Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-06-03

bank; and this, as the event proved, was the spot to be
We had stood thus about FIVE minutes, when the mufled
drums of the corps to which the culprits belonged were
heard beating the dead-march; and they themselves, hand
cuted and surrounded by their guards, made their appear
ance. One was a hne young man, tall, and we'll made
another was a dark, thick set, little man, about forty years
of age; and the third had nothing remarkable in his coun-
tenance, except an expression of deep cunning and treach-
cry. They all moved forward with considerable frmness,
and took their stations on the mound, when. attention being
ordered, a staff officer advanced into the centre of the
square, and read aloud the proceedings of the court. BY
these, sentence of death was PASSED upon all three, but the
most MISUNDERSTANDING among them was recommended
to mercy on the score of his having added the guilt of
treachery TO his other crimes.
AS soon as the reading was finished, the prisoners were
commanded to kneel down upon the glound, and a hand
kerchief was tied over the eyes of each. While this was
doing, looked round, not SO much from curiosity as to give
relief to my own excited feelings upon the countenanccs
OF the soldiers. They were, one and all of them, deadly
pale. whilst the teeth of many were set closely together,
aud thei' very 0reaths seemed to be represscd. 1t was
altogether a most narrowing momeut.
The eyes of the prisoners being now tied M. the guard
was wi'hdra"n from around them, and took post about ten
yards IN their front. As soon as this was done, the same
staf-oticer who had read the proceedings Of the trial
calling to the informer by nams, ordered him to rise, 70,
that the commander of the forces had attended to the
r recommendation of his Judges, and spared his life. But
the poor wretch paid no attention to the order. question
indeed, whether he had heard it; for he knelt there as i
y rooted To tte spot, till a file of men removed him in a STATE
of inscnSibhity. What the feelings of his compnnions il
crime must have been at this moment l know not, but thei
miseiies were Of short duration; for, a signal being given
,s about sixteen soldiers fired, and they were instantly mum
4 "SiSu VIII 'he u mite man, L Observed, Sptanl
- into the air when he received his wounds, the other fell fla
% upon his face; but neither gave the slightest symptom q
vitality after.
The discharge of the muskcts in the face of the culprits
was followed by a sound as it every man in the division
c had been stifed for the last FIVE minutes, and now AT leng;t
e drew IN his breath. 1t was not Il groau, nor a sigh, but
sob, like that which you unconsciously utter after dipping
your head under water: and now all excitement was at a,
e end. The men were dead; they died by musket shots
a and these were occurrences, viewing them in the abstract
V lar 700 common to be much regarded. But in order to Civ,
A to the execution ITS full effect, the division formed into opet
= column ct 5attalions, and marched around the grave, upor
r. the brink of which the bodies lay; after which each corp
# tIed off to its tents, and long before dark the scene of TIN
morning was forgotten. Not but that it produced n GOOD rf
feet by checking the prevalence of the offence of Which
was the punishment: but pity soon died away, and ever,
feeling OF disgust, IT indeed, any such feeling had at all All
d sen, was ohliteratcd. The bodies were thrown into the hoI
r and covered up, and L returned to my tent to muse upor
!. what ] had seen.