Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-22
DAVIS A CHRISTIAN.
The Religious characteristics Of the
Confederate Leader.
HIS LIFE AT FORTRESS MONROE.
The Finally Successful Effort Of His Former
Pastor to
SECURE PERMISSION TO VISIT HIM

lists TO see the cage" or easement, IN
which the late ex-President Of the Confed-
eracy was imprisoned in Fortress Monroe
at this place. 1t seems to be invested with
new interest and value within the last
week. And the officers of the fort,
always show it to visitors with as much free
dom as they do the Revolutionary relics
lying in Trophie Park. The circumstances
of Davis capture, description of the
statesman's appearance in irons and the
story of his release are all too familiar to
need repetition.
But some dramatic episodes of the Con-
federate chieftain's imprisonment at Fort
ress Monroe, hitherto unpublished, have
been uncovered by his death. Between
here and Richmond there are hundreds of
people who were intimately acquainted with
Davis during his official life and subsequent
humiliation. A biography of the man would
not be complete without "reminiscences they
can tell. One purpose in all these stories
seems to be to place Jefferson Davis in the
same category of warriors and leaders as
Oliver Cromwell, George Washington,
StonewalI jackson and Robert E. Lee.
PRAYING FIGHTERS.
All those had the reputation Of praying
fighters" That Davis was a thoroughly
devout Christian in his .hermit-like life
after the war there is no reason to doubt. In
the South to-day / find there is not SO
much disposition to boast of his career
as rebel or even statesman, as there is to
prove that he was always a remarkable re-
ligious character, and that the shining ex-
ample of forgiveness and humbleness he set
from the moment of the wars close is what
they desire to be committed to posterity.
Rev. Thomas Minnigerode, D. D., sof
Richmond, is still rector of the St. Paul
Episcopal Church. where Jefferson Davis
was confirmed while residing in that city as
executive of the "storm-cradled nation that
fell" His lips being unsealed by his old
parishioner's death, DR.. Minnigerode tells
this thrilling story:
stSoon after Mr.. Davis was arrested and
confined in Fortress Monroe, I wrote to
President Andrew johnson petitionlng for
permission to visit the prisoner of state as
his pastor and minister to him. At Bishop
Johns instance, against my judgment, it was
by no argument, the Bishop
saying that supporting it by an argument
would indicate that it was by the petitioner
himself not looked upon as natural, right
and proper in itself.
A SECOND EFFORT.
''Mr. johnson deigned no answer. In
October following, received a communi-
cation from some friends that they thought
the time was favorable to again make the
Ladies were acting with me,
and they gave my paper to Rev. DR.. Hall,
Rector of Epiphany, and pastor of Mr..
Stanton, Secretary of War. He got me a
very full permit to visit Mr.. Davis as his
pastor. From that time went whenever I
could to see my beloved and martyred
friend, and precious were the days and
hours spent with him. 1 loved that patient,
lowly, God-fearing soul.
Secretary Stanton's permit must have
been very liberal, for General Miles, then
in command of the fort, who received me
politely enough, did not act for more than
a day, after which he became very cordial
and allowed all my wishes. He evidently
asked and received fuller instructions from
the Secretary.
"I must say here that the imprisonment
was better than those who had ordered il,
for all at the fortress were glad that the in
dignities of putting that man in irons were
even for the honor of the country.
The officers were all polite and sympa-
thetic, and the common soldiers spoke
of him in kind and sub
dued tone. On my first visit
1 came on Saturday evening and spent
pleasant enough evening at the quarters of
General Miles, who promised to take me to
Mr.. Davis cell the next morning, but he
waited until Monday evening. I cannot
describe my meeting with Mr.. Davis in his
cell. He knew nothing of nv coming andit
was difficult to control ourselves.
IN THE PRISON CELL.
|''Mr. Davis had by this time been re-
moved from the easement, and the infamous
outrage OF putting him in chains, to an end
room on the second floor with q passage and
window on each side of the room and an
ante-room in front, separated by an open
grated door, sentinel in each passage and
before the grated door. Six eyes were
always upon him day and night-sll alone
no one to see, no one to speak to.
81 must hurry on. Your readers may
themselves imagine what our conversation
must have been. The noble man showed
the effect of the confinement; but his spirit
could not be subdued, and no iniquity-
angry as it made him at the time-could
humiliate him. 1 was his pastor and
of course our conversation was Influenced
by that. There could be no holding back
between US : 1 had come to sympsthlze and
comfort and pray with him.
"At last the question of the holy COM
nunion came uh He was very anxious to
lake it. He was a purely pIous man and
felt the need and value of means of grace.
But there was one difficulty. Could he
AXE it in the proper spirit? In the
After all the Illtreatment he had
been subjected to by the North, could he
10 this? He was too upright and conscien-
,ious Christian man to eat and drink un-
is, not in the proper spirit,
ind as far as lay in him, in peace with
Sod and man. I lett him to settle that
question between himself and his own con-
science and what he understood Gods law
% be.
READY TO COMMUNE.
''In the afternoon L found Mr.. Davis with
lis mind made up. Knowing the honesty
If the man, and that there could be mo
Ihamming,' nor mere superstitious belief in
he ordinance, was delighted when found
lim ready to commune. he had laid the
1ridle upon his very natural feeling, and
was ready to pray, Father, forgive them
"Then came the communicable and 1
slone, put with God. 1t was one of those
Eases where the rubric cannot be binding.
sit was night. The fortress was SO still
hat you could hear pin fall. General
Niles, with his back to us, leaning against
he fireplace in the ante-room, his head in
his hands, not moving-the sentinels or
Tered to stand still-they stood like statuesl
''I cannot conceive of more solemn COM
nunion scenel But it was telling on both
,f us. trust for lasting good.
FREQUENT VISITS.
"After that 1 went down to Old Point
Comfort to see him often, if only for an hour
" two. When his wife was admitted to see
lin it was plain that their communings
we're with God.
DR.. Minnegerode visited Secretary Staun-
on to secure Davis the liberty of the fort
because the ex-President's health COM
nenced to fail. He saws Staunton snubbed
i'm MI. Ral-o. d L. - No.nalI- III.