Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1854-11-09
EATON, PREBLE COUNTY, 0. NOV, 9, 1854

! Win an atlempt 10 laugh, " The rebePS nerves
begin to tingle little. A few more such dole.
full slaves as that, and he will become SC
weak, We will have TO carry him bodily to the
gallows. Music music at once, before his
legs fail him altogether"
+ Two drummerS and ffer took their place
before the prisoner, and struck up the Rogue's
March. A few score of mffiainy men with
/ muskets and bayonets fell in behind him and
partly pushing their prisoner along, the pro.
cession, with Harrison at their head, mounted
on his iron grey charger, took their way TO the
spot selected for the execution.
Then tnSued such scene as we freely
confess we are unable TO depict. Some fifteen
or twenty individuals mostly negroes, ran q long
on each side Of the procession with lighted
torches, and more than two thirds of those
who were assembled at the encampment,
having been previously informed of what was
about TO take place, at the first tap of the sig
nal drum burned away from every quarter OF
the field, 10 take part in the procession. The
old field was alive with some three hundred
individuals, eagerly hurryng along, ioStling,
cursing and pushing each other in their eager
ness TO get position near the prisoner With
wells and fearful oaths intermingled with cruel
jestS and heartless laughter, the multitude
rushed along TO the scene of sacrifice.
The spot chosen for the execution, w.s
about two hundred yards 10 the northeast OF
the colonePs marque in the open field. Har-
rison had ordered that he should be hungupon
a magnificent oak, that stood nearly two hun
dred yards distant from the margin of the
swamp. A rope had already been thrown over
one of its branches, and the moose hung to
NUitbip cau faot AF 4ha
| fastened around the neck of the prisoner,
while the other end rested upon the ground at
the base Of the tree, near which stood a saw
age looking man TO whom had been allotted
the task OF drawing him up
Oh, how lovely and beautiful seemed the
glorious night 10 the victim led 10 the slaugh-
ter. Brightly above him shoae the unclouded
moon, shedding halo of light upon the beau
tiful world beneath where nature held her
Sabbath. Never had earth seemed more dear
nor the smile of creation more lovely.
The prisoner seemed not 20 hear or to heed
the derid;ug voices that Knocked him in the
fearful hour, when the rage of man should
have been sill, and left him 10 commune with
his Maker. Yet his thoughts seemed not 10
grasp at eternity. His bright and watchful
eye told that he still clung to his hope and
fondness for life.
He gazed cooly and contemptuouSly upon
| Harrison, as that Unleeilng wretch turned to
harrangue The noisy and brawing crowd. He
offered no resistance when the callous execu-
toner fastened the fatal moose around his
neck, for his pinloned arms deprived him of
the power 10 struggle; he turned in his tracks,
and followed with his eye The movements of
that ill-favored individual, as he ietiredi and
stood with his hands outstretehed, and grasp
ing the opposite extremity of the rope, ready
at the given signal 10 launch the prisoner into
eternity CoOlly Michael gazed upon him,
with perhaps nearly as much Indifference as
though measuring the proportions of q brawny
OK. He was tall, bony, square faced and
red whiskered giant, standing some sir feet in
! his socks, and the proportions of Hercules.
No doubt he had often taken part in similar
scenes, for he stood with a calm, stold and
unruffied countenance, his brawny arms resting
on the rope, some SIX inches above his head.
Having finished his harrangue, Harrison
turned, and drawing his sabre, called out TO
| the Eangman-
"Tighten away now, MY boy, and give the
devil his due ~
Then came moment Of intense silence
Even that drunken and brawling mob, so loud
| in their cries but q moment before, stood
hushed and mute. The hangman advanced
his foot--his huge hands were clinched around
the rope, which had already began to tighten
under his grasp, and already he began 10 feel
the weight Of his victim, when his arm fell 10
his side-and his knees gave way under him,
and he dropped lifeless corpse upon the
ground, as the report of well aimed rife
rang upon the ear from the margin of the
swamp in their front
Then woS heard rnStling as Of the wind
among the treetops-then the trampling of
feet then the canking of sabres rattling
against their steel sca5bards-and with the
command to "charge p' uttered in tones that
| fell upon the ear like thunder, fearfully there
| loomed out from The shadows Of the swamp a
long dusky line of horSemen, with clattering
| hoofs and cleaning SabreS, rushing in swift
noisy and deadly array upon the terror stric k
en- and pale checked tories, who screamed for
mercy and fed wildly and blindly for some
place of refuge. But the avenger o. blood
was upon their track, and The destroying an
gel hovered above their camp and pointed 10
the swords Of Marion's men
| The war cry of Carolina and Tndepend-
ence p' coupled with cries of "no quarters 10
the tories n' rung terribly on their guilty ears.
In vain they fled for succor 10 the camp
fires, where many of their comrades stood with
their weapons by their side. The rifles of
Marion's men, leveeG nom. the shades around
were aimed with fatal accuracy upon the rev.
elerS around the fIeS, and had already begun
the work ofdeath in this quarter of the field.
Unconscious of the bursting storm they fell,
some in the mdS: of their drunken orgies, with
the oaths and imprecationS on their lips, 9TH
ers where they sat playing cards exultlng over
their succeGS, or in the midst of unfinished
games with the uplifted cards in their hands.
" lille the rifles timed them out by scores,
the dragons with cleaning sabres pursuing
them over the moonlit field, and hewedthem
down in their tracks as they fed and scream
ing for mercy. An hour of terrible retribution
HAD fallen among them, and remorsely was the
penalty Of their crimes exac.ed in This hour of
unSuspecting security. The carnage was over
in brief space, and the victors were mas
ters Of field which was coveredwith the dead
and dying.
Michael had promptly been released by his
comrades whose arrival had been soopporlune
FIR him, and so soon as be was freed, and
he was fortunate 10 secure horse which
came galloping riGereSs past, and calling 10
one OF two of his brother dragoons to follow,
he vauted into the saddle and putting spurs
to his horse rode iercely away.
When the troop first broke from their cover,
scarcely waiting to ascertain the extent OF
their danger, Harrison trembling for lis safe
~ had turned HE horSa,S . head -acr0ee tba IA