The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-10-02
Two Members of the Second Rhode
Island Shot.

Correspondence of the Provide' ce Press.
NEAR TIIBoDEAUxvILLE, La, Sept. II.
By the time you will receive these lines
you will, suppose, have heard already
that the consolidation of the I'd Rhode Is j.
land and the 1st Louisiana cavalry is an
accomplished fact.
From the first moment the consolida-
ton was talked Of the excitement in camp
was intense. The men unanimously re-
solved to lay down their arms, and not 90
to the 1st Louisiana unless coerced by the
force of arms. On the morning of the 1st
of September they accordingly, having
been ordered to fetch their tents and bag
gage over, laid down their arms and clus-
tered all together in one place. Lieut..
Col. Robinson, of the 1st Louisiana, came
over on horseback and repeated the order,
but nobody moved and only a few ans
wered-" We belong to Rhode Island and
not to Louisiana " About fifteen minutes
after he returned with his regiment on
foot, armed with their sabres, carbines
and revolvers. He placed them on our
front and light, and then said: "All
those who wish to escape the consequences
of rebellion fall into line!" and as he saw
only few move, he added: " Hurry up,
or I'll fire right into yOu.'' That this was
no idle threat, we found out afterwards.
The men slowly fell into line; the two
last, Richard Smith, alias Morphy, from
Massachusetts,, harness maker, and VIM.
Davis, were taken, their hands tied behind
them, and then led over to a field in front
of the camp They then marched US over
there, and the 1st Louisiana formed on
our right and left, at right angles with US,
thus forming a square open on the side
where two prisoners stood guarded by two
squads of men. Their eyes were bandaged
with red handkerchiefs, and every prepa-
ration made for their execution. AL
though we could not believe at the time
that they would shoot these men for hav-
ing simply dared to show that they were
rot satisfied with being thus transferred
from Rhode Island to Louisiana, and
thought that they would be reprieved at
the last moment, yet the scene was so
terrible that there was not one whose
heart was not beating audibly on seeing
these preparations for the death of two
men who were generally liked in the regi-
ment. A squad of men was placed oppo-
site and at ten PAGES from the prisoners !;
the Adjutant spoke to them for some time,
and asking, l suppose, the names of their
families. When he had finished, the sig
nal-the sabre-stroke-fOr the first pla
toon to fire, was given, and Davis fell
over backward, as it seemed to us killed
instantly. At the repition of the signal
the second platoon fired, and Smith, who
had stood immovable although he had
heard his comrade fall, fell, shot through
the legs. Both bodies could now be seen
to move, although he had thought Davis
dead. They were finished by the Adju-
tant and orderly Sergeant OF company
F, 1st Louisiana, approaching them and
firing all the charges of their revolvers
into them.
Davis was paroled prisoner, somewhat
childish, always laughing and merry
Smith, understand, has left wife and
children behind to mourn his untimely
death. Both men were generally liked.