Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/350

 338 Southern Historical Society Papers.

[From the Times- Dispatch, February 12, 1905.]

THE PRISON LIFE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The Trying Experience of the Ex-President at Fort

Monroe.

PREVARICATION OF GENERAL MILES.

Actual Instructions of Assistant Secretary of War as to Shackles.

By Colonel WILLIAM H. STEWART.

The steamer William P. Clyde, with President Jefferson Davis, Mrs. Davis, son and two daughters; Vice- President Alexander H. Stephens, Hon. C. C. Clay and Mrs. Clay, Hon John H. Reagan, Confederate Postmaster-General; General Joseph Wheeler, and other prisoners, convoyed by the United States ship Tuscarora, arrived in Hampton Roads on the iQth of May, 1865, from Port Royal, S. C.

The arrival was immediately wired to Washington, and that af- ternoon Secretary of War E. M. Stanton ordered Major-General H. W. Halleck to proceed to Fortress Monroe, take charge of the prisoners, and to imprison Messrs. Davis and Clay securely in that fortress; to send Messrs. Stephens and Regan to Fort Warren by sea in a gunboat; General Wheeler and staff, Colonels Lubbock and Johnston, aids to President Davis, to Fort Delaware, also in a gun- boat; Colonel Harrison, secretary to Mr. Davis, to Washington, and the remainder of the prisoners to Fort McHenry, in the Clyde, under convoy. He was also instructed to allow the ladies and chil- dren of the party to go to such places in the South as they might prefer, but forbid their going North or remaining at Fortress Mon- roe or Norfolk. He was also directed to prevent any one from vis- iting or holding communication with President Davis or Mr. Clay, either verbally or in writing. This was to deny them any commu- nication either with their wives or children.

OTHER " PRISONERS ' DEPART.

The Maumee, Commander F. A. Parker, sailed with General Wheeler and party on the 2ist of May for Fort Delaware, and the