Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-09-15
A Military Execution.

At eight O'Clock this morning q military
execution took place in a broad open space
on the Levee. between Vicksburg and the
Reading Cotton Presses.
As early as six o'clock there was a stir
among the military, and at seven they be.
gan TO file into the appointed space, filing
three sides of an immense square.
4 covered wagon drove up, containing
the prisoner, with his arms Iinoned, seated
on his coffin. He was accompanied by his
spiritual adviser. Father Dufau, and some
members of the Provost Guard.
The prisoner, Francis Scott, was conn
pact, well made man, 10 the very prime of
life, having the day previous completed his
Both year. He was q native of the county
Monaghan, Ireland, aud had spent five
years in service as a soldier in the regular
United States Army.
The offence for which be was tried ard
convicted by court martial was commit
ted on the 18th Of July last, at Fort Butler,
Donaldsonville. 1t appears that difficult
ty occurred between him and Major Bullen
of the 28th Massachusetts Regiment, then
in command of that post, when Scott beng
on duty ct the time, raised his musket,aad
shot the Major through the body. thereby
causing his death.
After being removed from the wagor he
surveyed the preparati 1ns that were icing
made for bis execution with q calm, ur.
finching gaze. No soldier on the field
moved with frmer tread, and but for bis
pinioned arms, he might have been easily
mistaken for an unconcerned spectator. A
| tarpaulin was spread for him to fall on
when the fatal order should be given and
the coffin was placed thereon afterwards
! it was moved to another spot, and the coffin
was again placed upon it.; still the ielou
soldier showed no symptoms of terror or
excitement. Death, though staring them
in the face, could not blanch his cheek nor
cause his nerves to shrink.
The sentence of the court martial was
read to him by Capt. Pickering, Provost
Marshal Of the Defences of the City, and
copies of it we're read to the various regi.
ments which lined the square, after which
the prisoner was led up to his coffin, and
Father Dufau addressed prayer for mercy
to the Throne of Grace.
The solemn ceremony of preparation be.
ing ended, the priest babe farewell to the
prisoner, and the latter, turning to his late
comrades in arms, said:
'SOldiers-I came here to die. I shot
Major Bullen on the 5th of July last, and
would do so again under like circumstan.
ces."
He then went on to give detail of some
OF the duties whichshe had performed al
DonaldsOnville and elsewhere, when he re.
peated:
81 shot the Major through the wrist AID
body,an am willing to die for it. / made
a reply which should not have done, wher
be called me a rascal and drew a revolver.
| thought he intended to shoot me and |
shot him, and must die for it.
eff he had shot me there would have
been nothing of it. Ny Colonel last year
shot man at Camp Williams, and nothing
was done with him. He said the men were
in mutiny, but it was no such thing. But
l forgive every one as hope to he forgiv.
en-. / die as u soldier: II General Banks
had thousand such soldiers as am thew
would be worth all the cOnscpts that evel
came from New England"
He then said farewell" and kneelinc
down observed calmly-"I am ready"
A handkerchief was then bound over his
/ eyes and the order was given to fire. Al
the word, twelve muskets were discharred
and the convict fell over and died without
q struggle. Seven bullets had struck him
two passing through his body and one
through his wrist.
Ten minutes afterwards the man who
was brought 90 the ground in robust phys
cal health, was borne away the tenant Of g
cofin-foOd Cor reflection as we'll as food
for worms.