Our ladies sent articles for his comfort to Mr. Davis, but knew not if he received them. Dr. Minnegerode's efforts to see him were for a weary while without success. It seemed that his pastor, at least, might have had this privilege without question, especially such as Dr. Minnegerode, a man of signal peace and piety who had carried the consolations of religion and such comforts as he could collect in an almost famine-stricken city to Federals in prison. His first endeavour, a letter of request to President Johnson, met no response. Finally, appeal was made through Rev. Dr. Hall, Mr. Stanton's pastor; to the committee of ladies waiting on him, Dr. Hall said he did not wish to read the petition, wished to have nothing to do with the matter; they besought, he read, and secured privilege of intercourse between pastor and prisoner. For months, Mr. Davis was not allowed to correspond with his wife; was allowed no book but the Bible; June 8, 1865, Stanton reproved General Miles for permitting the prison chaplain to visit him. He was unprepared for his pastor's coming, when Dr. Minnegerode, conducted by General Miles, entered his cell. In a sermon in St. Paul's after Mr. Davis' death, Dr. Minnegerode described this meeting. Mr. Davis had been removed (on medical insistence) from the casemate, and was "in an end room on the second floor of Carroll Hall, with a passage and windows on each side of the room, and an anteroom in front, separated by an open grated door--a sentinel on each passage and before the grated door of the anteroom; six eyes always upon him, day and night." With these eyes looking on, the long-parted friends, the pastor and the prisoner, met. [Illustration: A VIEW OF FORTRESS MONROE Showing section of casemates overlooking the moat. In a casemate of this fort Mr. Davis was confined. Photographed in 1890] When the question of Holy Communion was broached, Mr. Davis hesitated. "He was a pure and pious man, and felt the need and value of the means of grace. But could he take the Sacrament in the proper spirit--in a forgiving mind? He was too upright and conscientious to eat and drink unworthily--that is, not at peace with God and man, as far as in him lay." In the afternoon, General Miles took the pastor to the prisoner again. Mr. Davis was ready to pray, "Father, forgive them!" "Then came the Communion. It was night. The fortress was so still that you could hear a pin fall. General Miles, with his back to us, leaned against the fire-place in the anteroom, his head on his hands--not moving; sentinels stood like statues."