forteiting her present privilege of corresponding with her husband, I would respectfully recommend the following: That Mrs. Davis and her family be put precisely on the same footing as the families of other state prisoners, only excluding her from visiting this capital or her husband, except with special permission.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DISTRICT OF FORT MONROE,
Fort Monroe, Va., December 29, 1865.

General E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report the prisoner Davis as well. Clay is quite well and very cheerful, as his wife been permitted to visit him. The inclosed report of Major Muhlenberg, with the red tape, will explain itself. I directed it to be removed from his cell, when he took occasion to make use of the profane and vulgar language. His becoming so much enraged at its being removed leads me to believe that he desired it for improper uses, as it is long enough to reach from the ramparts to the moat, and strong enough to draw up a longer cord.*

While he is under my charge I shall exercise the same vigilance, notwithstanding his refined compliments.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

NELSON A. MILES,

Major-General of U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

FORT MONROE, VA., December 29, 1865.

Captain JOHN S. MCEWAN,

Aide-de-Camp and Actg. Asst. General, Fort Monroe, Va.:

I have the honor, in reply to your communication of the 28th instant, to make the following report of the language used by Mr. Davis, as far as I now remember it:

When I asked Mr. Davis if he had any use for the tape, which I was directed by General Miles to remove, he replied: "The ass! Tell the damned ass that it was used to keep up th emosquito net on my bed. I had it in the casemate adn he knew it. The miserable ass!"

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. P. MUHLENBERG,

Brevet Major, U. S. Army.

CONFIDENTIAL.] WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJT. General 'S OFFICE,

December 30, 1865.

Major General N. A. MILES, U. S. Volunteers,

Commanding, Fort Monroe, Va.:

SIR: Your letter of the 29th instant, inclosing a quantity of red tape and report of the language used by Jefferson Davis on the occasion of its being taken from his room, has been submitted to the Secretary of War, who desires me to thank you for your action in the matter and to say that you cannot at this time be too vigilant, especially in regard to vessels arriving at night off Fort Monroe.

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* The "red tape" is in the custody of the War Department. It is thirty-six feet long, and is made up of small pieces knotted together.

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