Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-10-15
IlliIitarr Hreoniias.


ca.Uday witnessed the execution Of the s0l-
emn sentence Of tue court-marfial uDen iha
bodies Of Patrick bfcGogan,s of Com5anv T.
I4fh virginia regiment, and John Keleher.
COMPANY r. same regiment Truly the way ot
I the tFansgTessor is hard. These men had beels
! IN several battles, 10 whieh shsy exhibited &,
suuclenE degree OF coolness ard courage g.
| enttle them 20 the name Of good soldiers and
command the respect which such qualities, even
when associated with moral de0rgvitv. never
\ fail 80 excite UDf1Ttunafeiy, iniifarsacs 90
\ danger was no. combined wi5a moral rsel-tnds
and their inssnsiblHty 90 fear, degsne-atel into
/ reckiessness OF honor and indiaereres 70 ths
/ opinion and esteem of the community. Oa tts
16-h Of September, o general court nsariial con-
vened in the city Of RIchmoud, condemned t.
death for dss5rton, private5 ID. w Rogers,
Company g, ist regiments Pat McG0Wan,
Company /, l4th, and John KeIishsr Company
I =, sans regiment. On the 10Th Of July. tae
same court had seutsnced Oven lIaguire Of
Company III, lsi Virginia regiment, to IeCelv8
one hundred lashes on his bare back FOR G5s5r-
iion. This vas c0mHluted 10 half tho number
by order OF General WiEdsr.
On the morning appointed for zhe execution
Of the several sentences, tie four prisoners Rer5
started from Castle Thunder st a quarter 60 ten
O'clock, iu the largs omnibus Of she Exchange
Hotel, surrounded by an escort, composed of
Eaptan WTenn's Henfic) cavalry. AS sen
Camp Lee Central Far Grsuuds) whare oTsT
two thousand soldiers had been drawn up ia
hollow square to witness tH5 spectacle Pro-
ceeding directly 10 the spot, the Dragons were
halted on the oU-or edge Of the square Gcares5
Richmond, while the vehicle containing tl2
criminals, CficsTs and their sDi-i-ga. alvIser,
drove quite to the spot where the tragedy was
TO be enacted Here soUe tine Wss spent lao
minutes seeming 20 lengthen iut0 hours, tls only
occupants Of ths omnibus being tls condemned
and the priest, when a wagon drove up nelr 20,
and two pine cChi.s were dercsited SloltlT
the solid tramp OF armed men 1-Jks the almost
dsathloss sii5ucs that prevailed and LEeu was
heard thsFoics Of the man Of God IL the lass
Offices for the dying. This concluded. en- cll-ec
stepped in silence 10 the vehicle. aad Is 0~1C-
pants descended, and followed hin 70 tEs E0ns
of the men appointed TO carry the sentence into
execution portion Of CaPtain Cyrus B95-
sisux's coma any
Taa clear voice Of Assistant Provost Marshal
Alexander then broke with painful dis.inc.rsss
0u the Cars CT hundreds. ss hs read general or
deIs' commanding 1cCi3Fsu sni Ee.leiar 81
be shot 10 destD with DUsE5jrys and Ls-uir3 t0
be whipped for Gesertion. There's pie 6l R gers
for fourteen days was also aEncUIeed. a pain
ful pause eususd, while all "a aitHi 10 1-st lis55
expectation the enactment u tAe d-sz ilI scene.
ihs condemned c0mmeGcet taKIug Ch tlsir
coats and hats. They were each calm g-.d COLI
lec.ed. The firing squads we've divided, lHeiT7
TO each man, aud placed = Et-ia apart. Lls
msn took their places ia 'front.', and - minister
Of God approached them for she last -ims- lie
seemed 10 whisper Of hops snd c0as1lasi0H. t1c
they showed no signs Ol fear A. their request
for they said they could die Ike soldiers, their
arms are not piuioned. They wish tbs nusksss
pIesoutsd to tHsir breasts il a1s7er 30 tho
question whether they Eai anything 20 say,
ksllaher remains siieus. AcGoHa1 sgs '1cili-
ing, and adds with emphasis, looking al bis eL-
GCuuOner5. goodbye, boys a UhI-a bsndrg3
IS tied over their faces, they knsel down, aui in
2 moment the sharp crack Of uuskstry tells chat
al is over. Tae men fall 20 the grOund.oa their
faces and turn over. ksleheT was Instantly
killed his companion fingered for q moment
when bis pulse ceased 70 beat. Both had sa.is-
fed the msj=siy OF an offended law Thsir
bodies were placed 10 the Co1ln5 provided f1r t1s
purpose and taken away by tle undsr.l kerr
Nothing bus quantities Of ci8-.s1 blood Wlicl
had exuded IRON their backs and fell on the
ground, denoted the scene of the tragedy. Prep
srstions were lhen made for carrying into exec
cution the sentence OF whipping Owen 4agUiro-
4 stout drayO0Ds strom Csp-- Nt5lH5 Company
volunteered 70 perform the duty. Mcguire was
tied up to a tree by The hands and tss,, and re-
ceIv5d the punishment with u1cl rIigz.iuEard
twisting. 1t seemed % be awful il was 10n-
estly laid on with 6 d5ub.o l1a-esr strap broad
and long. When let down be looked qui-a eE-
nausted. Mcguire is q middle-zged. thicz sst,
low man. with q serious east OF Couuteusccs.
he first belonged TO Captain Ii. ID. D-azius0n's
company, was taken prisoner and par5.e1 as
Roanoke Island. In May last, while pa-aet
prisoner. he sold himself AZ q substitute rs Pat-
rick Mcdonald, in company IT, lss Virginia
regiment. fought al Williamsburg, and directly
thereafter ran away. Ole of the lieu-eHant5 Of
tlat company caught him, and his trial and
punishment ensuad IS above recorded. we
trust this execution viii nos fsil t0have t5 mlral
upon cur rs0ldisrs--EiclH0Ed Djsgat-s jih.