The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-23
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

INC treaJfucut OF uer uubDdiu wHlIo No WIS
q prisoner Of war ut Fortress Munroe have
awakened some recollsctions of the day.
] spent at that o antiquated piece oil
Notification. / was quite young at the
time, but can recall some events in connec
ton with the sx-confederate leaders i'm
~prisonment which are at variance with the
condition of things pictured by his widow.
l remember distinctly the casemate under
tho wide ram parts, with its window over
looking the sea battery on the white sandy
beach of the chesapeake. Here it was
they confined him on his arrival at the fort
The classmates were divided into two apart
ments and were not originally intended for
living purposes but to house the grim. look
ing Armstrong siege guns which lay in peace.
full rows, u%nmounted. not far from theil
proper places. That part of the
casemate which overlooked the moat
running around the entire fort, was lighted
by n deep aperture, called by courtesy a
window. but which was fashioned to ft the
nuzzIe of one of the Armstrong;. The
other room was more pleasant, being bet
ter lighted by several windows. facing to-
ward the grassy parade ground and clumps
of bright foliage. A number of classmates
had been emptied of their guns, shot aud
shell, to provide quarters for the officers
and their families. In II of them | lived
for four years with my father, who WAS a
lieutenant in the Fifth United States ar
tillery. And it was in one of these cham
bers Jefferson Davis spent q short time
until he was taken TO much more pleasant
in Carroll Hall, in another part of
the fort. do not remember much CON
corning him while he was confined in
the casemate. 1t was while he WAS
in his later quarters that l saw more
Of him. He had a pleasant, sunny
on the second foor of tho Hall from
where he had a good view of the interior of
the fort. Looking from one of the windows
Il could see much to feast the eye. There
WAS no dull monotony. Here and there the
green sward was dotted with flower beds il
front of the dwellings of the senior officers.
The sky WAS most always blue. the breezes
were balmy, and the laughter of children
tioated into the captive's cell. Grown visi.
tors were sometimes refused permission to
see him, but children never. Tn officer Of
the day who had his Office opposite the
door OF Mr.. Dayis' room-I can hardly call
it q cell for it looked SO little like one
never failed to unlock the door of light iron
bars for a child. And what a welcome the
inmate gave! / have sat alongside his big
easy chair for an hour at a time and looked
into his thin worn face framed in
silyered hair. He had q fashion
of putting his left hand on one's
head and gently stroking it as he asked
about the little things that vent to make
up a boys daily life. ! had q new jack
knife Il day when he was talking TO me.
Holding a small piece of pine against my
breast 1 whitfield with the blade cutting to-
ward me. He took the wood and knife and
ave me a Lesson in whiting. which was in
substance that ! should use the blade in
the opposite direction. The only gloom
about the place must have been such as
fingered IN his memory, of the Lost Cause,
or clouded his hopes of the future. never
heard him complain of the treatment he
received. Of his own condition he never
said a word to me or my youthful com
psnions. We never paid him a visit that
we did not come away loaded down with
fruit, which had been sent to him by
friends in Dixie. He seemed to be very
happy whenever he could bestow a Gift
upon as. At times when telling us some
story he would stop, look toward the
sky for a minute, and then take up the
thread Of the narrative, his eyes slightly
moist. We used to look at him in big-eyed
wonder, and Once a golden haired miss
asked him il he had 4 little girl. Then tn q
fTn sG2 dr-ro r<fIxt II-rr H..
cheeks. He cIasped her to his breast Will.
We all wondered what it meant. know
now. That day | think We must nave gone
home with about all the fruit and good
things the old gentlemen had. / cannot
believe he was treated ~ charged Ly Nrs
Davis. Ny father Was often off co
Of the day and saw much Of Dir. Ds-
yis. In later years he related to me many
things in connection with the confinement
of the ez president Of the confederacy. II
WAS then / learned that the armed sentry
who paced up and down the hall ia front of
the barred door was not there only 10 pre-
vent escape, or attempted rescue, but also
to prevent come crank from becoming tn.
assassin of Jefferson Davis, president
OF the Confederate States d America. In
all the time / was at Fortress Monroe I
never saw anything III the treatment of
Sir. Davis that WAS harsh or crneI. / was
present a number Of times when his meals
were served and cannot recall that he
WAS stinted in food or its quality mean.
After he had boon at Carroll Hall 70. a
number Of months the vigilance war Inucf,
relaxed. He Was given carriage rides and
the visitors were more numerous 10 6i.
sunny cell. The times had changed. IN,
war WAS over indeed. There war cause no
Longer to keep Jefferson Dayis captive ol
wa. JE.HF T.. Wu+oss
Ssryicts at II. Pefsr'.
This morning there will bs q Celebrate,
Of the Holy Communion at 7:D1 O'Clock. a
10 O'Clock morning praYer Will be suid III.