The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1903-08-21
the IRONING OF JEFFERSON DAVIS

little.
Ii then delivers itself with great
display of knowledge about the alleged
facts of the Imprisonment of Mr..
Jefferson Davis, late president Of
the Confederate states, and says that
General Miles did not place "shackles"
upon him but that this WAS done by a
sergeant.
1T may be urged, " says the Press,
that the sergeant did ii in accord
ance with Miles order. This is
granted; but Lieutenant Miles was
ordered by Secretary Stanton to iron
Davis. Now, if the sergeant did not
dare to disObey Miles, neither did
Miles dare disObey Stanton"
The Press then goes on further to
say that "Gen. Miles, when the order
was first sent him, wrote back to
ascertain if the order was imperative,
stating that Mr.. Davis was perfectly
dOcile. Stanton sent orders to Miles
TO have his edict carried out and not
10 question the reasons therefor"
As intense as Secretary Stanton's
feelings are thought To have been
against the South the Press does
grave injustice to his memory.
Mr.. Jefferson Davis Was placed in
irons on May D, 1865.
On May p Mr.. Stanton, in his Of
ticIal capicity A. secretary of war,
wired g. follows to Gen. Miles:
" Please report whether irons have
or have not been placed on Jefferson
Davis. If they have been, when il
was done. aud for what reason, and
remove them"
The following is Gen. Miles reply
to Secretary Stsnton's dispatch:
Il have the honor To state in reply
u your dispatch, that when JEFF
| Davis was first confined i'm the case.
mate the inner doors were light
wooden ones without locks. direct
Ell anklets Ia be put upon his ankles
(which would not interfere with his
walking bat would prevent his run.
ming should he endeavOr To escape. In
the meantime, | have changed the
wooden doors for grated ones with
locks and the anklets have been re-.
lmoved. Every care is taken TO avoid
any pretense for complaint ~ Well a:
to prevent any possibility O
escape"
/ The only semblauce of authority
Gen. Miles had for placing the iron,
on Mr.. Davis was all order from Mr.
Chas. A. Dana, assistant secretary OF
war.
Nr. Dana's order WAS dated from
Fortress Monroe, May -, 1865, and was
as follows:
"Brev. Maj. Gen. Miles is hereby
authorized and directed TO place man.
acles and letters upon the hands and
feet of Jefferson Davis and Clement
c. Clay whenever he may think il
advisable in order to render their i'm.
prisOnment more secure"
As to how absolutely secure these
prisoners were is told by Mr.. Dana
himself in letter to the secretary OF
war from Fortress Monroe, dated
May 30, two p. IA, 1865.
The two prisoners have just been
placed in their respective classmates.
| Two sentries are stationed within and
without their doors. The bars and
| locks are fastened and the regular
| routine of their imprisonment has
begun. The arrangements for the
security of the prisoners seems TO me
a complete as could be desired.
Each one occupies an inner room OF a
casemate The window is heavily
barred. A sentry stands within be-
fore each of the doors leading into the
outer rooms. These doors are to be
grated but are now secured by bar,
fastened on the outside. Two other
sentries stand outside of these door,
and an officer is constantly on duty il
the outer room, whose duty it is To set
his prisoner every fifteen minutes
The outer door Of all is locked on the
outside and the key is kept exclusive
ly 10y the general officer OF the guard
Two sentries are also stationed with
out that door. \ strong line of sen
tries cuts off all access to the vicinity
OF the classmates. Another line i
stationed on the top of the parapet
overhead and a third line is posted
across the moats on the cOunterscarI
opposite the place of confinement.