Winchester daily bulletin. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn) 1863-1863, 1863-06-16

oA nearing their conversation was well salts
NED that they were spies. Smart rs tApy were.
theY gave frequent and distinct evidence Of
oppAc!ty. After this dispatch came TO hand
Wnleh II did about II o'clock imidnightl, a
search Q: their persons was ordered. To thie
the mayor consented without opposition, but
tae Colonel protested against it, und even out
ms nand 10 his arms When the Majors
SWORD was drawn from the sCabbard there was
!Hnhu etched upon 1t these words, Lit ~, 9.
Feter, Z, :. A AZ this discovery Col. Baird
remarked, 'Gentlemen, you have played this
Id we'll. Yes, said Lieut. Peter. and
At rene nsa' being q perfect success They then
confessed the whole matter, and upon further
Search various papers, showing their guilt,
we're discovered upon their persons Lieut.
feter was found to nave on rebel cap, ie.
creted by the white flannel havpock
Col Baird Immediately telegraphed the facts
to Gen. Rosecrans and asked what he should
do, and in short time received an order "to
try them by drum head court martial and if
found guilty hang them inme4iote{q The court
was convened, and before daylight the case
was decided, and the prisoners informed that
they must prepare for immediate death By
hanging
AT daylight men were detail ed 10 make a
scatiold. The prisoners were visited by the
Chaplain at the 18th Illinois who, upon their
requo.t administered the sacrament 10 them
They also wrote some letters to their friends
and deposited their jrwyirv. silver Guns. and
other yaIuaoIcs, Tor transmission 10 their
friends
The gallows was cons. .ructod by . wild cherry
tree not far from the depot, and N 81 very pub.
ne place. Two ropes hung denF.ng from the
beam reaching within eight feet Of the ground
lille after 9 . clock 4 NJ tho wholr garri.
Son was hailed around the place Of execu
ton IN 50! mn sadness. Two poplar cofins
were lying few feet away. Twenty minutes
past nine the guard conducted the prisoners 10
the sraitold they walked firm and steady, as
II unmlndtu OF the fearful urccipice they
were approaching The guards did them he
houcr to march with arms reversed
'ArWyat 9 The Lace Of execution, they
stepped upon the 2tform OF the cart and took
their respective places The Provost Marshal
lall HteXoIucr, then tied n !iaen hal dker-
chief over ,he tacc Of each ard adjusted tho
ropes hey theE asked the privilege OF bid
ding last farewell which bginE granted. they
teuGeriy embraced each 0tuor, This over tha
cart m we'd from under them, and they hung
IN .Ga mir What q fearful penalty. They
zwuns, of a. 9"D--in two minutes the Lieu
tenant ceased to struggle. The Colonel
caught hold Of the rope with both hands and
raised hlmsclfNp at three minutes, and ceased
to struggle at five minutog Al six minutes
Or. Forester, Surgeon 9Th Ky. Cavalry, and
DR.. Moss, 18th ILL., Infantry, and myself, who
had been detailed to examine the bodies, ar
preached them, and foand the pulse Of both
full aud strong. AtSeyen minutes the Colonel
shrugged his shoulders. The pulse Of each
continued TO beat II minutes, and at twenty
minutes all signs Of life had ce sed The
bodies were cut down ut 30 minutes AID en-
cofined in full dress. The Colonel was buried
with o gold locket and chain on his neck --
The lockct contained the portrait and q braid
Of hair of his intended wife--her portrait was
also in his vest pocket-these were buried with
him at his request Both men We're buI led
in the same grave--companions in life, mislor-
tune and crime, companions in infamy, and
now companions in the grave
I should have stated in another place that
the prisoners did not want Their punishment
delayed but, we'll knowing the CO. sequences
of their acts, even before their tr,ai, asked to
have the sentence, be it by hanging or shoot
ing quickly decided and executed. But they
deprecated the idea of death by hanging and
asked for a Communication OF the sentence to
shooting
The elder and leader of these u fortunate
men was Lawrence Williams, Of Georgetown
D G. He was us fine b looking man az |
have ever seen, about feet hiF \. and perhaps
30 years old He wa, son OF Captain VII.
liams who was killed At the oa.ti Of Monte
rev He was one of tn most intellectual ana
accomplished men that nave ever known
| have never known any ono who excelled
him as taiker he was member Of the
Regular Army with the rank of Captain Of
Cavalry when the rebellion broke out and at
thot time was aid de camp, and private Secre-
,ary to Gen. Winfield Scott. From this con
adcnce and respect shown him by so distn-
RUSHED p man may be judged his education
and accomplishments. He was FIRST cousin
of Gen. Lee, commanding the confederate
Army on the Rappahannock. Soon after the
war began he was frank enough to inform
Cen. Scott that ail MS sympathies we're with
the South. as his friends and Interests were
there. and that he could not fight aga'nst
them AS he was privy to all Of Gen. Scott
plans for the campaign, it was no: though
rro, er to turn him loose, hence he was sent to
t4oyernors Island, where he remained three
n