Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-02-17
SAVED BY MRS. DAVIS.
How the Kindness of a Union officer
Helped Him when Face 20
Face with Death.


Not long ago said a writer in the
Chicaso Inter Ocean Il found Capt.
Samuel Harris at one of the colored
kindergarten on the South side lie
seemed greatly interested. not only in
the children and teachers. but in all
the colored people lie told me later
that on one occasion. while in command
of e detachment OF his regiment. the
rifth Michigan cavalry. ne lost his
way and vouid have ridden into a
strong force of confederate. had not
young colored man explained the
situation so clearly as 20 enable him
20 avoid the enemy
This led him 10 observe closely.
and in the last year OF the war he was
cognizant of so many cases ia which
the loyalty and sympathy of colored
men were put TO severe test that he
became The friend of their race for all
time. Capt Harris. by the way. com
manded a detachment az the famous
Dahlgren raid on Richmond. fin March.
1864. lie led the charge ON the West
ham road, in which he was severely
wounded. lie was captured a few days
later, was taken 90 Richmond and.
on the theory that the Dahlgrcn raid
ors had intended 90 capture jefferson
Davis. was sentenced by a drumhoad
oourt-martial to- be hanged
Two months before he started on
the raid Capt Harris had found "a
Mrs Brooke and four children starry
ing He secured food for them. and
provided for them the ordinary com
forts OF life Mrs Brooke told him
that her husband was ia the confed-
crate army. and that she herself had
been the schoolmate and friend of
Mrs. jefferson Davis. A few days later
she wrote Mrs. Davis az Richmond
telling the story OF the union
officers kindness to herself and
children, and saying in conclu-
slot: II Lieut. Samuel Harris
OF the Fifth Michigan cavalry. should
ever fall into your hands do what you
can for him for my sake
This letter reached Mrs. Davis. and
when Il was announced 90 Mr. Davis
thai one of the officers OF the Dahl
gren raiders twho had penetrated the
outer fortihcations OF Richmond) had
been sentenced TO death and was Co
be executed at once. Mrs. Davis asked
his name. on being told that the
wounded officer waiting in q wagon
outside was Lieut.. Samuel Harris she
reminded her husband OF Mrs.
Brooke's letter. and sent Capt Waller
OF Davis staff 90 inquire as 20 the
identity of the officer under sentence
OF death. Waller came 10 the wagon
and after few questions told Harris
that he would not be hanged Mrs
DAVIS had secured a reprieve.
Harris was sent TO Libby prison
where his wounds received careful az
tention All OF Mr. Davis cabinet In
sisted that he should be hanged, but
Mr.. Davis declared that he should be
treated as any other prisoner OF war
The surgeon gave Harris one chance
in a hundred 10 live. but he recovered
and is active in business in Chicago
today. In 1895 Capt Harris visited
Mrs. Davis az Narragansett Pier and
thanked her for saving his life in 1864
All the circumstances were recalled
and the captain learned by a visit q
Richmond the whereabouts OF the
daughter of Mrs Brooke and other.
who had played a part in his little wal
drama. In 1897 Capt. Harris met in
New Orleans Col Armand Hawkins
provost marshal in Richmond in 1854
who was preparing to hang Harris
when he received an order from Mr.
Davis not 20 do so. All Of Capt Har
ris' friends know this story, but q &
worth the telling again and again"