Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-10-02

says:
"On yesterday the solcn and impress
! sive ssene OF shooting Two men for de-
ssttion took place 10 the 81 Division
commanded hy General Hayes"
"rhe two victims OF this tragic evce,
we're two subst,tut,s who we're sent OIL
from Boston fe~ weeks ago With the
14tn Connecticut Volunteers. Their
names were Edward Elliot, Company u
aud Charles Eastman, Copany ], both
priva,es.
II was admitted to see the prisoner
they we're in an on Office, contiguous to
the Generals headquarters. % enter.
log, Elliot va. sitting at . table wrlt'n
. ietter 20 his mother. EAstmas WAS
engaged in deep conversation with ID.
Chapls Il. J. Stevens, Baptist minists,
l4th Connecticut Volunteers. Co be-
ing introduced they 9th rose spd
shook me by the hand, and, alter few
m oments C ,nversatIon, E hot resumed
his wiring, and kas man bis converse
ton on religious sublects."
While thu engage | bad an oppor
tunty of closely examining The two I'M
fortunate victims. Elliot was . slight,
intelligent, good looking young man of
about 2 | years IF aye. lie Was Of me-
dium hight. with thin regular features,
and thick profu.ion OF iair hair. Tn,
down If manhood vas fresh upou h,r
chm, and he seemed ly to realize h,s
awful position He r ely answered eli
the quest ons | asked. he several times
stopped writing, resting his head up on
his hani, and sighed heavily. lie an
swercd in a nervous starting way.
lie stated when be and his comra des
deserted they thou ht it probable
that the worst that would happen to
them, if artested, would be t.
be sent back t Their regiment and have
= lew months pay stopped. Had the,
real zed the awful fate that awaited
tnem they wovid never have done it,
They wished me to warn others,
through the press, from a similar, awful
tate and not to enlist unless
they intend To serve ont their time.
E,not is a native OF Bo.ton. his faith. r
re 'des 10 New Yo,k. lie telt very IN
easy about how hs parehts- chiefly bis
mother and his only brotber would feel.
"My mother, my mothc. God comfor,
her {! auc my poor little brother - lie
often exc aimed.
Eastman, was from Cornish, Maine,
and about t"e'ty three years OF age
He was Rather stout, with stron- |,
NAL ed fea nr,s, he appeared more com
posed than the other. He wI-hed to be
. CHRISTIAN bat expressed st ong doubt
whe her God would accept OF SO sudden
conversion tut the zeaious Chaplain
cxhortcd him, and held up the exam
pie OF the penitent tibet and several
Others. | should have stated tnat on
account OF the 'apld marching OF the
corps, the Chaplain coul not attend to
their splrituaI wants until the morning
II :ncir execution.
Eastman expressed wish to be bap-
,ized, and rs the Rev. Stevens. had con
clentious scruples Of giving baptism un-
Iess by INN, r-ion, he sent tor Rev. Muir
ply, P.esbit4rlau Chap ain lst Della
aware Volunteers. Rev. Mr.. Murphy
WISHED til At the prisoner should be bap-
tlzed at the p ace OF execution, when L.
wis. ed to make public cohesion of his
SIN. The Chaplain asked PERMISSION If
Gen. Hayes, which WAS at once graz
ted.
When Elliot had fini-hed writing he
handed the letters to the Chaplain to be
forwarded to his friends, the two Chap
lalns and myself knet with them n pray
er. Eastman poured forth an extrmpo
raneous prayer, full of resignation and
CHRIS ian feeling. lie be>ought God to
have mercy and compassion upon him
to forgive him the er ols and trans
gr.,s ous of his past Iife-to accept his
death IN attoncm-n', aud when his soul
.rtsd from his earthly body to receive
him into his heavenly kingdom. lie
earnestly invoked blessing upon his
father aud mother, brothers and SISTERS,
| and upon us vi 10 knelt with HIM 10 pray
or, ard upon all mankind.
"Elllot next made pubic profession
If his t.l,h as an E,iscopanan, and then
! with uplttcd eyes and clasped hands,
poured 70; tn hi, soul in gushing PRAYER.
TIE Chaplala then ined them in prs,
er, and Concluded by rsc!ting the Lord +
prayer.
"Some dinner was now brought to
them Ea.tm.n refused o take any. Eli,
III ate little The fatal hour was now
approaching, Is the sentence was to be
car. ned out before tour o'clock Z. NJ.
and 1t " IS now within half an hour OF
The time. The door was thrown open,
aud the t.o prisoners, leaning on the
Chapla Is arms, walk. d to the ambu-
lance that was TO carry them TO execu
ton.
"As the procession reached the square
the prisoners a lighted f om the alnbu-
lance, and The baud fei t. the rear.
Here the bearers took up the coffin on
their shoulders, in front of the prisoners.
The D, isonsr caat timId, troubl0us look
at the coffins, aud then moved on, lean
,pgon tho Chaplaios. The coffins were
placed beside the t ograves, which were
dug abou, FIVE feet deep. The Rev. Mr..
Murphy addressed he prisoners and the
,r ops presnt IN feeling language, ex-
ort.ne al 10 JON IN prayer to God t.
have mercy .n the two Q u's so soon 70
appear 10 his presence. He strongly ex-
hort, d othcls to take warning by the
tragic tate OF the prisoners, aud not de-
ssrt Their counlry's service, and then
b.ptized the prisoner Eastman.
The Rev. Mr. Stevens kuell down to