Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-01-06
THREE O'CLOCK, p. M.
A MILITARY EXECUTION.
Private Lanahan, Of the Second In.
fantry, Hung for Shooting his
Superior 0ffieer.
HIS DEMEANOR ON THE WAY TO tx
ECUTION.
THE GALLOwS
LANAHAN'S LAST MOMENTS.
HIS FAREWELL WORDS TO HIS CON
RADES
s-
LANAHAN's LAST MOMENTS.
HIS FAREWELL WORDS TO HIS con
RADES
HE DIES WITHOUT A sTRUGeLE.

terms by the sergeant. Lanahan replied with
| placing his hand upon Lanahsn, pushed him into
| his place Lanahan said, 90 Do that again and
| III shoot you Brennan turned quickly and In
quired, " What was that you said, sir ~ and on
| the instant Lanahsn raised his musket and shot
Brennan in the side, killing him instantly.
| Brennan was hne-looking man and an excel i
lent oficer, and his death caused much excite.
| ment
Lanahan having been court martialed was ad-
judged guilty Of the charges preferred against
him; and was subsequently sentenced 70 be hung
| on Monday, the 9th day Of January, 1862, at such
| hour as the Provost Marshal should appoint. His
| sentence was read to him day before yesterday in
bis cell at me central guardhouse by Corporal
| Burnham, Of the Sturgis Rife Corps, and he has
| since been preparing himself for his fate.
| This morning, at half past nine O'Clock, a hack
drove up to the door Of the Central guard house,
| where Lanahan was confined. Father Walter,
| Of st Patrck's Catholic Church, the spiritual
adviser Of the prisoner, went into the cell. Soon
after sergeant, with file Of regulars led Infan-
| ceeded to load their muskets. The bystanders
| were kept at a convenient distance from the
door, and the passageway In the guardhouse wa,
| cleared Of inruders. After about half an hour,
| the prisoner was brought out Of the cell by the
guards He was dressed in the uniform Of the
| regiment he belonged to, and had the reg ular
overcoat. His arms were tied behind him with
| rope. As be passed out to the hack his step was
| firm, and except his paleness, he exhibited no
signs Of perturbation. He stepped into the Goa III
with two guards and his spiritual adviser, Father
Walter,) while a soldier having with him a rope
| for the execution, mounted the box with the
| driver. The sergeant's guard formed upon each
| side Of the coach, and the prisoner was conveyed
| by way Of Ninth street 70 Pennsylvania avenue,
/ and thence TO Franklin Square, where detach-
ments Of several regiments OF regulars being
assembled to attend him to the place OF execu-
| ton The curtains OF the carriage were kept
down.
About II O'Clock TIE cortege, composed Of de-
tachments from five regiments o. regular infantry,
started to the place of execution the carriage with
1 itE guard being abOr,t the center Of tine cOlumn
They marched ont Fourteenth street TO its inter
| section with Vermont avenue, and turned into
| that thoroTghfdre. The sc3fOld wss erected on
| the commons between o and p SITS, near Vermont
| avenue. IL was elevated about or 10 feet from
| the ground. and the rope pendant from the cross
beam was directly over the ira which was In the
| center Of the platform.
| The mournful procession having reached the
| place OF execUtion-marching without music
| was formed into hollow square about the seat
| fold; nine companies Of the Second infantry-to
| which the parties belOnged-beng the north
| side; detachrnents OF the Third and Tenth reQi-
| ments on the east the Fourth infantry the
| south. and the sixth regiment on The west. The
troops having come TO an &c order arms J" the pris-
oner, at quarter past IL O'Clock, came from the
| carriage, accompanied by Father Walter, and
| proceeded by a single armed guard, and followed
1 by another, assembled the steps with htm tread.
| His hands were pinioned to his sides.
| Assistant Adjutant General-Lieut. Devaux-
then read in loud voice the order, contaI lining
recapitulaton Of the facts, the finding Of the court
martial, and the sentence
| Inc scene during the reading was most I'm
pressive one. The prisoner stood upon the scaf
fold with mis- spiritual adviser by his side; the
| other persons on the platform being the two
| guards already mentioned, Lieut.. Mclaughlin, Of
| company g, I'd infantry, and Corporal Brown Of
company i, same regiment. The weather was
lowering, threatening clouds driving athwart the
sky, and few fakes Of snow occasionally falling.
