Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1846-07-02
Escape from GallOws Hill.
ANINCIprNT OF THE REVOLUTION.

nc SUI 'l - ltNllu nun iDi'NhNtl
10 Center street, along Chamb,rs,com-
nenCiug at tie now store of Stewards,
IN Broadway, seventy years ago was
n burial place. The part nearest Broad
way was devoted TO the negroes for
the last resting place olthcir dead, and
the moicty extending 10 Center street
was kind of Pottct's Field, and du-
ring the revolution the spot where
most of the private soldiers Of the Bnt-
lsh army who died IN the city were
Inferred GaIows Hill lthc spot where
the Manhattan reservoir IS now placed
was decorated with a GalloWs, where
ali prisoners and dcscrtcrs suffered
death, who came under the control Of
the Infamous provost marshal Gun
bingham.
II was customary to execute most 81
the deScrters who were natlvc-born, nj
night. There was a policy IN this
Public execution of tie Americans by
the royaIists would have been nolscd
abroad andthc injury created thereby
through the manner IN which the con-
tincnlias themselves would have mnde
use of II, must have resulted to the IN
. Jury Of the kings cause. These exc
cuuons generally took place after md
might. The prisoners condemned to
death were always confined IN the old
/ Jail, within muSket shot Of the place OF
execution, and scrgeanrs guard OF 5
men, accompanied by the provost mar
shall and his deputy, generally conduc-
ted the prisoners to the galIows.
twas near twelve o'clock Of night IN
October, inthc year l7SO, that young
man was reclining among the recent
graves that raised their mounds in the
vicinity of the gibbet on GaIlows Hi.
The hour and place were singular Tor
n lone indlviduallllkc the man IN qucs-
ton to be rcposing. | say alone, yet
he was not exactly soft human bodies
Invested of their immortality can be
considered companions for nearly II
hove his head swaying to and fro IN tho
night breeze, hung the remains OF two
soldiers of the fifth regiment, who hac
been executed that morning Tor deser-
ton.
The sl,v was obscurcd by black
murlly CLUBS, and the moaning wind
as It swept around the gaIloWS an6
through the trees that here and there
g. reared their branches amid the dark
ness Of the might, gave dcSoIate anC
dlsagrccable scund well betting the
, place itself. The man scarcely moved
with the exception now and then o
roi,iurhis head and pcerlng cautiously
abo,c the mound Of earth behind wheel
Inc Law, towards the jail dlmly visible
with its high massy walls in the fields
beyond.
At length lioht glimmercd, the trca'
of men was family heard, and IN
vonnq man. raised himself from th'
SPOT where he lay, ehded along th'
, rude fence which skirtcd the bura
ground until he stood within lie"
/ feet Of the execution place, Here ht
paused, and looked in the direction o
0 the approochingligh Family through
the haze appeared three or four h'es o
D., soldiers proceeded by black man, VIII
c carried a lantern the only light which
seemed T. be with the party The
walked prisoner, with his arms tGh'
Ily bound behind Inn, and directly al
tier him Cunningham, the provost MAJ
10 shal, and five or SIX soldiers WIN incl
muskets on their shoulders.
/ 'Onc, two three repeated the youh
4 a. MN
II Der Of men approachlng;'twelve III All
IT'S a desperate undertaking. bnt IN
= conrad shall not die if can save hun
Wv for skill md courage. lie COO
- Dick Martin, You have been on ST.
! more pcrilous occasions, If your con
mandlng officer speaks the truth.
IS lie glided back agiln to hls old re-
,lnr place when he stumbled INTO
h. new grave that he had not noticed h
fore. lust IN r,ar Of the eallowS. II
y first impulse was 10 lcop'ouIr Tor u
n, depth Of the grave did not exceed ihI'
feet. but second thought altered Il
c Determination, and he mumured
d. This is the best place for me; tht
~ certainly will not think Of looking l,
n living man N n grave y and he stree
u cd himself at full length IN The ma
row house that he knew one day or
&C mother hc should have To i'll. Inc
entered the narrow burial ground al
"a n,oceeded directly q the gallows, u
Il. der which they halted. Forming
circle, the black fellow with ianIeI
n Cunningham, and the prisoner IN I
IL center, preparations Were made 10
0" through with the awful ceremony
tina, Of deprivinr a fellow being Of u
D" The black fellow looked ny al
o. rallows, from which the two BOD
....-rc hann-u md L..A llOc.ll.l :.