The National tribune., 1894-02-08

commander OF the war NesSets "eio l"sn' "ii
The prisoners should reiIre To their state
rooms at dark and remain there until morn
ing. D,vis, however, one evening over
powered the guard at his door, ana pusnihg
him aside went out on the deck The guard
not having orders tn lire IN case OF resist
ance, called Tor his officer, and a. l was near
! by went and inS%ired the cause Oh the
call.
Invent out on the deck and found Davis sit
ting near the rail-. then explained to him
NV orders that all should remain in their
quarters after dark, and poll ely asked HIM
To retire. He answered sur iy that he
should do as he pleased. Thrrempon took
HIM by the collar, and as he resisted,
forced him rapidly and rather roughiy to
his room. Alter this incident l had no
urlh.r trouble with him while at sea.
We reached Fortress Monroe at about 10
a. H. aud waited for orders from Washing
ton. Alter waiting TWO days we received
orders iceland Davis at the fort and place
him IN close quarters, VIII lst the rest re-
manned OH board or were sent to other
prisons In the Narth.
The parting of Davis and his family ana
the Other military prisoners was very aHfc'-
lug They all regarded IL as the hnal inler-
view with the late President OF the Cor ~
eracy and there WAS no doubt aDou, MS
punishment by death. In fact, and my
men firmly believed that there was no
d, ubt auuut the hanging of Davis; and L
soemnly aver thai, had we mol bern OF that
belief, the prisoner on the voyage wou'u
surely have gone overheard Tor the crimes
perputrated by his authority or by his taclt
CONSENT.
We were all aware of his connection with
the prison atrocitIes upon our comrades, ana
would have avenged them without any hesi-
tat,on. had we not been sure of his conviction
by court-mar,ial and speedy punishment.
l landed with DAVIS and guarded him
wiki details from my company for ap"u'
three weeks, using the steamer as barracks
for Iny men. Davis was placed III eel ana
given bread and water a. food. This he re-
fused ami threw it in the face OF one OF my
men, VINO informed me at once of the fact.
l felt Indignant at The act and went TO the
commander of the fortress and stated the
facts with some warmth. The commander
authorized me TO place him in irons until he
promised obediente to orders. Went TO
Davis and told him of my instructions.
He few into towering rage and told me
thai he knew his rights, and wouid demand
them at all hazards. He furthermore tod
me lhHt he was soldier before L was porn,
and that was ignorant of military law.
] replied that L had been long en"u-h in
military service 10 know how 10 obey orders
from my superiors, and that was going to
carry tnem out / also tsid him that l hal
no sympathy for him, as | believed thai 1t
was due to his cruelty that my brother was
starv, 10 death ut AndersOnviile, aud that
if he had had only the bread and water
I, H., ho mt
starved.
Davis denied any completely with the
prison atrocities, but his rem rks made no
impression upon my belief, aud thus belief
was universal among the o d soldiers of the
army. DAVIS still fus,ng to submit, and
threatening me, seized him and brew him
heavily upon the floor and placed the irons
upon him almost before he was aware of II.
After he WAS irOned he became silent AID
surly, but cdus US no more trouble. Ac-
c0rding to my memory of the circum tlnces,
Davis in lew hours promised obedience 10
orders and The irons were then taken off.
| remained with ray men at Hampton
Roads for about TWO weeks, ket plug guard
over Davis with details from my company.
While there two officers Came from Wash
ingtOn and demanded the property which L
had in my possession, and which had been
brought on the steamer with the prisoners.
On asking for an inventory and detailed
statement of the property, / replied to them
that had no knowledge of what the boxes
contained, as l had not been authorized 10
look into them; thereupon they opened all
packages and searched all of the male pris-
oners, and then told Mrs. Davis that they
must search her and her sister.
TheTeupon Mis-. Davis drew pistol and
told them with much frmnesS that If they
laid hands upon her, she would shoot them.
They then informed me and asked what
should be done, and / replied that DID not
feel willing to attempt such an act, but sug-
ges;ed that two women from the shore be
sent for To make the search, and then |
thought that Mrs. Davis would gracefully
yield to the orders. The women were brought
from Hampton, or the shore and Mrs. Davis
and her sister were examined without OBJ
lection.
Shortly after we were ordered back TO our
regiment in Georgia, and the family OF DAVIS
were sent back TO Savannah In the same
steamer. Before We lett Hampton Roads
Mrs. Davis came TO me and SAID that she
had a letter she wanted me to give Mr..
Davis, and if | woud bring back an answer
she would give me $500 il. gold. Mrs. Davis
had considerable gold which was her own,
and / had no doubt of er ability to pay
what she said she would; furthermore, Mrs.
Davis had been quite polite to me during
the voyage, owing perhaps to my kindness
to the children, Of whom ] was very fond;
but plainly told her that nay du'y forbade
any act OF that kind, and that could not
listen to any such proposition.
On arriving at Savannah Mrs. Davis, sister
and children were released from custody,
and took up their residence in that city.
Mrs. Davis was very ladylIke and polite
TO inc at ali times, and when we parted at
Savannah she gave me a number Of gifts 10
remember her and her children.
On reporting 10 Gen. Grover, at Savannah,
Re informed me that my regiment had been
should remain there to await its arrival. In
the course of two or three days the regiment
appeared, and Col. Bolan received me with
y and surprise.
Neither the officer in charge at Augusta
nor Gen. Grover, at Savannah, had informed
him Of the duties assigned to me, and he had
no knowledge whatever of where / or my
company had gone. He found the baggage
of the regiment at the steamboat landing,
had been intrusted. Co. A of his regiment
had mysteriously disappeared, but Col. Be-
Ian had too much confidence III my little
company To entertain even suspicion of our
desertIon, and he mistrusted that we had
been sent off suddenly on some important
secret service, and would eventually return