Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-09-13
An Incident in the south.

4 TENNESSEE SOLDIER SHOT by THE REBELS
The New Orleans Delto has the following
narrative of the shooting of a. Tennessee
soldier in the rebel army in Missssippi:
"a lady of the first standing in New
Orleans having obtained passport to visit
the camp of the rebel army where her two
sons were serving, was entertained at head
quarters, and found that General Van Dorm
and his staff officers Jared sumptously, living
on the very fat of the land But the COM
mon soldiers had only bread and molassas
for their fare.
1T so happened that while this lady was
with the Confedcratcs the time for which
certain Tennessee regiment had enlisted
expired, and the soldiers, anxious to see
their wives and little ones once more, began
to make preparations to return home.
"Thc General in making his daily rounds,
and seeing the men Of this regiment busily
engaged III making preparations for their
intended departure, inquired what it meant;
and on being made acquainted with their
determination, he Immediately gave orders
that not a single man Of them should leave
his cncampmcnt. The whole brigade or
division of the army was at once ordered
under arms; cannon and muskctry were
brought to bear on this devoted regiment,
and they were told by the General, that
unless they took up their arms, which they
had thrown down, within three minutes.
they should be fired on With death thus
staring them in the face, they obcycd the
order to take up their arms, all but eight.
1t was dccrced that these eight should be
court-martialcd and shot.
Before the time came that the military
court was to be held, seven out Of the eight
III Il. i 1t.
and agreed to resume their arms. Onc
soldier alone remained firm in his purpose :;
ono soldier alone was willing to brave death
rather than yield to the dcspotic demands
of tyrant.
lie pleaded his own cause with all the
lcryor OF which a soldier is capable Said
ne to his General: 1 have served out the
time for which | enlisted faithfully; have
been in every battle have been at all times
at the post OF duty-assigncd me- in rain and
sunshine. in summer and winter. | have
served and ! am willing to serve my country
But General. have wife and four small
children at home, who depend on me alone
for support and protection, and who have
no one besides me to look TO their interests.
Allow me thirty days, the laws allows a
turlOugh of sixty days but allow me half
that time to visit my family, whom | have
not seen for year, and make some necessary
arrangements for their welfare, and promise
to return within that time and to take my
former position in my regiment. l make
but lust and reasonable request. 1t Is
essential to the welfare Of my family that
you grant i. ! cannot enter the service
again till have visited my family. NcWHs
sentenced TO be shot. The decree was
pronounced on saturday, and was to have
been executed ON the next day--thc Sac
bath--a suitable day for such Il deed. The
soldier and hero, for he was a hero and by
far the hraycst mau in his regiment, asked
for a little longer time to make the prcpara-
ton necessary, in order to enter into the
presence OF his God and the time was
graciuusly entcndcd one day, so that the
sentence was executed on Monday, instead
of the sabbath
when the fatal hour arrived, following
his coffin which was in full view, he was
marched TO the place of execution, and arri
we'd there, the General pointed him to the
ncV-madr grave and commanded him tc
kuecl down upon the margin Of that grave
The soldier and martyr simply replied that
he had never kncclcd to any but his Maker
and that he could not consent to knccl now
to a man. As he said this the order Wa,
given to fire and in the act of making th,
sign of the cross on his breast the martyr
and soldier was in eternity. But there were
many, unacCustomed to weep, who shco
bitter tears on witnessing this tragedy