The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-04-23

WIN hbd run VIC Puh fSO"S
was, no doubt, not only to take the life
of the latter, if identified, but to do so
with every CIRCUMSTANCE of humiliation
and torture which they could devise.
Three times, in the progress Of this
horrible Aogging, it was suspended, aud
Mr.. Harrott was asked if he would no,
confess but steadily and firmly TO tho
last. he refused all disclosures, and it was
not till his tormentors we're weary Of their
brutal work that the task of subduing the
victim was abandoned as hopeless.
This youth is an orphan, and without
any of the advantages cf education. suon
after the rebellion broke ont, though bur
Is years of age, he left his trade and
threw himself into the ranks # the armies
as volunteer; and low, though sui! sui
fering from The eutruges committed on his
person in the South, lie is on his way to
reioin his regiment, seeming TO leave his
country only the more for all that he has
endured in its defense. His subdued ana
mode. manner. while narratlng the part
/ he had BONE 10 this expedition. showed
him to be wholly unconscious OF having
done anything more than perform his SIM
ple duty a. soldier. Such Spartan for
titude, and such fidelity to the trusts of
friendship and to the Inspirations of patri-
otism, deserve an enduring record IN the
archives Of the Government, and will find
one, am sure, in the hearts OF a loyal
people.
The twenty-five captives, when secur-
ed, were thrust into The negro Jail of
Chattanooga. They occupied single
room, half under ground, and but thir-
teen feet square, so that there was not
space enough Tor them all TO lie downto
gethef. and part of them were, ~ cen
sequence, obliged to sleep sitting ana
leaning against the walls. The only en-.
trance was through trap door in the
ceiling, that was raised twice = day to let
down their scanty meals. which were low
cred in a bucket. They had no other
light or ventilation than that which came
through two small triple grated windows.
They were covered with swarmins vetmin,
and the heat was 30 oppressive that they
were often obliged to strip themselves en-
tiTelp Of their eletAes 10 haaE Is -Aeadd tes
this, they were all handcuifed, and, with
trace chains secured by padlocks Surround
their uecks, were fastened to each other
in companies Of twos and threes. Their
food, which was doled out to them twice a
day, consisted OF little -four, wet with
water, and baked in the form of bread.
and spoiled picked beef. They had no
opportunity of procuring supplies from
the outside, nor had they any means of
doing SO, their pockets having been riled
OF their last cent by the Confederate au-
thorities-prominent among whom was
an officer wearing the rebel uniform Of a
Major. No part Of the money thus base
ly taken was ever returned.
During the imprisonment at Chatta-
nooga their lender, Mr.. Andregs WAS tried
and conyictcd 40 spy, AID WAS subse-
quently executed AZ Atlanta the 7th Of
June They were strong aid IN perfect
health when they entered this negro Jail,
but at the end of something more than 8
weeks, when they we're required to leav
it, they were SO exhausted from the treat
ment to which they had been subjected as
scarcely able to walk, and several stagger-
cd from veal ness as they passed through
the streets to the cars.
Finally, twelve Of the number inclu-
ding the five who have deposed, and Mr..
Mason, Co. X, 2lst regiment Ohio volun-
teers, who was prevented by Illness from
giving his evidence, were transferred to
the prison of Knoxville, Tenn. On arei.
wing there, several were arraigned before
court martial, charged with being spies.
Their trial of course, was summary. They
we're permitted to be present; but not to
hear either the argument of their own
counsel or that of the Judge Advocate.
Their counsel, however, afterwards Wis
tied the prison and read to them tue writ
ten defense which he made before the
court in their behalf. The substance Of
that paper is thus stated by one Of the
witnesses, Corporal Pittenger:
"IIe (the counseD contended that our
being dressed in citizens clothes was
nothing more than what the Confederate
Government itself had authorized, and
was only what all the guerrillas in the
service of the Confederacy did on all oc-
casions when it would be an advantage to
them to do 30; and he recited the instance
Of Gen. Morgan having dressed his men
in the uniform of our soldiers and passed
thsm Oh 20 being from tho Eighth Penn
sylvania cavalry regiment, and b. that
means succeeded 10 reaching railroad
and destroying it.
Thisrihstance was mentioned 20 show
that our being 10 oitixens clothes did MOI
take from US the protection awarded to
prisoners Of war. The plea went on furth-
er to state that we had told the subject
Of our expedition; that it was purely
military one for the destruction of CON-
munication, and, Is such, lawful accord
ing TO the rules of war.
This Just aud unanswerable prcsenta-
ton of the case appears to have produced
its appropriate impression. Several MEM
bers Of the court martial afterwards called
on the prisoners and assured them thst,
from the esidence against them. they
could not be condemned us spies that
they had come for certain known object.
and not having fingered about or visited
any OF their camps, obtaining or seeking
information, that they could not Be con-
victed. Soon thereafter al the prisoners
were removed to Atlanta, Ga, and they
left Knoxville under the belief that their
comrades, who had been tried, either had
been or would ba acquitted.