The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-08-30

tional with Gen. Miles as to whether
Davis should be put in irons or not.
Just before shutdown | sent my
orderly out for the blacksmith to
meet me with leg irons at the case
ment. As I entered the garrison
Davis was sitting on the end of his
( cot, or hospital bed. reading his
prayer book. AS he looked up !
said. Mr.. Davis. | have an unpleas-
ant duty to execute at the same
moment. seeing the blacksmith with
the irons, he asked. You do not In
tend to put letters on me?' Those
are my orders answered. Those
are my orders for a slave; no man
with a soul in him would obey such
orders. ! shall never submit to such
an indignity,' was his answer. He
then asked If Gen. Miles had given
/ that order, and said he would like
to see Gen. Miles. Davis asked that
/ the execution of the order be post
! poned and that telegraph the Pres
/ ident in his name. / said, Mr. Da-
: Wis, you are an old soldier and know
what orders are His reply was, L
am an old soldier and know how to
die. Let your men shoot me at
once pointing to the sentinels.
AS the blacksmith stopped to
place the clasp of the shackle
around his ankye, Davis struck him
a violent blow that threw him on the
floor. He recovered at once and
made for Davis with his hammer
and would have struck him if | had
not caught his hand A moment af-
ter that ] saw Davis and one of the
sentinels struggling, both having
hold of a musket, Davis just be-
low the shank of the bayOnet. The
next instant the sentinel had
wrenched the musket from Davis
hand. ! at once ordered the soldier
to his post and reprimanded him for
leaving il.
II now saw that there would be
trouble, so I ordered the officer of
the guard to go out and get four of
the best men of the guard without
side arms and have them report to
me at once. Four stalwart soldiers
made their appearance and as the
foremost advanced Davis struck him.
when all four instantly closed in on
him and showed him on the cot. The
prisoner showed unnatural strength
1t was all the four men could do to
hold him while the blacksmith riv-
eted the clasp around his ankle, his
helper holding a sledge hammer
The clasp was locked with a brass
spring lock. Just as | was going
out Davis raised from his cot, threw
his feet on the floor, and, with the
changing of the chain, he gave way.
He shed tears, but not a word had he
to say to anyone. Two hours after
| called to see the guard and found
Davis lying on his cot then I'M
locked the shackles, he taking off
his clothing and locking them again
himself. He seemed to be entirely
broken down. The next morning
found him very much indisposed. II
suggested to Gen. Miles to have
doctor, and consent was given.
ION the 9th or 2Sth of May the
shackles were taken off of Davis,
and he never wore them after that.
About the Gath of June the guards
We're removed from the prisoners
quarters, and Gen. Miles gave per-
mission for the prisoner to have
books out of the post library. On
that day Gen. Miles accompanied me
to Davis quarters. AS we entered |
remarked to Davis that the General |
had given him permission to have
books out of the library. He then |
deliberately turned his back on Gen. |
Miles, and said, The General is here
are chiefly on military matters. Il
felt embarrassed at the way | was |
addressed in the presence of Gen. !
Miles, and said, The general is here |
and he is conversant with the libra
ry.' Davis paid no attention. to my
remark, and asked. Captain, | sup
pose you have Bancroft in the liz
brary?' Gen. Miles asked, Who is |
Bancroft Davis turned his face
toward Gen. Miles, with the very
picture of contempt on it. at once
said, We have Bancroft's History OF
the United States. Davis said he
would be pleased to have it to read.
After that. when | would visit him
in his cell he would make the re-
mark, DO you suppose your General
has found out who Bancroft is, by
this time?'"
To DR.. Craven, who was attending
physician at the fort, President Da-
Wis, speaking of the damning deed.
said: