South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-08-20

turn. But Whatever was his intention,
he was deserter, and as such, taken
and brought into camp-manacled and
under guard Of his fellow soldiers.
The time between the sentence and
the execution was brief, the authority
on whom alone was vested the power
Of reprieve or pardon, distant. Thus
he had no hope, and only requested
the attendance Of minister Of the Cos
pei, and permission to see his wife and
children. The first part of his re-
quest was gran,ed-but whether he
was permitted OF not to see his family
| do not now remember.
Dfeading the hour of his execution,
Iresolveds if possible, to avoid being
present at the scene. But the com
mander Of the post, Col. L,--------,
sent me an express order to attend,
that agreeably to the usages Of the ar
my, might, in my official capacity of
surgeon,se the sentence fully executed.
The poor fellow was taken from the
guard-hoase, to be escorted to the fatal
spot. Before him was his coffia--a
box Of rough pine beards--borne on
the shoulders Of two men. The priso-
ner stood, with his arms pinloneds be-
tween two clergymen-a white cotton
gown or winding sheet, reached his
feet. Ii was ttimdled with black, and
had attached to it, over the place of
the real heart, the black image of a
heart-the mark at which the execu-
tionefs we're to aidi. On his head was
cap Of white, also trimmed With
black. His countenance was blauch.
ed to the hue Of his winding sheet, and
his frame trembled with agony. He
seemed resolved, however; TO, suffer
like a soldier. Behind him were a
number of prisoners, confined for va
rious offences-next to them was a
strong guard Of soldiers, with fixed
bayone,s and loaded musketss My
station was in the rear Of the whole.
Our procession thus formed, and with
much feeling, and in low voices upon
the part oflhe o1icers--we moved for
ward with slow and measured steps to
the tune Of a dead march (Roslin Cas-
.le,) played with mu6led drums and
mourning hfes. The scene was solemn
beyond the power Of description, q
man in the vigor fife ,oalking to bis
grave-to the tune of his own dead
march-clothed in his burial robes
surrounded by friends assembled to
perform the last sad Office Of affection,
and to weep over him in the las. sad
hour /; no, not by these, but by SOL
diers with bris,liag bayonets and loa-
ded muskets, urged by stern command
to do the violence Of death to fellow
soldier as he surveys the multitude,
he beholds 40 look OF embarrassing
tear of sensibility--he hears no plant
Of grief--all-all is stern as the iron
rigor of the law which DEGREES his
death. And who made the law 7 Ii
is the work Of hard necessity, and as
such is just. But, alas, who created
the necessi,yf The guilty passions
the pride--.he vain glory-the false
honor of men The voice of that
blood will soon cry from the ground
whom shall il accuse ; 1t will com>
plain not of the sentence of the law,
but Of guilty. war, cherished by human
will and pride. To whom shall that
widow and those orphans look as the
author of their desolationa Whom
shall the spirit of this poor soldier
meet at the judgment and charge with
his guilt
Amid reflections like these we arri-
we'd at the place Of execution, large
open field in whose centre heap Of
earth, freshly thrown up, marked the
spot of the deserter's grave. On this
field the whole force then at the can
Torment, amounting TO many hundred
men, was drawn up in the form Of
hollow square, with the side beyond
the grave, vacant. The execu.ioners,
eight in number, had been drawn by
lot. No soldier would volunteer for
such duty. Their muskets had been
charged by the officer Of the dsy-se-
ven of them with ball the eighth with
powder alone. Thus prepared, they
are placed together, and each cxecu-
tioaer takes choice. Thus each may
believe that he has the blank cartridge,
aud therefore has no hand in the death
of his brolhef soldier--striklng indl-
cations OF the nature of the service.
The coffin was placed parallel with
the grave and about two feet distant.
la the intervening space the prisoner
was directed to stand. He Aos;s.a