The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-17
ALIX. II. STEPHENS.

A RsminiscsuCs Of His Prison Life by q
UnlOn OniGsr New n Resident e W. Va,
Col, j. ". n, Appgetoa h Monroe County, wv Val
WatshmaR
Disabled by injuries received In the
field in 1864 was, in 1865, in command
for brIsi time Of Fort Warren in Boston
Harbor, the second lortifcatlon in I'M
portance on our Atlantic sea'bosrd. FIJI
teen hundred to two thousand prisoners
were confined there, mostly Confederate
ctIicers. In advance OF the arrival OF MIR,
Stephens aud Judge Reagan, rooms were
prepared by order OF General Dix, who
came on from New York himselt TO see
that his instructions were carried out in
regard TO these pTisoners. The Tooms
we're very secure, the guard duty strict,
the seRtIies numerous, one remaining III
Mr. Stephens room ell the time. 10
Judge Reagan, man OF superb physique,
these restrictions might have been trihing;
to nue. they would nave been OnerOusi to Mr..
Stephens, with his exceedingly nervous
constitution, it was simply torture. My
Post Surgeon at that tune, Major Joel
Seayerns, q noble, kind-hearted gentle.
man, reported to me that Mr., Stephens
would die from the confinement, as he
had taken his bed aud given up all hope,
DR.. Seavsrns made u strong report to me
OF his danger and | endorsed It and for
Warded 1t to General Grant through the
official channels, About this time Sea9.
tor Henry Wilson, OF Massachusetts, who
had served v ith Mr.. Stephens in Congress,
visited the Fort and went in TO call on
him, and going soon alter to Washington
helped the matter on. Later orders came
enabling me to take care Of him ia my
own way, The seltlies we're removed,
doors unlocked, and he came and went as
he chose, visited our quarters, had his
meals IRON our table, but Was requested
TO abstain from. conversation with the
other prisoners, and to stay In
side the Fort, III give you
10Y parole" bald he, bat that wag
declined; and from that time on he waa
different man, Cheerful, iull OF interesting
conversation and enjoying all that went
on. Dressed Ia an obsolete suit OF blRCk
hroad-cloth, q brOad'brimmed ielt hat, his
little hands Ia thread gloyes, with cane
and mesrsChauu pipe he patrolled the
sunny side OF the parade ground or sat in
any easy chair at the door OF our quar-
Lerd, or walked the ramparts with me, In
these walks WO discussed many things
politics, religion and minor matters. AT
iirst courteous foes, we talked ourselves
into friendship, aad he gave me new light
on the Southern view OF our war, but
more on the sweetness and truth OF his
own character. We talked OF religion;
and Hcrschel V, johnson, u dear friend OF
hip, being u member VI the church to
which belonged, made another tie be.
tween Us. My vile and baby dauihtsr
were great favOrites with him, and he
told me in Washington, years after, that
he "nsver enjoyedasummOr at a watering
place more than no did tho one he spent
with us all at Fort Warren, CATER" he
added 'you got me out OF that place,
meaning his close confinement.
Senator kenuR when In Congress as
Representative, every time he came home,
brought most kindly messages from the
old statesman. One day Senator kenna
regularly sat down on me, and insisted
upon my going 10 Washington 10 see Mr..
Stephens, aud u little later going North |
made point aud stopped in the city
long enough to call on him. When |
entered his room, where he sat in his
wheeled chair, he held out both hands to
mo and said, "at last ut last |" and bis
eyes were moist as he looked at me aifeC.
tionately In the face. We talked long,
dined together, and smoked a peaceful
pipe; and as | came away he sent his
photograph, "the last | shall ever have
taken,h TO the "dear little girl" no remem.
bered so we'll. Gen. SCruggs, OF Tennes.
sec, at one time Minister to Guatemala,
think, came in and his introduction was,
MIR. SCruggq, this gentleman saved my
life, and on my domurrlng to such a 70.
mark he said, "Yes, yes, you did; for
should have died II you had not taken nue.
out OF that room." lie had told me bsioro
that he knew OF Senator Wilson's efforts
in his behalf. Before | loft he said he
should never come to Washington again,
but promised to come to the "Old Salt"
again II no possibly could, as no knew all
about 1t In 1888, and gave me from mem.
DRY q bill OF fare-yes, q good bill OF fare
that poor Miss Betty Benson, who sleeps
under the snow In the old grave yard on
the slope before me, prepared in some OF
the busy days oil her faithful useful life.
One OF the last letters that MIR. Stephens
ever wrote, about three weeks before bis
death, was to the little girl VI 1855, in nc.
acknowledgement OF O Christmas card, on
which xas painted some OF the same flow.
crs she used TO pass through the bars OF
his windows and which were TO him, as
he says, "llke the breath OF Heaven