The field was covered with snow, as was Meri-
dian Hill in the distance.
The hollow square Of infantry was two or three
| hundred yards across, and outside Of this were a
II nj nnf ,pA ;n, al
but few persons knew the time and place of exc
| cutiOn. These spectators all on the south or
| CITY sde, ana the ground being considerably ele
waited at that point the scaffold and Its surround
ings were visible to all. Many Of the look on
| were on sheds and out houses near the scene The
| troops quartered on and near Meridian Hill were
gathered In groups upon the hill sides, watching
the scene from that distant sta nd point
One or two artists were on the ground, on the
south side, sketching with busy fingers for the
During the reading the prisoner stood COM
posedy on the platform, turning from side to side
| OF the square, as II to take a last look at his
| brother soldiers. After the reading Of the order
| the troops were broug hit to a parade rest
Father Walter then put on his sacerdotal robes,
and knelt with the prisoner for about Eve minutes
They then arose, and the prisoner firmly stepped
to the side Of the scafold nearest his former Com
| rades Of the Second. and looking towards them
and slig hty turning his head towards the Others
| exclaimed In q loud and unwavering' voice
| Good bye, soldiers, good bye" His composure
| through the whole of the irving scene was such
| as became a soldier. Father Walter then removed
the prisoners military cap from his head, and
| placed thereon the ominous black cap.
| The prisoner then stepped upon the trap, and
/ Corporal Brown adjusted the rope around his
neck. During the few moments before the fall
Ing Of the drop, Lanahan stood without tremor.
At half-past II O'Clock, Corporal Brown placed
his foot upon the spring, the drop sunk and the
prisoner fell about i've feet his head and the up
per portion Of his body being concealed by the
platform. He swung around and around for a
few minutes by the untwisting Of the rope, and
there was slight convHlsive movement Of the
legs, and drawing up Of the body, which soon
| ceased There was not the slightest movement
Of the hands
After hanging about IS minutes the body was
examined by the regimental surgeon, and life
was found 10 he extinct. Orders were given to
the troops Of shoulder arms - cleft face and
| they marched of the field. The body was then
| lowered to the ground, and the rope removed
with coffin, In which the body was placed. The
CONN was then put In the wagon file Of soldiers
Comrades Of deceased jumped in alongside of
it, and the driver directed his course TO the Cath
Ollie Cemetery, In which the body was to be in
| tered. -
As we LEFT the spot, few eager curiosity hun
ters were dividing the rope and clipping pieces
SO quietly were the proceedings In this case
conducted, that the members Of the company TO
which Lanahan belonged did not know when
they were ordered on parade this morning, that
| IL was to witness his exesution
The General Order for the execution Of private
Michael Lanahan recites the history of the court
martials action In his case, and then goes on to
| say:
2. The Msjor General Commanding CONFIRMS
the proceedings OF the courmartial In the case of
private Michael Lanahan. IL appears from the
testimony that Sergeant Brennan, the deceased /
| was sergeant Of the guard at Georgetown, d. C.
on the 2eth Of October last. The prisoner was a
private Of the guard and the first relief When
the hour came for posting that relief Lanahsn /
was not at the guard house. As Sergeant Bren-
nan was about posting smother man In the place /
of Lauahan, the latter came to the guard house
The sergeant turned sharply towards him, told Il
him he was never in place when wanted, slap
ped him and told him to get his gun and 90 on /
post. Lanahan got his gun and took his place Il
on post. Sergeant Brennan had previously given /
Lanahan half hour Of extra guard duty. A very
few minutes afterwards, as Brennan was passing
by his post, the accused fred and killed him
The proof is clear that he did this In satisfaction
Of the grudge he bore towards the deceased not
only for the blow given bin at The guardhouse
few minutes before, but for old scores which he