Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-08-06
Captain Henry Washington sawyer-A
Brave Mans Letter.

This gallant soldier is one of the two
who were selected by the rebel govern
ment By lot on the 9th of July, to be ex.
ecuted in retaliation for the two rebel
officers executed by General BURNSIDE for
recruiting for the rebel service in his mill
tary department. When the facts became
known to Captain SAVERS friends in
Philadelphia-as we learn from the Press
they induced Captain WILMoN WHLLDIN,
long associated with the steamboat interest
in that city, to visit Washington to ascer-
tain the policy of the Government in re-
gard to the inhuman threat of JEFFERSON
DAVIS. He was kindly received by the
President and the Secretary OF War, and
carried back to Philadelphia, from them,
the assurance that the Government will
adopt such q course as would possibly
prevent the execution of Captains SAWYER
and Finn, and at all events punish it fear.
lessly and promptly. The Press adds:
When Captain Willdin reached this
city, the wife of Captain Sawyer received
letter from him in which he stated that
the rebel government would permit her
and their children to visit him before his
execution. In company with Mrs. Saw
yer be Immediately started for Washing
ton, and having received the authority of
our government, went to Fortress Mon
roe, where they are now waiting 6 flag of
truce to go to Richmond. We have been
permitted to take a copy of Captain Saw
yer's letter to his wife. which we subioin.
1t requires no compliment at our hands.
1t is the letter of brave and patriotic
man, and will be read with pleasure and
pride by all loyal citizens:
PRovosT GENERALS OFFICE,
RICHMOND, VA, July 6, 1868.
My DEAR WIFE: | am under the ne
cessity of informing you that my prospect
looks very dark. This morning all the
captains now prisoners at the Libby mill
tary prison drew lots for two to be exc
cuted. II fell to my lot. Myself and Cap-
tain Finn, of the Fifty first Indiana in.
fantry, will be executed for two captains
executed by Gen. Burnside.
The Provost General J. Il. Winder as
sures me that the Secretary of War of the
Southern Confsderscy will permit your
self and my dear children to visit me be-
fore | am executed. Yon will be permit
| ted to bring an attendance. Captain Will
din Or uncle ". ". Ware, or Dan, had
| better come with you. My situation is
| hard to be borne, and I cannot think OF
dying without seeing yon and the children.
You will be allowed to return without
molestation to your home.
| am resigned to whatever is in store
for me, with the consolation that / die
without having committed any crime ]
have no trial, no jury, nor am l charged
with any crime, but it fell to my lot. You
will proceed to Washington. My Govern.
ment will give you transportation to For.
tress Monroe, and you will get here by q
flag Of truce, and return the same way.
Bring with you shirt for me.
My dear wife, the fortune of war has
put me in this position. If 1 must die 8
sacrifice to my country, with Gods will
must submit; only let me see you once
more, and | will die becoming man anC
al officer; but, for Gods sake, do not dis
appoint me. Write to me as soon as yor
get this, and go to Captain Whilldin; BIZ
will advise you what to do. | have done
nothing to deserve this penalty. But yor
must submit to your fate. 1t will be NJ
disgrace to myself, you, or the children
but you may point with pride and say, g.
gave my husband ;" my children will have
the consolation to say, 81 was made al
orphan for my country" God will pro.
! vide for you, never fear. Oh! it is hard
to leave you thus. wish the ball that
passed through my head in the last battle
had done its work but it was not to
| have been so. My mind is somewhat in
| tiuenced, for it has come SO sudden on me-
Write to me as soon as you get this : leave
your letter open and I will get it. Direct
my name and rank, by way of Fortress
Monroe. Farewell! farewell! and hope
| it is all for the best. remain yours until
death, 81. W. SAWYER,
Captain First New Jersey Cavalry
NEGRO Troops IN THE SoUTH.--The
New Orleans correspondent of the New
York Times says, that while the surrender
OF Port Hudson amounts to a yielding o.
the State Of Louisiana, it cannot be hello
without additional troops. A great many
of nine months men have gone home, anG
there is great danger that BANKS army
will be further weakened seriously by dis
eases of the climate. The following is the
Times solution of the difficulty:
How then are we to hold our acuuisi
tions down here? By the easiest process
in the world: by garrssoning every posi-
as fast as zoe slege 1T, By BLACK TROOPS,
While our white soldiers are removed to
| climates more congenial and wholesome
for them. Had the time we have spent
IN smothering down the absurd prejudices
against the negroes, and stupidity arguing
whether they could fight or not, been
zealously spent IN recruiting them ana
putting m7uskets into their hands, who is
to convince THAT we should not have had
force sufficient to hold Brasheur from the
enemy, as well as the whole country re.
| Gently overrun by Gen. Banks, but now to
be recorquered? That Gen. Banks is
fully alive to the vast importance of this
question nobody doubts but if every one
knew as well as those do who have an in.
side peep into the construction of our ar.
mics, what vast amount of unreasonine
and ridiculous prejudice a commanding
General has to overcome in his subordi.
mates, the wonder would be, not that Gen.
Banks has not done more, but that he has
been able to do anything at all toward
organizing the colored regiments, upon
which our strength down here will be ul.
timately found to depend almost entirely"
The same correspondent, writing of the
capitulation of Port Hudson, has the fol-
lowing paragraph fearfully suggestive of
rebel barbarity:
am sorry to say that rumors are aaoat,
borne out, unfortunately, too strongly by
facts, that cur colored soldiers who have