published statement of Surgeon Cooper is supposed to be the foundation upon which she bases her application. As yet she has had no personal interviews with the President or any high officials. A significant fact bearing upon the questions is that certain friends of Mr. Davis in Richmond applied to Surgeon Cooper within a week or two to ask his kindly intercession in presenting to Mr. Davis some articles of clothing and a few luxuries intended to ameliorate his prison life. Surgeon Cooper replied on the 20th instant, expressing his willingness to act as the almoner of Mr. Davis' Richmond friends, but stated if his confinement continued he would not long be in need of their charitable assistance. All accounts agree that his imprisonment is rapidly telling upon his general health.

HDQRS. MILITARY DISTRICT OF FORT MONROE, VA.,
May 26, 1866.

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

GENERAL: I have the honor to report the health of state prisoner Jefferson Davis without material change since last report. He is more cheerful and seems in much better spirits since his wife has been here and he has received his parole. He now walks around the fort at his leisure, taking about the same exercise as before.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

NELSON A. MILES,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.

CONFIDENTIAL.] HDQRS. MIL. DISTRICT OF FORT MONROE,

Fort Monroe, Va., May 28, 1866.

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

GENERAL: In consequence of the sensation produced by Surgeon Cooper's report and the use made of it by the disloyal press I would respectfully suggest that a staff officer of the Department, who saw him last summer, see him now and report as to his condition compared with what it was when last seen, or that Surgeon Pineo, brevet lieutenant-colonel, who was last summer medical inspector, Department of Virginia, and who saw Davis at that time, be ordered to examine him and report. I regret to say that I think Surgeon Cooper is entirely under the influence of Mr. and Mrs. Davis, the former of whom has the happy faculty that a strong mind has over a weaker to mold it to agree with its views and opinions. Surgeon Cooper's wife is a secessionist and one of the F. F. V.'s of this State. He is exceedingly attentive to Mrs. Davis, escorting her to Norfolk and back, and yesterday he had a private interview with Davis and Messrs. O'Connor and Shea. To-day the four were together at the doctor's house. I believe more might have been said in his report. In my opinion there are other reasons than the "waves of sound" to make Mr. Davis nervous and excitable; for instance, his age and the diseases to which he has been subject in previous years. The disappointment of his hopes and ambitions must necessarily affect the nervous system of a man of his pride while a prisoner. Since Mrs. Davis' appearance at this place there has been a determined effort made that as he could not be a hero to make a martyr of him.

I am, general, with the highest respect, your obedient servant,

NELSON A. MILES,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.