The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-03-23
THE SHACKLlNO OF MR. DAVIS.
Responsibility for the Outrage Posi-
lively Fixed Upon Gen. Miles.

The publication of the orders con-
cerning the shackliug Of President
Davis in 1865 puts at rest the ques-
tion OF it's responsibility.
Ever since General Miles has been
possessed with the idea that he
should be created Lieutenant-Genera
there has been an effort to make it
appear that in shackling Mr.. Davis,
he but acted in obedience to orders
from Secretary Stanton. The failure
of the authorities to make public the
whole correspondence, added to the
well-deserved hatred in which the
memory Of Stanton is held. has con-
tributed hitherto to muddying of
the issue which seemed to relieve
Miles of responsibility for the brutal
treatment of a weak old man, even
were he entitled to no consideration
on other grounds.
The full story, as now made public,
must transfer the odium from STAN
ton to Miles, and must do Justice to
the memory or the dead war Sccrc-
tary, which has too long suffered
obloquy where he should have re-
ceived praise.
In an order dated Fort Monroe,
May %, 1865" and signed by &C. A.
Dana, Assistant Secretary of war"
it is ordered:
Brevet Major r-General Miles is hereby
authorized and directed to place man
acles and fetters upon the hands and feet
of Jefferson Davis and Clement c. Clay,
whenever he may think it advisable in
order to render their Imprisonment more
secure.
Under date of Military district of
Fort Monroe, Fort Monroe, May "a,
1865" only two days after Dana's in
structions, "Nelson A. Miles, Brevet
Ma ior-General of Volunteers, com
manding," wrote to" c. A. Dana, Esq,
Assistant Secretary of war, "as follows
have the honor to send you, by the
hand OF Colonel Pritchard, Fourth
Michigan cavalry, a package of papers
| found on the persons or the baggage OF
| the prisoners. This package composeI
all that can be found, a clreful search
having been made OF tie whole party.
| Yesterday | directed that irons he put
| on Davis's ankles, which he violently
resisted, but became more quiet after
| Both he and Clay are well. The females
were sent to Savannah to-day. ! also
| send the colOrs of the One Hundred and
| Flftietl Pennsylvania volunteers, found
in the baggage of Mrs. Davis.
From the statement that a sick.
| weak, rheumatic old man had .'violent-
ly resisted" the ironing of his limbs,
it follows that the irons must have
been "violently put on" What a
chapter in American history! The
| full grown Major-General and his
helpless imprisoned victim! When
the news was flashed abroad it
created Indignation, and from the cor
respondence it would seem that it was
only then that Secretary Stanton had
really heard of it. for his action was
stinging rebuke to the swashbuck-
ling Major-General Of volunteers.
| Stanton's letter was a follows:
| War Department, Washington City,
May 20, 1S65-Major General Miles
| Commanding, etc, Fort Monroe: Please
report whether irons have or have not
been placed on Jefferson Davis. If they
| have been, when was it done and for
| what reason? and remove them.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
Secretary Of War,
} OFF the shackles came. and Stanton,
who had performed righteous act,
was content without parading it,
while 1.-The Major-General of volun-
teers" began to place the blame upon
him when his lips were sealed sgainst
answer-Atlanta Constitution.