Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-03-12
NISCEIL AN EOUS.
EXECUTION OF a DESERTER.

By an OViceT ~ ne L. .. Nary
In civilized countries, where war
ureduced to n SCIENCE and profess
SION. the stric:est discipline, enforced
by penalties Of the greatest severity,
e required as 4 substitute for the ie-
rocious passions and the deadly hate
which, in savage nations are found
competent to the work Of destruc ton.
The dire work Of war cannot be ac-
conplished,whe me n fight for mere
" professional motives, or in obe-
dience to their rulers, without a sys-
tenn Of the most rigorous compulsion.
The weakness, the most tender SEN
sibilities, even many Of the outward
vices, mist be subject to this system.
Individual vOlition must be suppress
sed, and the whole army move like 30
many machines, only as the will OF
some controlling agency shall direct.
With the dreadful seventies, not TO
saw atrocities. of this system, be-
lieve the community at large are very
little acquainted. Sometimes, indeed,
the severity falls on one iilust.ious by
birth, or fortune, or Character-an
Andre, an Assill, a Haync. and then
public comu,isseration and sympathy
are excited. and the cruel severity OF
the laws Of war deplored. But the
fate Of the moor private soldier. wnoI
is more generally the victim of such
severity, is rarely known beyond the
circle Of his family, or his fellow sol
diers, spectators OK actors III tn mel
ancho!v tragedy Be!icvin- that Il
more general knowledge among he
citizens, Of the scenes of the camp.
ard J moro perfect acquaintance with
the particulars which make up the
compound 81 war. will have u ten
dency 10 diminish the war!ike spirit.
shall relate scene which occurred
in the last wa. with England, aud Of
which was A. eve witness.
In 1914 was staiione', ri'h = de-
tachmcnt Of United Stats troop. a.
Green BUSH. IN the state Of .ew York.
One morninc, several prisoners. CON
fined ID the p.o"Cst guard house.
were brouy!i, on, 10 hear the scnten-
ces, which u court martial had annex
ed TO :heK dciinqucncles, read on pa
rade. Their appearance Indicated
that their 10; had already been sutfi-
'cienuy hard. Some wore the marks
'ot long confinement. and on all. the
severity Of TIE prison house had en-
stamped its impression Tney lookcd
detected 4, this public exposure, and
anxious 10 learn their fate. I hal
never seen the faces Ct any OF them
before. and only knew thct single
one OF them was adjudccd II death.
Soon, as their names were called and
their sentences announced. discern
ed by his agony AMI gestures. the
miserable man on whom that sen
fence was 20 fall man il, the boo:
"iyou,h and the fuiness ofhca.th ana
vigor.
Prompted by feelings of sympathy,
called next morning 10 Sc him in
prison There, chained by the leg
70 'As beam of the guard house. he
was reading the bible. trying 10 pre-
pare a:Hsclf. lie said. for the fatal
hour. | learned from him the cir
euInstances OF his case. He was the
ia'heT Of family; having wife and
nrec Young children. thirty or forty
miles distant from the camp. His
CRIME was tescrtion. of which he had
Seen three ,ia.es guilty. His only OBJ
leci IN leaving the camp, in the last
instance, he declared was TO visit his
~Ife and children. Having seen tina.
All was well with them, it was his in
ieation 10 return. But whatever was
"is intention he was 4 d>ser;er, and
as s'ich taken AMI brought into the
camp, manacled. an 4 under 4 guard
: his isi!ow soldiers. The time be-.
s"esE the sentence ard execution
was brlef-:he authority in whom
vas vested the power Of reprieve or,
parioC. distant Thus he had no
nope. and only requested the a,,en-
oance o. minister of the gospel. aud
permission 10 see his wife and c...!-l
osen. The first par, CT the reaues,
vas granted. bu, whether he was per-
United CT not to see his family, do
not now remember.
, Hearing the hour ofhis execution.
: resolved. if possible, :" avoid being
k0SRnt ~