Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-19
STORY oFqoIVIL WAR
CAPT. TITLoW's VERSION OF JET
FERSoN DAVIS IMPRISONMENT.
I'm
Read Before Lafayette Post, q. A B.,
Last Night by Senior Vice Conn
mander Reynolds.

The members of Lafayette Post. No. 70.
g. A. R.. listened hist evening with much
interest to story ofothe Imprisonment OF
Jefferson Davis atsFoutress Monroe. which
was written elevenoryears ago by Capt.
Jerome B. Titlow OF Company K, Sd Penn
sylyania Heavy Artillery. at the request
Of DR.. Elmer r. Reynolds senior vice
commander Of the post. The latter has in
his possession the only copy of this nara
tive. "a =; - "f ass,
DR.. Reynolds read 1.-THE statement. which
Is as follows: N -
81 found Jefferson Davis occupying case
mate No. 2. in first row; C. c.. Clay, fourth
casemate. In. same row.; John Mitchell,
casemate No. 9, same row. the embrasures
of which were closed with heavy iron bars
looking out Of the moat or, ditch, which
was about sixty feet wide.
I'm the casematea were two sentinels
and a lieutenant Of the guard all under
lock and key, the officers of the day hav-
ing charge of the keys. I was detailed as
officer of the day for duty the next day.
I relieved Capt. Bispham and reported to
Gen. Miles for orders in regard to the
prisoners. His orders were to hold no COM
munication with them except what was
absolutely necessary.
Ordered to Search Prisoner.
II found Davis man Of few words, and
those tinctured with bitterness It having
been reported to Gen. Miles that Davis
was moody and morose. the general gave
me orders to search the prisoner thorough
ly and to take everything away from him,
money and anything that he would be like
ly to do himself bodily harm with. went
to Davis casemate, and told him that
was ordered to search him thoroughly. He
complied with some reluctance and con-
tempt. He first . turned his pockets and
mn ~ e1A
and $50 or so in gold and silver, some
keys and very handsome pocket knife
noticed silk cord around his neck under
his undershirt. I said. Mr.. Davis. what
ton he drew from under his undershirt
attached to the cord a small silver Catholic
medal: He pleaded with me to let him re-
tain the medal. as 1t was gift from ths
pope of Rome. After some little hesitation
| came to the conclusion to let him retain
It. After turning over the effects to Gen.
Miles | reported to him what I did in re-
That is all right; he cannot do much harm
with that
Placing the Fetters.
During all this time that the prisoners
were at Fort Monroe. there was consIdera-
BILE newspaper talk and whispering that
there was an expedition forming to rescue
Davis. On the morning of May 3d. 1865, I
was again detailed as officer Of the day and
again reported to the general as the new
officer Of the day. The general said he had
special orders for meas to Jefferson Davis,
having heard 1t runSofed that morning that
Davis was to be put IN irons. Gen. Miles
showed me part Of letter he had from
Secretary Stanton. jn1 which he said that If
he thought the safety, of Davis required it,
ne could put irons on him. or words to that
effect. The matter was left optional with
Gen. Miles as to whether Davis should be
put in irons or not.GrET
Just before shutdown, relief sent my or
derby out for the blacksmith to meet me
with the leg irons at the casemate. AS 7
entered the garrison, Davis was sitting on
| the end of his cot, -or hospital bed, reading
his prayer book. AS he looked up I said [:
Mr. Davis l have an9hnpleasant duty to
execute. at the Same y1noment, seeing the
blacksmith with the5atrons. he said: You
do not intend to put fetters on megii Those
are my orders THOSE are orders for
a slave: =noNqmanys with soul in him
would obey such an. order. I shall
was Davis answer. He then asked If Gen
Miles had given that order, and said he
would like to see Gen. Miles. Davis asked
that the execution Of the order be postponed
and should telegraph to the President in
his name. I said: Mr.. Davis. you are an
old soldier and know what orders are Da-
Wis replied that he was a soldier and knew
how to die. and, pointing to sentinel, said:
Let your men shoot me at once
AS, the blacksmith stopped to place
| the clasp of the shackle around his ankle
| Davis struck him a violent blow that
| threw him on the floor. He recovered at
| once and made for Davis with his ham,
| mer and would have struck him IL had
| not caught his arm. A moment after that
| saw Davis and one Of the sentinels
struggling, both having hold Of the mus
| ket, Davis just below the shank of the
bayonet The next. instant the sentinel
| had wrenched the musket from Davis
| hands. I at once ordered the soldier to
| his post and reprimanded him for leav-
ing.
Foresaw Trouble.
| Il now saw there would be trouble, so
I ordered the officer Of the guard to go
out and get four of the best men to the
guard without sidearms and have them
| report to at once. A few moments
after four stalwart soldiers made their
appearance. AS the men advanced Davis
struck the foremost. but all four instant
| ly closed on him and showed him on the
| cot. The prisoner showed unnatural
| strength. 1t was all the four men could
| do to hold him while the smith riveted
| the clasp around his ankle, his helper
| holding sledge hammer. The other
| clasp was locked with brass spring lock.
Just as was going out Davis raised from
his cot threw his feet on the floor and,
with the Changing of the chain, he gave
way. Davis shed tears, but not word had
he to say. Two hours after 1 called to
| relieve the guard and found Davis lying
on his cot 1 then unlocked the shackes,
he taking off his clothing and locking them
again himself. He seemed to be entirely
broken down. The next morning I found
Davis very much indisposed. I suggested
to Gen. Miles to have a doctor. The gen.
eral gave his consent at once.
"On the 9th or 2Sth of May the shackles
were taken off Of Davis, and he never wore
them after that. About the 23d or oath of
June the guards were removed from the
prisoners quarters. On the oath Of June
General Miles gave permission for the pris-
oners to have books out of the post library
and on that day General Miles accompanied
me to Davis quarters. As We entered I re-
marked to Davis that1th general had given
him permission tesihaVe books out Of the
| library. Davis them deliberately turned his
back on General Mliest5 He then said: 81
suppose the works Are7 chiefly on military
matters I felt embarrassed in the way /
Miles, and saa IS here ana
converNnt with the afbfary.' He paid no
attention to my renaarlso and said: Captain
suppose you have Bancroft in the library
General Miles then remarked, Who is Ban
croft?' Davis turhed IFS face toward the
general with the vesyopfcture of contempt
Il