The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-07-31
Fearful Tragedies in East Ten
neSSee.
REBEL CRUELTY.

: The..Memphis Bulletin publishes the follow
i. ing thrilling statement on the authority of
Colonel Robert A. Crawford, of Green coun-
ty, East Tennessee, who is refugee, and
was one of the Vice President of the late
Convention at Nashville:
: " In the month of January, 1868, at Lag
rel, n. e., near the Tennessee border, all the
: salt was seized for distribution by Confeder-
f ate Commissioners. Salt was selling at sew
, enty-fre to one hundred dollars 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 vicinity. This pal
pable injustice reused the Union men; they
assembled together and determined to seize
their proportion of the salt by force. They
did SO, taking at Marshall, n C., what they
deemed TO be their Just share.
Immediately afterwaId the Goth North Car
, olina regiment, under command of 1t. Col.
James Keith, was ordered to Laurel TO arrest
the offenders
l.. NJ Allen was Colonel of the regiment
but had been suspended for six months 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 sufferers. Among those arrested were
Joseph Wood, about sixty years age; Dav.
Shelton, sixty; JAS. Shelton, fifty; Roddy
Shelton, forty live; Ellison King, forty; Hs-
len Moore, forty; Wade Moore, thirty-fire /;
Isaiah Shelton, fifteen; VIM. Shelton, twelve;
Jas. Metcalf, ten; Jasper Channel, fourteen;
| Samuel Shelton, nineteen, and his brother,
aged seventeen, sons of Lifus Shelton-in all,
thirteen men and boys. Nearly all of them
declared they were innocent, and had taken
no peart in appropriating the salt. They
beggard for trial, asserting that they could
prove their innocence.
Col Allen, who was with his troops, but
not in command, told them they should have
trial, but they would be taken to Tennessee
for that purpose. They bid farewell to their
wives, daughters and sisters, directing them
to procure the witnesses and bring them to
the court in Tennessee, where they supposed
their trial would take place. Alas how little
they dreamed what fate awaited them,
PERFIDIoUS EXECUTION.
The poor fellows had proceeded but few
miles when they were turned from the road
into gorge in the mountain, and halted
Without any warning of what was to be done
with them, five of them were ordered to
kneel down. Ten PAGES in front of these
hre, file of soldiers were placed with loaded
muskets. The terrible reality flashed upon
the minds of the doomed patriots Old
man Wood (slxty years of age), cried out:
For Gods sake, men, yon are not going to
shOotus Fyou 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
Alien 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 to their
iaces, and rent the air with their agonizing
cries of despair; the soldiers wavered and
heslt4ted to obey the command. Keith said
If they did not fire instantly, he would make
them change places with the prisoners. The
soldiers raised their guns, the victims shud-
dered eonvusirely, the word was given to
flre, and the five men fell pierced with rebel
bullets. Old man Wood land 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 A BUY OF TWELVE YEARS.
Five Others We're 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 :
ia the face He covered his face with his
hands. The soldiers received the order to
ire, and five more fell. Poor little Billy was
wounded IN both ar ms. He ran to an officer,
clasped him around the legs, and besought
him to spare his life.
I" ioa have killed my old father and nv
three brothers; You have shot me in both
arms; L forgive you all this l can get well.
Let me go home to my mother and sisters"
hat heart of adamant the man must
have who could disregard such an appeal
The little boy was dragged back to the place
Of execution; again the terrible word Fire "
was given, and he fell dead, eight balls hav-
ng entered his body. The remaining three
we're murdered in the same manner. Those
IN whom life was not entirely extinct the
neartless officers dispatched with their pistols
THE BURIAL.
a hole was then dag, and the thirteen bo-
lies were pitched into it. The grave was
scarcely large enough; some of the bodies
ay above the ground. A wretch named
'ergeant>N. b. ID. Jay, Virginian, but at
ached to Tennessee company of the 65th
North Carolina regiment. jumped upon the
bleeding bodies, and said to some of the
men: Fat JUDY for me while | dance the
Id sooundrels down to and through hell
Inc grave Was covered lightly with earth,