The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-20
Col. Edwin Spencer's
Address on Jeff. Davis
Continued from Page l.

i " Va Cco 1uOAlO C
Mr.. Davis was confined in the Gun
room or casemate, the embrasure OF
which was closed with a heavy iron
grating and the two doors which
communicated with the Gunners
room were closed by heavy doubled
shutters fastened with crossbars and
padlocked. The side openings had
been closed with fresh masonry, tee
plastering of which was still soft to
the touch. The other walls were of
solid masonry. The top was arched
to sustain the earth of the parapet.
Two sentinels. with loaded muskets
and fixed bayonets, paced to and
fro across the prison. Other guards
were in the Gunners' room adjoin-
ing. The officer of the day held
/ the key to the outer door, and sent.-
nels posted on the pavement in
front of it. There were sentinels
On the parapet overhead. The en-
brasure looked out upon ditch six
ty feet wide, containing seven to
ten feet of water. Beyond the ditch
was a double chain of sentinels, ana
in the rooms adjoining the casemate
were the regular guard when not on
duty. Surely this was enough pre-
caution to keep the the prisoner,
who was sick, exhausted and weak
His surroundings were enough to
cause a strong young man to become
ill. The walls damp, the food coarse
and badly prepared. He was de-
prived of sleep because of the very
hard cot provided him, and the con-
slant tramp of the sentinels, and
with the bright light Of an oil lamp
which did not add to the cleanliness
of the room, the loud call at inter
walls Of changing the guard and un,
locking doors, soon prduced fever
and erysipelas. But this great pre-.
caution and cruelty was not enough
&c satisfy General Miles and the war
department.
OF this phase of his career some
day an American artist, inspired by
the God of Justice, will paint the
picture of the Stacking of Jefferson
lnavis and that picture will be placed
in the great are galleries Of this
country, before which will march
with bowed heads countless millions
of American citizens and shudder at
the inhumanity of those who were
responsible for this one great fade.
less stigma upon the good name Of
our country: and from the thorns of
a nations contempt they will make
an immortal crown Of infamy for
him who was most responsible to
wear,
On May 90, 1865. the officer of
the day, Captain j. lotion, of the
Third Pennsylvania artillery, came
to the prison with two blacksmiths
bearing heavy pair of leg irons,
coupled together by ponderous
chain, with orders from General
Miles to put them on him Mr.. Davis
objected and resisted, but four
strong men were called in and threw
him on his back and sat on him
while the blacksmiths welded on the
irons around his ankles. Mr.. Davis
asked to be shot at once and so
save the great misery he knew these
irons would cause and the indignity
to' his person and people. All of hi,
personal clothes were removed and
he was given instead heavy, insult
ed seaman's wardrobe. When he
spoke Of this to the doctor he was
told that his clothing was then on
exhibition or preserved as relics.
For many days Mr.. Davis suffered
great anxiety as to the whereabouts
and condition of his wife and chill
dren, but could get no news or in
telligence, and he said this was
harder to bear patiently than all OF
his personal ills and suffering.
On May Gath, DIR. ]. ]. Craven.
surgeon for the fort. Gale profess
sionally on the prisoner, and, seeing
him for the first time, he described
his impression of Mr.. Davis in this
way: "Mr. Davis presented a very
miserable and affecting aspect.
Stretched upon his pallet, very much
emaciated, he appeared a mere fas,
cine of raw and tremulous nerves
His eyes, restless and fevered, his
head continually shifting from side
for cool spot on his pillow, and
his case clearly one in which in
tense cerebral excitement was the
first thing needing attention. His
pulse full and his tongue thickly
coated, extremities cold and head