The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-07-24
THE TRUTH ABOUT MILES
'Omcer of the Day Tells of Putting
of Jefferson Davis in Irons.

No doubt General Miles has often
wished he hadn't done it But he did,
and it was ar un7ardonable sin.
Captain Jerome B. Titlow tells the
truth about the putting of Jefferson
Davis in irons at Fortress Monroe in
the following communication to the
Army and Navy Journal:
st. Paul, Mimi, June 29, 1903.
ITO the Editcr~cf The Army and Navy
Journal:
In a recem issue Of your paper 1
noted a communication rejecting upon
the structures General NefSon A Miles,
United States army, has put upon SOL
diers of the United States in the
Philippines in regari to "barbarious
and inhuman treatment" and l also
note your editorial comm ant upon the
communication, and in az far as your
correspondent has drawn a parallel be-
tween these acts and the act of General
Miles in placing irons ppon Jefferson
Davis in Furr ess Monroe in May, 1865,
beg to correct the opinion which you
have formed in the premises. General
irons upon jefferson Davis. l was Of
ficer of the day, upon thu date in ques-
ton, when irons were out upon Mr.
Davis. General Miles called me into
headquarters and told me that he had
authority TO place Mr.. Davis in
irons. and in confirmation of his orders
General Niies exhibited TO me a per-
sonaI letter from the then Secretary
.f~.L, = "
in reply 10 Il communication from Gen
eral Miles. in which the secretary in
effect said: IF you consider the safe
guarding Ot he prisoner requires 1t,
you may place him IL irons, at your
discretion"
There was nothing mandatory from
the secretary Of war; 81 was left to
the discretion of the commanding Of
ficer; nor was the communication Of
fetal. and l am sure that a review of
the files of the adjutdnt generals office
Will reveal no official communication
making it mandatory upon General
Miles to put jefferson Davis in irons,
and. further. I.shall say that it was not
an act necessary to assure the safe re-
tention OF the prisoner within the GUS
tody of the United Stalcs.
JEROME Il. TITLOW.
Captain Company X. Third Pennyl-
Vania Heavy artillery, officer of the
day at Fortress Monroe upon the day
that Mr.. Davis was irOned, and under
whose command the work was DONE
The situation is an interesting one.
Miles Is at open war with the admin
istration. which evidently rates him
pretty low. He has been trying to stir
up a stencil in one way or Gnother and
finally obtained permission to go to the
Philippines and stick his considerable
nose right into the CdorS that were
alleged TO exist. He Wenc and saw and
duly reported what he saw and his 1e-
port fell fiat. Th.. dead hand that he
once so needlessIy ana cruelty mana
cIsd reached out of his grave and con-
querred him. The section of country to
which Miles might have appealed, the
south, despises hirr and trampled up
on his revelations.
It IS an interesting example of times
revenges. Jefferson Davis. a prisoner
of wa. in the hands Of enemies who
would have executed him as a traitor
had they dared. the broken leader of a
defeated people, yet went to his grave
with the blessings OF the people upon
bear the odium of the unsuccessful
war so ms he been chosen as We
true repr sentative of 4 people whose
principles do not dies and whose Saf-
cections survive the death of their
heroes. And Miles. by the death Of his
superiors. 1inds himself at the head Of
the American arm. and his barbarian
instincts that inspired him TO the deed
of putting = gentleman in irons hiS
helpless prisoner. now manifest them
selves in the gaudy military trappings
that are his sole claim TO distinction
as his cruel conduct at Fortress Mon
roe i his title to inf3my.
Who Will bul-d a monument 10 Cen
eral Nelson \. Miles, Is there any
coin OF the realm small enough to be-
gin & subscription list?-Charlotte
News.
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