The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-03-24
THE STACKING OF Ji;EF
DAVIS.
How he Was Pat in irons by
Miles When in Fortress Monroe.

gestiou that the democrats run General
Mi es for the presidency, The Dis
patch reproducas the following letter
IN regard 20 Miles treatmeo, OF JeG
Davis at Fortress Nj ,nroe in order
that The senator may sec the ditticul- |
ties which ho might encounter in his
Efforts To swing himsuI f into the demo
cratic party by grabbing at General
MiIes's coattail for occidental
swing.
The Glicwirg letter was received
by an employee of the Leavcnworth
Times from his father, aud is of uch
interest that we give 1t TO the public
Roanoke, S. D., July 4.-My
Dear Son: There has been much
said and written about Jefferson
Davis in relation to putting fe,ters on
him at Fortress M 'nroe, Va. Som
statements are in part true auG others
are false, and some say he never was
DshsckIea.
"On the morning of May 23, 1865,
| was detailed as officer of the day,
and alter guard mount reported to
General Nelson Miles for spsc;ai
orders in regard to the three state
prisoners, Jefferson Davis, G. G.. Clay
and John Mitchell. who were confined
in separated gun rooms or easements,
the embrasures OF which w,r. closed
with heavy iron bars, looking out on
| the moat or ditch which is about
sixty feet wide. The first room or
casemen, had but one door and two
large windows facing the inside Of the
fort. The gun room had two doors
leading iii from the casemate. These
we're closed by heavy iron grated
doors aud locked with padlccks, and
at eacn door in the gun room with
the prisoners were two sentinels with
loaded musk@,s, and in the casemate
we're two more sentinels and officers
of the guard, all ot which we're 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 he done in the presence
# the officer of the day. The wiadows
of the casemate were als) grated with
iron bars. The prisoners occupied
every other gun room and the guards
not on duty the interve ing ones.
There was special guard mount
ed Of eighty men for these three pris.
Oners. and the commandment of the
tort could not give any orders OF any
KIND to that special guard in fact, he
coui" not come within lis lines. There
were four sentinels on the par1pet
overhead, four on the glacis beyond
the ditch and six in the fort in front
Of the cazcmates. The above state
ment is just as found things the day
that Davis was shackled
IL reported to General Miles as the
officer # the day. The general said
he had special orders for me as to
jeff Davis. Having heard it rumored
that morning that Davis was to he
put in IRONS, | said the general: 4
think | can guess what it is general,
We'll what is it captain? TO put
irons on Davis He said: That is
it, ! said: When do you wish it
done ? He said ''rhe irons are not
ready Then said: Had we not
better put them OF. toward evening p
He said Yes, and | could send nv
orderly to the blacksmith and have
him meet me at the time with the leg
irons, and at the same time he
General Mi.es) showed me part of a
letter from Secretary Stanton, in
which he said that if he thought the
safety OF Davis required it, he could
put irons on Davis, or words to that
effect. The matter was left optional
with General Miles as to whether
Davis should be put in irons or not,
Just before the sundown relief, |
sent my orderly out tor the blacksmith
to meet NE with the leg irons at the
casemate. Soon after | went iown |
found the smith and his helper there.
| then unlocked the door and told the
guard to let them pas., smith and
helper.
"As entered the gun room Davis
was sitting on the end of his cot or
hospital bed reading his Episcopal
prayer book, and as he looked up
said: 'Mr. Davis, | have an un-
pleasant duy TO eXgcnte At the
same moment. seeing the blacksmith
with the irons, he s,id: "Ynu to no,
intend t. put tetters on me-? Is,iI:
Those are my orders Mr.. Davis:
i shall never submit to such an in.
dignity He then asked if Genera
Miles had given that order. NJ an
sMnr Mas In lhe Affirmative H.. said