The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1857-11-19
3Mistellnueous.
TIRE ESCAPE.
AN INCIDENT OF THE REVOLUTION


, seventy years ago was a burying place. Tn
part nearest Broadway was devoted to the G.
groes for the last resting place for their dead
and the moiety extending to Centre street was
bend Of Potter's Field, and during the Revo
luton the spot where most Of the private soldi
ers Of the British Army who died in the city wer
uttered. Gallows Hill, IA spot where the Man
haHen reservoirs is now placed was decorated
with gallows, where all deserters and prisoner
suffered death, who came under the control 0
the infamous provost marshal Cunningham,
1t was customary to execute most OF the de-
serters who were native born, at night, Their
was policy in this. Public execution OF th,
Americans by the Royalists would have beel
noised abroad and the injury created thereby
through the manner in which the Con tinentaL
themselves would have made use Of it, must
have resulted in injury to the kings cause.
! These executions generally took place after mid.
night. The prisoners condemned to death Were
always confined in the old Jail, within muske
shot of the place OF execution, and sergeaRb 5
guard Of eight men, accompanied by the proves,
marshal and his deputy, generally accompanied
the prisoner to the gaiIows.
Ii was near two clock OF a night in October,
in the year 1850, that young man was reclln.
ing among the recently made graves that raised
their mounds in the vicinity of Galows Hill
| The hour and the place Were singular for lone
individual like the man in question to be re-
posing. ! say alone, yet he was not exactly so ,
| if human bodies diyested of their mortality can
be considered companions; for nearly above his
head Swayed TO and fro in the night breeze. hung
the remains ot two soldiers Of the 5th regiment,
who had been exccuted that morning for deser.
tion.
The sky was obsCured with dark murky clouds,
and the mourning OF the wind; as Il swept a.
round the gallows and through the trees that
here and there reared ther branches amid the
darkness of the night, gOye a desolate aud dis
agreeable sound well BETTING the place itself
The man scarcely moved with the exception
of now and then re ising his head and peering
cautiously above the mound of earth behind
which he lay, towards the jGI, dimly visible
with its high massy walls in the field beyond.
AT length a light gimme red, the tread Of men
was family heard and the young man. raising
hmsel from the spot where he lay, giijed along
the rude fence that skirted the burial ground,
until he stood within few feet of the Dace of
execution. Here he paused, and looked in the
direction Of the approaching light, family thro'
the haze appeared three or four files Of soldiers
preceded by block man who carried lantern
the only light which seemed to be in the party.
Then walked prisoner with his arms tiob,jy
bound behind him, and directly after, Cunning
ham, the provost narshal and five or six soldi
ers with muskets on their shoulders.
zone, two, three, repeated the young man
10 himself, as il counting the number Of men
approaching; "tweIye in ALL 'Tis desperate
undertaking but my comrade shall not die if |
can save him. Now To- skill and courage. Be
cool, Dick Martin, You have been on still
more desperate occasions, If your commanding
officers speak the truth
lie clidcd back again on lis old resting pace,
when he stumbled in grave that he Ind not
noticed before, jus; III the rear Of the galows.-
His first impulse was TO leap out for the depth
OF the grave did not exceed three feet but
second thought altered his determination, and he
murmuled-
"ThE is the best place for me; they certainly
will not think Of looking fora living man in tie
grGye!' and lie streached out at fiji length. in
The "uarrow house" that he knew one day~o
other he should fill They entered the burial
ground aud proceeded directly to the eallows
under which they halted. Forming circle,
the back fellow With the lantern, Gunningham
were made to 90 through with the rwful cere-
mony--that Of depriving fellow creature Of
lie,
The black fellow looked up to Tie galows,
from which the bodies were hanging, ana then
proceeded very deliberately to cut them down,
Observing
desc chaps hab hung long enough, and |
guess dey amt much better dan dead niggas
new"
The prisoner looked on with a glance Of no
COMMON interest, for he felt that his soul was
futtering on the confines of eternity ltis use.
less to :alk of bravery when man in the full
yigor of health boholds preparations making to
deprive HIM of his existence. True he may meet
death with manlnessand G0ritude, and display
tono human eye any OF the physical shrinElngs
by which VIC are apt TO measure the outward
courage Of a man; but within, there is a feeling
that tie Creator alone perceves, and HeJudge5
whether or not the man is prepared to die
The enegro had passed a rope through the beant
where but few moments hung The innate clods
that now cnCumbcred, as itwere, the ground
beueath the galIows. This done he said
"Dar, Massa Cunningham, is a rope dat will
hold de prisoner long aniA, reckon Guinea
Sambo no stop aboard man.owar for muffin,
| guess. ! Iam to reeve dot knot wild hitch
dat de debi could not break
As he finished this classical speech, he very
deliberately kicked the body Of one Of the dead
soldiers aside, and rolled the other coolly into
the grave where lay the man-ani the dead rest
ed upon the living A Shudder ran through the
frame of the youth as he felt pressing above the
frame of one who buU day before had been as
nll Of life as he now was but not "a sound es
caped him; for he knew that silence was his only
preservation.
DWELL. rascal, that is What you are coming to
for deserving his majesty's service. halter,
suppose is more agreeable than good treatment
aud soldiers pay"
Thus spoke Cunningham to the prisoner,
al entered into the refugee corps for my own
reasons They have proved satisfactory" The
prisoner said, looking at Cunningham with a
bold countenace
eyes, internally satisfactory, yo1 rebel spawn
of damuation. A SPY sposel De Lanccy's
refugees would be pretty set il they were all
like you rouge. No, no; had my eyes on yon
when YOU listed, a month ago, and told Colon
Deh;ancey what believed ye was-hOt roy
al refugee buta rebel .seoundrel | was right
rouge, eh?'
Eyes, you was rlght as 10 my ehllslihs' M r
to being rebel scoundrel, why there is on OIL
se!-you are royal knaye and bloodthlrsty
william. All the information | wanted to send
Ao The great Washington, he has got beforeth this
SO hang awayl But would like five min
" les communion with my God first, ifyou lave
ipals,aniiness TO grant it."
orthy to be beeAgsSsnningham was by the bold
has been Justified, as We dkipew full well he
e to be- jan. 18th, tsoldier&I
.lsPunted on large impe ness honorable. Full
"a inches, folded in quarto Presents to oil who
D subcribers at the follow J.G. GROVE
Sept. q, 1851 ,Sp