Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-07-31
1nfioents of the fOar.
Fearful Tragedies i'm East Tennessee.
REBEL CRUELTY.

lowing tnrliing statement on the authority
Of Colonel Robert A. Crawford, of Green
County, East Tennessee, who is refugee,
and one of the Vice-P Presidents of the late
Convention at Nashville -
In the month of January. 1868, at Laurel,
n, c., near the Tennessee border, all the
salt was seized for distribution by Confed-
crate Commissioners Salt was selling at
seyenty-fve to one hundred dollars a sack.
The Commissioners declared that the
{" Tories should have none,' and positively
refused TO give Union men their portion of
the quantity to be distributed in that vicini-
ty. This palpable injustice reused t h e
Union men; they assembled together and
determined TO seize their proportion of the
salt by force. They did SO, taking at Mar
shall, N. G., what they deemed to be their
just share.
Immediately afterwards the 65th North
Carolina regiment, under command of It.
Col. James Keith, was ordered to Laurel
TO arrest the offenders.
l.. Nj. Allen was Colonel of the regiment,
but had been suspended for crime and
drunkenness. Many of the men engaged
in the salt seizure left their homes. Those
who did not participate in it became the suf-
ferers. Among those arrested were Joseph
Wood, about sixty years of age; David
Shelten, sixty; Jas. Shelton, fifty; Roddy
Shelton, forty-fve; Ellison King, forty ;
Halen Moore, forty: Wade Moore, thirty
five; Isaiah Shelton, fifteen VIM. Shelton,
tmalya Tap,ac Mu+,alf tan. Iaena, Chon-
mel, fourteen; Samuel Shelton, nineteen,
and his brother, aged seventeen, sons of
Lifus Shelten-in all, thirteen men and
boys. Nearly all of them declared they
were innocent, and had taken no part in
appropriating the salt. They begged for a
trial, asserting that they could prove their
innocence.
Col. Allen, who was with his troops, but
not in command, told them they should
have a trial, but they would be taken to
Tennessee, for that purpose. They bid
farewell to their wives, daughters and sis
tiers, directing them to procure witnesses
and bring them TO the court in Tennessee,
where they supposed their trial would take
place Alas! how little they dreamed what
a fate awaited them
PERFIDIOUS EXECUTION.
The poor fellows had proceeded but a
few miles when they were turned from the
road into gorge in the mountain, and halt
ed. Wothout any warning of what was 20
be done with them, five of them were or
dered to kneel down. Ten PAGES in front
OF these five, file of soldiers were placed
with loaded muskets. The terrible reality
flashed upon the minds of the doomed pat
riots. Old man Wood, (sixty years of age)
cried out: 8 For Gods sake, men, are YOU
going to shoot us? If you are going to
murder us, give us at least time to pray"
Col. Allen was reminded of his promise
to give them trial. They were informed
that Allen had no authority; that Keith
was in command and that there was no
time for praying. The order was given TO
fire; the old men and boys put their hands
10 their faces, and rent the air with their
agonizing cries of dispair; the soldiers
wavered and hesitated to obey the COM
mand. Keith said if they did not fire in
stantly, he would make them change places
with the prisoners. The soldiers raised
their guns, the victims shuddeI ed convulsive-
ly, the word was given to fire. and the five
men fell pierced with rebel bullets. Old
man Wood and Shelton were shot in the
head, their brains scattered upon the ground
and they died without struggle. The
other three lived only few minutes.
MURDER OF BOY OF TWELVE YEARS.
Five others were ordered to kneel,
among them little Billy Shelton, mere
child, only twelve years old. He implored
the men not TO shoot him in the face. " You
have killed my father and brothers." said
he, you have shot my father in the face :
do not shoot me in the face" He covered
his face with his hand. The soldiers re-
ceived the order to fire, and five more fell.
Poor little Billy was wounded in both arms.
He ran to rebel officer, clasped him
around the legs, and besought him to spare
his life. '' You have killed my old father
and my three broihers you have shot me
in both arms; forgive you all this; can
get well. Let me 60 home to my mother
and sisters" What a heart of adamant
the man % must have who could disregard
such an appeal! The little boy was drag
ged back TO the place of execution again
the terrible word Ere" was given, and he
fell dead, eight balls having entered his
body. The remaining three were murder
ed in the same manner. Those in whom
life was not entirely extinct the heartless
officers dispatched with their pistols.
THE BURIAL.
A hole was then dug, and the thirteen
bodies were pitched into it The grave was
scarcely large enough; some of the bodies
lay above the ground. A wretch named
Sergeant n. b. ID. Jay, Virginian, but at
tached TO Tennessee company of the 65th
North Carolina regiment, jumped upon the
bleeding bodies, and said to some of the
men: Pat Juba for me while dance the