Il
regular army ration, consisted of coffee
without milk for breakfast, with lump
Of bread; salt beef, bread and coffee fol
dinner. and coffee aud hard-tack for
supper He was allowed no knife OF
fork, lest lac should attempt suicide.
As he was i'll with dyspepsia and had
tor long time been able TO eat moth
ing but the danticet food this rough
food was nauscating. 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
J the north. He was so i'll that DR.. Ban
croft was sent TO prescribe FOR him.
Where are you from| he asked
the doctor.
" Massachusetts,. was the reply.
~ d sooner die than permit you to
touch me or have anything to do with
me; is there no other doctor hcrcP'
+" There's DR.. Craven, OF New Jcr-
sew
&" New Jcrsrv! Well, that's an i'm
provemcnt on Iankccdom; send him to
me-
$50 Dr. Craven attended the arch.
rcuc! and found him really i'll.
"lhc monotonous tramp, tramp o
the sentinel, pacing up and down his
cell, annoyed Davis. He first glareC
at hin angrily and then requested him
to stop walking. The sentry had or
dcrS not to speak to the prisoner, so b,
said nothing but continued his meas
urcd tread. At last Davis became cx
asperated, and, rushing upon he sol,
dlcr, attempted TO wrest lac Iuusket
from him.
This conduct was promptly report
ed, and soon an order came from Wash,
Ingion directing that Davis be put in
irons. The order was executed al
once. Blacksmiths came to the cell.
and instead Of using the common style
Of clasp shacklcs, the old-fashioned
chain and broad bracelet were brought,
and the smiths proceeded to fasteu
them on with rive,s.
&" by whose order is this outrage
perpctrated? asked Davis, trembling
with rage, his gaunt face iivid with
passion, Il protest; will not submit
to this ndignity,' and Davis caught a
hammer from one Of the men and
would have smashed the blacksmith