Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-10-16
OF eUERRrLLAs IN MIS-.
SOURI,.

OF GUERRILLAs IN MS.
SOURI,.
4 Missouri correspondent Of the
Philadelphia Press writes:
Alter booking around through q
very clean camp Of some blue-capped
recruits. and q very dirty camp Of au
old regiment who had been at Shiloh,
returned 10 the headquarters, when I
found the General and his staff iust
mounting to go to the execution ground.
Presently came the solemn roll OF the
mufied drum, and then appeared the
head Of column Of soldiers moving
over the bill at slow pace. Going to-
ward them, found that it was the ex-
ecution party with the condemned men.
First, prisoner--hard. desperate-faees,
yet showing intslligence-then file of
soldiers six abreast, and so on down
the column, until the rear was brought
up by the regiment Of infantry, the
recruits and some cavalry clad in home-
spun, that, but for their arms, ] should
have supposed were Secesh prisoners,
but found they were militia Of Missouri
called out by their Governor 10 pus
down guerrillas.
The execution ground was about half
mile from the town, and when !
reached there l found the troops drawn
up on three sides OF square, while the
fourth was occupied BY the condemned
aud the firing parties. A long line Of
mounted sentinels kept back the too
curious crowd. but word from po-
lite little Major, who had previously
seen me at the headquarters, admitted
me. and took my place near the Gen
eral and his staff. in one corner Of the
square. After some time occupied in
the preliminary preparations each pris-
oDer was blindfolded and knelt in front
Of his own execution party. A vene-
rable-looking. gray-headed chaplain
now stepped out from among the staF,
and in a short. fervent prayer COM
mended the souls Of these poor wretch
es to the mercy OF the God before whom
they would shortly appear. Everything
was still as death. The perfect hush
if may say so. was painfully, distinct,
and | could see. even under the grave.
stern face of the General, soltening
look, as il be was still struggling be-
tween duty and mercy. ~
For a moment the silence was awful;
then came the clear tone Of command
of the officer Of the day: "Ready,"
"aim, "fre;" rattling discharge; a
puff Of smoke; a groan; and all was
over. The ten had paid the penalty of
their broken oaths. For a moment all
was hushed, as before, and then you
could almost hear the long drawn breath
of relief The bright sun shone as
calmly and clearly as before. but sbone
on ten c0rpses stiff and stark, where a
moment before were ten men in the
full flush of physical health.
A surgeon stepped from the lines
and walked along examining each body
as he passed, then stepped up to the
General with a stiff military salute,
"They are all dead, sir" Every well,
SIR" Not the change Of a muscle,
not the slightest relaxing Of that out
ward sternness, the same grim face,
and yet. 1 thought, a moment ago,
you might have saved their lives
Truly, here is a man whose sense of
duty would carry him through any
thing, and felt disappointed that be
exhibited no more feeling. But mo-
ment after, as he turned TO mount his
horse, heard him say to one ol his
staff, "God in mercy spare me such
duty as that again, and yet mercy to
those men is the harshest cruelty to the
whole people of this State"