Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-10-08
and idisarmed. Halt an,hour5 afterwards
he found, himself in, irons in the case.

>
|,H Lifting the oarm, against a superior is
considered capital crime.r In this case
liz bad, been, committed, whilst both parties
were on duty. and the Austrian military
laws are the Heryslsst 10 the world 70 be
Iritfed with. The following day he was
tried by court martial. and sentenced 10
be shot, W hen Il the sentence was for
wardeds to the, competent authority for
ratification it happened TO be the supe
rior's anniversary day capital punishment
was, commuted, the criminal had to- run
the gauntlel.unsrs 7Ht ga ti.t sa. m,
! A cruel act Of grace was this 7commu
tatiOn When the first sentence had been
read over to him, he had rem.inded cold
and impassable;. not a muscle of his proud
face stirred. Z He did not lear death; be
had looked it in the face many a time
without fiuching, and to die in the open
air. pierced by dozen balls-a soldiers
,leath-what sh 'uld he care for tina. 3
But when be was informed that he had 10
run the gauntlet twice through his com.
pany. after having been previously de
graded, he trernbIed for the FIRST, time in
his lite. He knew OF many a soldier who
had run the guantlet thrice through
whole battalion, and not been the worse
Tor it alter all; he knew ot some that had
even married afterwards. and brought up
families of children; he was fully aware
THAT the issue of this terrible torture de-
pended enlirely upon the dispositions o.
he men Dreadful rea.cliun Above
all. he thought ot'the shame. the dl>hun
or-and his proud heart as we'll nigh
giving way. "
On thu evening previous to the punish
ment, the second .Iihe battalion OF khe,
renhuller infantry would have been unfit
lOr service; the men were DYING. They
had got up Il carousaI in joy and honor OF
The CO ing day. But IN the morning
they were sober enough. The drum.
ceased TO beat rs soon rs the prisoner had
arrived in the middle OF the ,quare; his
escort Iell back. H.. stood alone near the
right wing Of the company. There was
a dead silence: not respiration vas To be
heard from all the thousands gathered on
the spot. The commanding off ;er read
the sentence over To hiIn tor Ih1 second
time. This doue be exhorted the men.
according TO custom. to spen%e with all
feelings o! compassion. and tn do heir du
~ confurmably to the law. The Colonel
went through this part OF the formAli:y in
quick and hurried manner, as il he we've
un willing to perform it, s., he was: he
knew but too well that in this instance,
there was no need whntever for exhurta
ton. These prrliminnres bring over
the prisoner was delivered in.o the hand
ot the provost.
When The latter tore off from his uni
form the golden lace and gaIlouns-the
marks OF his military rauk-throwins
them. together with the gold medal. az
his feet. the tace of the unfortunate man
became purple. and his dark eye flashed.
lire. When lie was striped OF his COZ,
and shirt, and placed atlhe entry Of The
terrible street through which he had to
pass, he became pale" gain. Two soldiers
went ahead OF him; they marched back
ward. with their bayOnets presented to
his breast, SO as to force him TO keep
measure to drum which brnus ht up the
rear The drum WAS muffied; it's Slo "
) and dismal beats sounded like the music
/ Of funeral proce>sinn.
Wien he received the first stroke his
5 features assumed an expression Of pain,
and his firm SET lips quiVered slightly -
This was. however. the only ei4n of sen
sation. Crossing his arms over his breast
: and presSin. his teeth close together. his
= proud face rem 4ined hencefnrih Immr
vable. His mercilrss enemies EN- we'd
but an inc"mpiete triumph aIter all: they
3 might stab his body in piec =. but his
. proud and indomitable spirit they could
t not break Tue blows 1esceud ed with q
It earful violence up'n him. After the
: first dozen. blood came; but never did he
= utter one single exclamation Of pain; new
err. not even with louk-did he implort
i tor mercy. An expression Of scoIn and
o disdain was deeply set on his face. as pale
5 as death. When he had reached at las
f the left wing of the company, his lacers
y ted back presented a frightful appearance
Even his most ex tsperaled enemies Nigh
$ we'll have been satisfied now; il it had bu
r b, en- possible. the commanding fire
= himself would have intercedpd in hi> be
!. half: but this was not even TO be thought
d Of; the law must have its course. They
z faced him right about: he had TO make
the same way back again.
d There was o"e thing formally connected
e with this punishment which was a cruel
u harbarous and shameful mocGerv; The
- Delinquent had 10 thank his executioner'
$ for his tor'ures.
gi When the vic i'm had arrived at the 81,
n leader OF the right wing Of his company
n and the dreadful execution was nv-r a
= last. he threw one last. inng look full o
' contempt. at his torm.ntors. Then h
'r was seen staggering like a drunken mar
d towards the commanding officer. Hi
eyes swollen with blood. beamed with AZ
Il unnatural brightness his respiration wal
II short and painful: touching his head will
d his right hand, in token Of The military sa
]. lnta he said In a voice that cana ont :,