The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-10-21
FORGED JEFF DAVIS IRONS.
Blacksmith Tells Tale of Confeder-
acy's President.

acy's President.
Claiming that he made the shack
les with which President Jefferson
Davis of the Confederacy ironed
was ironed while prisoner in Fort
Monroe. Henry Charles Arnold, the
village blacksmith of Granville Gen.
ter, near here, this week told news
paper man the interesting story. ne
was a blacksmith then, and has fol-
lowed his trade ever since, and he
vividly remembers his experiences
with the noted prisoner, says
Wilkesbarre special to the Richmond
Times-Dispatch.
He contradicts the story that Da-
Wis submitted to the irons meekly,
and tells how force had to be used to
get them on. Said he:
81 am the son of William Arnold,
and was born in New London county,
Conn, on July Ia singular date) /,
in the year 1910. When the war
broke out I did not hesitate in re-
spending to the call to arms, and l
became stationed at Fort Monroe,
where I worked as blacksmith.
Well I remember, toward the close
of 1865, when President Johnson Is
sued a statement in which he offered
a reward of 100000 for the capture
of Jefferson Davis, president of the
Confederate States, and it was GER
tainly Enjoyable news to the occu-
pants of the fort when it was an
nounced that Mr.. Davis had been
captured by Col. Pritchard of the
Fourth Michigan calvary at Mitchell
vile, Ca, where he was in the dis
guise of a woman, and was going to
a spring for a pail of water. The
dress he wore was too short, with the
result that his identity was easily
discovered"
Leading up to the arrival Of Mr..
Davis at Fort Monroe, the blacksmith
said: Gen. Nelson Miles was then
in charge in Washington, and 1t was
he who issued the orders that shack
les should be placed about the ank-
les of the Confederate president, and
it was Capt. Tidlaw who ordered me
to make them. Capt. Tidlaw was of
the Third Pennsylvania heavy artill-
cry, which never took part in an ac-
tive battle.
Gas the captain and myself entered
the rom where Mr.. Davis was con-
fined the latter was lying upon an
iron bed. He was reading an Epis-
copal'prayer book. Seeing the shack
les in my hand, Mr.. Davis said:
my God, you're not going to
iron me?' To which Capt. Tidlaw
replied: Yes; it is orders from
Washington
:''Mr. Davis said: Such is un-
necessary, for you have everything
guarded, even the windows
'sBut the captain replied that such
were the orders from Washington.
Mr.. Davis got up from his bed. He
spoke of the disgrace he would ex-
perience if the irons were placed on
him.
Telegraph to Washington and
see if the orders were not mistake .
said Mr.. Davis.
capt. Tidlaw, turning to me, said:
Go on with your work
Il got down on my knees and
started to place the shackles, but Mr..
Davis resisted. Several moments
passed, during which the president
said that it was unlawful to place a
man in irons. 1 told him to lie down
on the floor, and he turned to me
and remarked: who made you
spokesman At that instant sew
eral men were passing on the out
side, AMI I told the captain to call
them in, which he did, and in a few
minutes Mr.. Davis was lying on his
back on the floor, while 1 fastened
the shackles about his ankles.
"Mr. Davis said: You might as
we'll shoot me as to put on those
irons,' but nevertheless they were
soon on. .
about one week later Mr.. Davis
complained of feeling sick. Several
physicians were called to attend him,
but he declined the services of all
with the exception of DR.. Craven, Of
New York, and the latter ordered
the irons taken off, which was done
by me. After the shackles had been
removed Mr.. Davis was transferred
to another building, where he was
strongly guarded"
One of the men who often took Mr..
Davis out for his daily exercise was
Loren Leonard, now dead, husband
of Sophia Leonard, who corroborated
the story. Mr.. Arnold said that at
the close of the war he accompanied
Mr.. Leonard to Granville Center,
where he has lived as the village
blacksmith ever since.