The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-08-16
JeGnayis I'm Uantixisx.

tCharlcs s. Tripler, In san Francisco Alta
| was in 1865 first lieutenant In the Twelfth
United States Infantry, and in the absence
OF my captain commanded Il Company 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 as
officer OF the Guard, and as such had for
the twenty-four hours Of my detail imme-
diate charge Of our distinguished prisoner,
my orders being " not to allow him out Of my
sight during my tour of duty" Mr.. Davis
was confined to a room in Carroll Hall, which
was designed as quarters for lleutenants,
who are entitled 10 two rooms only, so ali
the rooms, except the mess hall and library.
are In suites Of two rooms each. The door.
ways were all grated with iron, and a sentry
walked before each on apple OF cocoa mat
ting 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-four hours
of duty. The grated doors were locked, the
keys being in the custody of the officer of the
day.. As was the custom, on my first day of
duty as officer Of the guard was introduced
by my predecessor to Mr.. Davis, thus "Mr.
Davis, Mr.. Tripler, of the Twelfth.' Mr..
Davis said "Are you Stuart Tripler p,
said Yes, SIR" He then said he re.
membered my grandmother (Mrs. Hunt) and
had very pleasant recollections of my father
Surgeon Tripler, of the Army.)
We had that first day no further CONVEX
sation 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
a 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 OH table in Mr..
DIS room. The prisoners commenced at
once to clean up the room, and we left In the
following order: Mr.. Davis aud officers of
the guard, ten PAGES behind two sentries, a
couple of PAGES behind them the officer of the
day, aud lastly, some distance of, Gen. Miles
strolled along, reading. We took our time,
and Mr.. Davis by his instructive and most
entertaining conversation rendered this q
most delightful duty. He seemed to know
everything. lie had the unusual faculty of
drawing a 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 re-
cline 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 In
To show how small matter he would
notice and speak Of there were number of
trees growing along one of the fronts of case.
mates which bore clusters of small white
berries. Mr.. Davis said: "Leut. Tripler,
saw you riding nice.looking horse the
other day, but II is ont of condition, Those
vi t1ora , ea.
dition medicines I know of, aud YOU can
find them all over the South. Remember 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, aud the markets of Fort
Monroe were well supplied; You may be
sure MIR. Davis did not suffer. The only re
quest he ever made me during the time
was stationed there was TO bring him few
apples each time came on guard, which / |
did. l rather think he asked me for the
sake of letting me think was doing him
Favor in return for his exceeding kindness to
my grandmother when he was Secretary
If War. He could make request in such
4 way that You felt he had conferred a favor
IN 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
lsed to send sometimes a pitcher of punch |
o Mr.. Davis. My orders not forbidding it,
he pitcher was always passed in. Mr..
Davis was always supplied with good cigars
by his friends. l know they were good,
because Mr.. Davis remarked that smokers
ire gregarious, and 1 can't enjoy a cigar
Alone" aud offered me one nearly every
night after he had assumed his most
'atanic looking night robes-he wore a red.
iannel night-gown, cap, and drawers. He
vas never annoyed, insulted, or worried
Turing his stay. Gen. Miles was coldly |
'ivil, and others "oficially polite" per-
iaps, and as was natural, was more kindly |
disposed, but never exceeded the letter of
ny instructions. think Mr.. Davis will |
himself give the lie TO the exaggerated ac-
counts of his sufsrings. imprisonment is
,ot pleasant under the most favorable cir
and no fallen chief of a great |
movement could have expected or received
more considerable treatment than did Mr..
Davis.