The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-06-26
CHAPTER XXI.
Snatched from the Jaws of Death.


THE soldiers who had been brought
by Bledsoe into Jefferson Davs
house to arrest Grigg had con-
sisted of the regular guard at
the mansion, REINFORCED by Lieu
tenant letter and some Of his cavalry.
These latter had come up to Rlch-
mond with other hastily summoned
troops 10 repel the Federal attack
AS it was Bledsoes policy to keep
secret this important capture, lest
news of it reach the prisons, he had
sent men at once for a covered cart.
which they brought quietly to the
rear door. Grigg's pintoned body was
then carried downstairs, dumped in
TO the cart. and hauled away.
OF this removal there were only a
few observers. The startled negro
servants looked over the bannisters
whispering excitedly and rolling their
eyes; and one of the Presidents chill
dren. who had come out from the
nursery clinging to his black mann
my's skirts. clapped his little hands
and cried out with sudden shrill
laughter to know what the soldiers
were taking down-sta on their
shoulders.
the captive, to veil the tragic ruin OF
his long labors. He lay passive on
the floor of the cart, breathing hoarse-
w. while Lieutenant letter, who had
been given charge of him, formed
close phalanX of mounted men about
the vehicle and started rapidly down
Twelfth street.
There was some apprehension of an
attempt at rescue, for none knew how
many of the Disconnected of the city
might have Joined the great consplI-
acy. letter, the prompt and resolute'
ordered his men to have their carbines
ready for use. He himself rode in
front of the cart with his drawn saber
in his hand, the naked steel glitter
ing formidably under the street
AS they clattered along the stony
streets, the whole city was rushing
to arms. Here and there belated men
ISSUED from doorways with their mus
kets, buckling on their cartridge
boxes, and hurdied along the wet side
walks to the various rendezvous; over
head still doomed the alarm bells,
and in Broad street, as the cart, sur
rounded by it's bristling escort, swept
by, the militia were mastering In the
rain and answering to roll call
For greater secrecy, letter had been
instructed not to convey his prisoner
to any OF the common places OF de-
tention, but to hold him at more
secluded spot The place selected as
the most secure and least conspicuous
was the old engine-house near ROCK
etts, formerly the prison of Floyd
CoombS who since his conviction had
been removed to Castle Thunder.
The rough jolting of the springless
cart had shaken Grigg into some sort
of semi-consCiouSness, for when the
engine-house was yeached and he was
carried upstairs, 1t was observed that
he opened his eyes, which were filled
to say som5xsling. Probably he asked
for water. They took him into the
little roc5eh where Floyd Coombs had
pined so long, and threw him on the
floor.
Lieutenant letter proceeded to
take every precaution against rescue
or escape. Having fifteen men and
sergeant under his orders. he divided
them into three reliefs of five men
each. When he posted the first relief
he stationed one seminal inside the
little room, with instructions to watch
him at the slightest suspicious move
ment Three men of the relife he
placed about the ground floor, to
guard the barred and bolted doors.
The corporal of the relief he assigned
to duty Immediately outside the open
doorway between the prisoners room
and the larger one, where the remain
ing members of his detachment were
to sleep or amuse themselves till their
turns came to stand guard. Thus. at
q cry or shot from the seminal inside
the little room, or from the corporal
at the doorway, the entire body of
a moment. He himself divided the
night with the sergeant in exercising
general supervision, to insure watch
fulness.
absurd to expect a prisoner to unfast-
en- his bonds and escape. Yet Lieuten-
ant letter for so phlegmattc man,
was very nervous On posting the first
NNf l. hn Txy1n hn
pgisoner lay. carefully examined and
frightened the ropes at his wrists and
ankles, and then got up and shook a
calloused forefnger under the senti-
"Tompkins. don't you take your eye
OF that spot one secondi II he comes
to and tries to talk, call me! don't you
dare to talk to him T!,a Hes the the devil;
ten minutes he'd hoodoo you and have
you follering him around like you
was his tail. Keep that hammer at
full cock. Rest your gun on the table
-so-and keep 1t aimed ut him the
whole time. You hear me"
There was little enough ground,
however. for letters present anxiety.
cred from the blow on his head, to
realize where he was or what had
happened. The utter oblivion which
had rushed over him, like the great
deep overwhelming a lost and hope
less wreck, had begun at last to lift.
But its slow ebbing brought no reali-
zation of the calamity which had be-
fallen him; 1t brought only dim twi-
light, a vague fantasy Of the truth.
He felt somehow that a great strug-
gle was ended. His thoughts began
to wander everywhere. but settled
nowhere; they were like f1uttering
hither and thither to find an abiding
place. And then he fell asleep. After
great struggles, when hope is all
gone, beaten men often sink quietly
to sleep.
Grigg was awakened by the boom
ing of Kirkpatrick's cannon, quick
and sharp, to the northward. It was
daylight, a gray. rainy, foggy morn
ing. On the street below sounded the
shouts of transfers and the hurried
clatter of empty caissons tearing
back to the arsenal for a fresh sup
ply of ammunition.