Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-06-04


the priming out Of his gun and primed il a6esh
and then went straight on 10 bis gua ard-f tire
While he was going. Camp hallooed to the
Fort to General Jackson. and told him tl1srU
was damned dcserter would not be taken.-
General Jackson came out Of the Fort and
halooed, shoot the damned rascal il he would
not be taken. Woods went up to the guard,
and surrendered himself prisoner guard
from the Regulars soon came snd took hin
Inlo custody Woods was roned in the black
smiths shop (snd saw the irons put on) and
then taken into the camp of the Regulars and
kept there until he was shot, was also q
witness before the Court Martial, and wss
within the lines of the guard while the trial wss
| progressing. General Jackson waIket back.
wards and forwards with his hands behind hss
| back and remork ed to The Court Msrtial, .to bs
cautious and mind what they were about, for
| he had said, by the Eternal God, the next
man that was condemned he would not pa rdon
! him, and this was a hearty hale Young fellow
Think Major VIM. r. Hess was Judge Advo-
cate. No person appeared as Woods friend or
| counsel to defend to him.
WILLIAM STEWART,
/, George A. Brock, Of Franklin County, in
the state Of Tennessee, do state, that neither
Colonel A. Erwin nor any part Of bis family.
| ever spoke to or conversed with me on the
case Of John Woods, a soldier, who was shot
at Fort Stroher during the Creek War; nor
was the certificate given at his request, or At
the request of any Of his family, nor was
hIs name mentEned ITO my knowedee) dur
ing that transa ction. l gave the certificate
published in the Kentucky Reporter at tho
request and TO the person Of DR.. James L.
Armstrong and hereby reiterate that the same
IS correct, TO the best Of INV knowledge and
belief. with the exceptions Of the name of the
Judge Advocate. In this case ] expect Twas
mistaken, as l was not nearer the Court Than
fifteen or twenty yards. and was but slightly
acquainted with either Col. Williams or Ma
lor Hess. further de clare, that I was one Of
The original volunteers who turned out rndef
the orders of General Roberts for three
months; that this deia chmen, marched as far
as Canoe Greek. in the Creek Nation, and
then understanding that Gen. Jackson would
not receive us unless for six months, most of
the dc'n chment returned home; but afierw yds
hearing otherwise. the men generally returned
and met at Fayetteville. In the first march,
John Woods WIS not with us; but on again
assembling at Fayetteville, he appeared and
took tho place Of my halt brother, William
Rager, as before stated, on the 22d January,
1914, and went to Fort Strother, where I do
state positively he remained doing duty as 9th.
er soldiers, until he was arrested for the crime
Tor which he was shot; and any statement or
assert ion which goes 10 show that he had ever
previously deserted is not true. John Woods
had an Older brother with the party, who re-
turned from the Canoe Creek, but John was
not there, and never was in the army before
the above named time.
GEORGE A. BROCK.
State Of Tennessee, F,ank lin County, Anil 1921
The undcrs eRed, citizens Of said county, do
hereby certify that they have onal'v known
George A. B ock, Of sa d county, most of them
ten or twelve yeais, and do cbcerfully state
that they h"li"ye him TO be q man Of truth.
morally, and honesty, and that as nnch fnuh
and credit is due and ought 10 be gwen 10 this
statements as TO any other zen of our coun-
ty.
JOIN o. JOHNSON.
JAMEs I UNNYNGHAM.
State of 'fepne..cr Heifori County
Personally appeared before NE JOHN F.
Scruggs, a Justice oftbe Peace for sa,d coup.
ty, Thomas Couch, aud made oath that DR..
James l.. Armstrong. in the summer Of 1927,
requested this depnpcn to give him a state
mcnt OF The crune, trial, and,execu ION of John
Woods. G,d so. That afterwards, in the
month Of February, 1918, DR.. Armstrong
again applied TO me for a certificate Of what I
had before stated. This certificate have
seen correctly published in the Kentucky Re-
porter, and now declare all I have stated in
SAID er'Ificn'e, as coming within my own
clare, that Col Andrew Erwin never applied
to me for a statement or certificate Of tho
above case, neither did any other person for
him to my knowledge; neither do I tecollect
ever conversing with him on the subject at any
time previous, nor until some time after had
given my certificate. / further state, that
John Woods never deserted from the army, as
we marched into Fort Strother at the samo
time; and was daily in the habit Of seeing
l. ,,.,gI
led 10 his death. lf he ever had deserted, il
must have been some other campaign, and I
never heard of it. Sworn to before me, this
18th of a pril, 1928.
j. T.. SLRuGGS, J. r. TIIOMts COUCH
We have omitted the certificates signed by
ten gentlemen, as to the good character and
responsibility Of the gentlemen no made tho
above statements. ... ...I ts
The undersigned. citizens Of Bedford County,
in the state OF Tennessee, do hereby certify,
that they have been acquainted with Robert
Ferguson Of said county, from ten to twenty
years, and believe him 10 be a ma oftruih and
honesty, and that full credit is due TO his state
mens. Gwen under their hands, April, 1928.
WILLIAM WIZ h,,n r. r,Nch, WM wAl'rERsoN.
Can it be possible that this general order
has lately been manufa cturedl II not, how are
welo account Tor The ignorance you manIfest,
in not having n knowledge Of the relation in
which this poor fellow stood TO the .amy.-
Call upon all the officers who commanded in
this company or detachment; call upon every
man who served in = and do say, you can
not get one OF them 10 swear, that you have
stated the crimes Of this youth correctly; I
mean the first charge Of" mutuy and deser-
hon," and for which you say no had been once
pardoned. He never needed pardon before
the time he asked land you refused.
Whence comes Il TO pass, that you have
fouod u necessary TO brand so menv OF ,he
poor soldiers from Tennessee with :" mu'in.