The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-17

] embrasures of which were closed with 1 heavy iron bars looking out on the moat 1 or ditch. which was about sixty feet wide,
 Searched His Prisoner.
 Tn the casemate were two sentineis | 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 Captain Bispham and reported to General Miles for orders in regard to | the prisoners. His orders were to hold | no communi: ltions with them except what was absolutely necessary. T found Davis man of few words, and those tinctured with bitterness. It | having been reported to General Miles | that Davis was moody and morose, the General gave me orders 70 search the prisoner thoroughly and to take every thing away from him, money and any | thing that he would be likely to do him self bodily harm with. I went to Davis ! casemate and told him that I was or dered to search him thoroughly. He complied with some reluctance and con tempt. He first turned his pockets and handed me some S2So In Confederate notes and $60 or $70 in gold and silver, some keys. and very handsome pocket knife. noticed a silk cord around his | neck under his undershirt. l said Mir. | Davis, what have you there.' After some little hesitation he drew from under his undershirt attached to the cord a small silver Catholic medal. He pleaded with me to let him retain the medal. as it was | gift from the Pope of Rome. After some little hesitation I came to the con- clusion to let him retain it. After turn ing over the effects to General Miles, I re ported to him wha. I did in regard to | the medal. and the General said; That is al: right; he cannot do much harm l with that
 | Talk of @ Rescue.
 During all thIs time that ths prison | CTS were at Fort Mo II Je there was con siderable newspaper talk and whispering that there was an expedition forming to rescue Davis On the morning of May g, 1865. was again detailed as officer of | the day and again rep )rted to the Gen. | eral, as the new officer cf the day The Genera. said he had special orders for me as to Jefferson Davis, having heard 1t iurlored that morning tf1t Davis wss to be put in irons. Ge neral Miles showed me part of a letter he had from Score | taTy Stanton n whi,h C said that if he thought the safety of Davis required 1t, he could put irons n Jim, or words to | that effect. The matter was left optional with Gen1r4l Miles as % whether Davis should be put in irons or Iot.
 Just before sundown relief I sent my i orderly out for the blacksmith to meet ne with the leg irons at the easement AS I entered the garrison. Davis was sitting on the end of his cot. or hospital l bed, reading his prayer book As he looked up said: Mir Davis, I have an unpleasant duty to execute" at the same moment seeing the blacksmith with the | irons. he said: You do not intend to put letters on me?' Those are my or ders." Those are orders for a slave: no man with a soul in him would obey such an order. l shall never submit to such an indignity. was Davis's answer. He then asked if General Miles had given General Miles. Davis asked that the ex- | eoution of the order be postponed and | should telegraph to the President in his name. I said: Mir Davis. you are an old soldier and know what orders are.
 Davis replied that he was a soldier and knew how to die, and. pointing to a sen tinel. said Let your men shoot me al once
 Struck the Blacksmith.
 "As the blacksmith stopped to place the clasp of the shackle around his ankle Davis struck him violent blow that once and made for Davis with his ham. | mer. and would have struck him if haf not caught his arm. A moment after that I saw Davis and one of the senti nels struggling both having hold of thu musket. Davis just below the shank o
 the bayonet The next instant the senti
 nel had wrenched the musket from Da
 vis's hands. l at once ordered the soldiel
 to his post, and reprimanded him fo
 leaving. now saw there would b
 trouble. so I ordered the officer of tn
 guard to go out and get four of the bes
 men of the guard without sidearms ant
 have them report to me at once. A fes moments after four stalwart soldier