The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-12
JEFFERSON DAVIS IRONS.
Ben PerIey Poore'S Description of
the Incident.

the Incident.
When the confirmation of Gen. Nelson
A. Miles to be lieutenant general was be-
fore the Senate the other day. the various
senator's brought forward the facts OF
dent of the Stacking of jefferson Davis,
the Washington correspondent Of the New
York Evening Post, says:
For the benefit of the Southerners with
long memories or cherished traditions, the
history of the early days following the
Civil War was ransacked for proofs that
it was Miles who put irons upon Jeffer-
son Davis when Davis was a helpless pris-
oner in Fort Monroe. Miles at once pro-
duced his permit to do this, signed by
the late Charles A. Dana, then Assistant
Secretary of War, reading thus:
Brevet Major General Miles is hereby
authorized and directed to place MANAGES
and letters upon the hands and feet of
Jefferson Davis and Clement c. Clay Jr.,
whenever he may think it advisable in
order to render their Imprisonment more
secure.
Miles explained that he had put iron
anklets on Mr.. Davis legs only because
the doors of his temporary cell were wood
en- and without locks, and that the irons
were removed as soon as grated and
barred doors could be substituted. But
some one dug out of the old newspapers
Ben Perley Poore's dramatic description
of the incident:
Jefferson Davis had been brought from
| Georgia, where he was captured and i'm
prisoned at Fortress Monroe. He occupied
an inner apartment of casemate, with a
guard in the outer apartment and sentries
posted on the outside al the port-hole,
and at the door. He became naturally
somewhat irascible, the orders having
been given to put him in irons if he gave
any provocation; he one day gave it by
throwing tin plate of food which he did
not fancy into the face of the soldier
who had served him. Capt. Titlow, who
was especially charged with the GUS
tody of Mr.. Davis, and who is the author
| ity for this statement, was accordingly
| ordered by the commandant of the fort to
| place his prisoner in irons. Summoning
| a blacksmith who was in the habit OF
| riveting irons upon soldiers sentenced by
court-martial to wear them, the Captain
went to the casemate, accompa-
MED by the blacksmith carrying
the letters and his tools. They
found Mr.. Davis seated on his cot, there
| being no other furniture besides but a
| stool and a few articles of tinware. When
| he glanced at the blacksmith and COM
| pretended the situation, he exclaimed:
My God, this indignity to be put on
| met Not while l have lifer At first he
| pleaded for opportunity to inquire of
Secretary Stanton. Then his excitement
rose to fury as he walked his cell, venting
| itself in almost incoherent rawlings The
captain at length calmly reminded him
| that as soldier he must be aware that,
! however disagreeable the duty assigned,
| II must be performed and that as in duty
! bound he should perform it. None but 4
| dog would obey such orders" replied Nj.
Davis, emphasizing his determination
never to be manacled by selling a stool
and aiming a vicious blow. The. sentries
rushed forward TO their places. Capt.
| Titlow explained that such demonstra :
| tons of self-defense were foolish and
useless, and that it would. be much bet
| ter for Mr.. Davis to submit to the inevi-
table necessity. But while receiving this
1 advice, Davis took the opportunity of
| gIasping the musket of one of the SEN
| tries, and in the furious endeavor to
wrest it from him. quite scuffie en-
sued. That ended, the captain took the
precaution of clapping his hand on his
| sword hilt as he perceived Mr. Davis
| eye was on it, and at once ordered the
| corporal of the guard to send into the
casemate four of his strongest men, I'M
armed. They were ordered to take the
| prisoner as gently as possible, and using
no unnecessary force, to lay him upon
/ the cot and there hold him down. 1t
| proved to be about much as four men
could do, the writings and upheavings
Of this Infatuated man developing the
| strength of a maniac until it eliminated
| I'm sheer exhaustion. When the unpleasant
| task was done, Mr.. Davis, after lying
still for while, raised himself and sat
On the side of the bed AS his feet touch
ed the floor the chain clanked he was
utterly overcome; the tears burst out in
a flood. When he became calm, he apollo
gized in a manly way to the captain for
| the needless trouble he had caused him,
and they afterwards maintained mutual
relations of personal esteem and friend
liness."
This Renaissance split the Senate
Committee pretty nearly on sectional
lines; and though the bill to promote
Miles was reported favoraby, it was in
spite of the negative votes of Messrs.
Bate of Tennessee. Cockrell of Missouri,
and Walthell of Mississippi, all ex-of-
ficers of the Confederate army.