The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-08-05
II ,E stiACKiING or MIR.
DAVIS.

y 8
The Officer ~ Command re
scrlbes How 1t " DDnr.
The Leavenworth Kan. Times
Is1ys: The following letter vii
received by an employe of I'll,
Times from his father, and is oD
such general interest that w
give il to the public:
ROANOKE, s. D. July 4.
Ny DEAR Som There has
been much said and writes Il,
bout Jefferson Davis in relation
to,putting fetters on him at or
tress Monroe, Va. Some state
ments are in art true and 9th
ers are false and some say he
never was shackied.
On the morning of Nay %,
1865, was detailed as officer OF
the day, and after guard mount
! reported to Gen. Nelson Miles
for speci Il orders in regard ID
the three State prisoners.
Jefferson Davis. q. G. Clay and
John Mitchell, who were con-
lined IN separate gunroons or
casenates, the classmates the
einbrasures of which VI closed
with heavy iron bars looking
out On the moat or ditch, which
u about sixty feet wide. The
first room, or caseniate, had bat
one door and two large Windows
facing the inside OF the fort.
The gunroom had two doors
leading in from the casamate.
These were closed by heavy
iron grated doors and locked
with padlocks, and at each door
in the gunroom with the prison
er, were two sentiuels with load
ed muskets, and in the case
mate were two more sentinels
and officers Of the guard, all of
which were under lock and key.
the officer of the day having
charge Of the keys. The guard
was relieved every two hours,
and that could only be done in
the presence of the officer Of the
day The windows ef the case
mate were also grated " th iron
bars. The prisoners occupied
every other gunroom. and the
guards not on duty the interven-
ing ones.
There was special guard
mountedof eighty men for those
three prisoners, and the com
of the fort could not
give any orders of any kind to
atspecial guard; in fact, he
could not come within its lines.
There We're four sentincls o.
the parapet overhead, four OH
the glacis beyond tile ditch, and
six IN the fort in front of the
The above state
ment is just as / found things
the day that Davis was shackled
| reported ~ Glen. Miles a.
the new officer Of the day. The
General said he had special or
iers for me as 10 jeff. Davis.
Having heard il rumored that
that Davis was 10 be
put in irons, | said 10 the Gen
sral: 81 think ] can guess what
It is, General" "Ngll. what is
It, Captain" "To put irons on
Davis" lie said: THAT IL il"
| sad: "Mhen do you wish it
ione:" He said: he irons
are nos ready" Then | said:
Had we not better put them
Dn toward evening"" He said
YES" and | could send my or
ierly 10 the blacksmith's and
have him meet Inc at that time
he (Gen. Miles, showed me part
VI aletter he had from Secretary
stanton, in which he said that
4 he thought the safety of Davis
required il, he could put irons
pn Davis, or words to that effect.
The matter wds left optional
with General Miles rs 10 whcth-
sr Davis should be put in irons
Jr not.
Just before the sundown re.
ief | sent my orderly oug for
he blacksmith % meet me with
Inc leg irons at the casemate.
Suon after | went down | found
Inc smith and his helper there.
| then unlocked the door anu
old the guard 10 let them pass.
hat Is, smith and helper.
As | entered the gunroom
Davis was sitting on the end of
his cot or hospital bed reading
mis- Episcopal Prayer Book. anu
ls he looked up | said: MIR.
Davis, ] have an unpleasant
Iuty 70 z tecute." " At the same
seeing the blav vksmith
with the irons lie said: "You do
rot intend toput fetters on me."
said: Those are my orders. "
lie said: "Those are orders for
l slave, and no man with "a soul
n him would dobey such orders.
then said: "1'hose are my or.
lers. Mr.. DAVIS said: III shall
never submit 70 such an indig.
lity." He then asked Il Gen.
Niles had given that order. NV
answer was in the affirmative.