The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-02-11
MRS. DAVIS BOOK.


Mrs. Davis has robust and well-de-
veloped opinion concerning General Miles,
who is now filing such conspicuous
position in the Indian troubles. He was
u young man of % years, though major
general in command Of Fortress Monroe
at the time Mr.. Davis was confined there.
Mrs. Davis accuses him Of annoying his
prisoner She says:
I'VE excused much to General Miles,
whose opportunities to learn the habits OF
refined people were said to have been few,
and his sectional feeling was very bitter
but that he should not have been moved
at the age of % by the evident physical
and mental anguish of his prisoner, and
for him, we could not understand.
Enough of this sickening retrospect;
my memory does not furnish q record of
the thousand little stabs he gave his
emaciated, gray-haired prisoner. Suffice
it to say that he used his power to insult
and annoy TO the utmost, and in ways
previously unknown and not TO be an
ticipated by gentlefolks."
Many pages are devoted to description
of "Tortures of Fortress Monroe in
which General Miles appears in an UNI
favorable light. He Is charged with
Stacking the prisoner by brutal force,
keeping him in vermin.infested cell,
Withholding his clothes and linen, and
making souvenirs out Of his possessions
even his hair when he had IL cut.
What Miles Says.
General Nelson A. Miles does not seem
at all affected by the scoring he has re-
ceived at the hands of the widow of the
president of the Confederacy.
Eyes, know Mrs. Davis had attacked
me in a work recently published" said
- -.
to-day, "but / do not mind II in the least.
OF course, the woman feels bitter toward
me, as she probably does toward many
more Northern soldiers, and II is to be
| only expected that she should. / had
charge Of her husband for awhile after
his arrest and / suppose she can never for
| give that"
"But she says some very bitter things
about you, General?"
Eyes, / suppose So but 1t doesn't mat
| ter"
| "She says that you abused her husband
| at time when he was suffering great
PAIN physically as well as mentally"
| while caring nothing at all for any.
thing she may say or write l would call
your attention to the fact that Jefferson
Davis managed to survive my cruel treat
ment and lived twenty years afterward
| finally dying of old age. That would
hardly have been the case, think, If he
had been subjected to such horrible
abuses. / was in charge of the district
Of Fortress Monroe for eighteen months
and for awhile Jefferson Davis was kept a
prisoner there after his arrest There
were the gravest kind Of charges that
could be preferred against any man pre-
ferred against him. The Government had
paid 100000 for his capture. Many Of
the rebels had not yet surrendered and
President Lincoln had been assassinated
Certainly there were reasons enough why
a close watch should be kept upon the
leader of the rebellion that he might moi
escape. had no immediate bushes.
with him, but of such as / had am no.
ashamed. There Is not particle of truth
in the statements made by his wife. Why
the fact is, jeff. Davis never was in BETTE
trim than when he was liberated and tn,
time that elapsed before his death is goot
evidence Oft"
How about your selling locks of hi
bair.to curio-seekers?"
II do not care TO answer the question.
have no answer to make to Mrs. Davis o
any of the charges she brings agains
me-"