The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-23

ExRcUT1oN OF TWO REBEL SPIES ATSAN-
DusKY, OHIo.-SANDUsKY, O., May 15.-
rms afternoon, the sentence passed upOn
William Corbin and T. p. McGraw. con-
Vlcfed by court martial, at Cincinnati was
executed on Johnson's Island. the depot for
prisoners of war, near this city. The exc
cution was strictly military, none being
allowed on the island except the soldiery,
officers Of the Government and reporters of
the press.
In the morning, the prisoners in the
yard were restricted to close quarters and
the island strongly picketed. At D. m,.
the battalion was formed by Capt. Linnell.
ana marched to the place of execution, on
the south side of the island, fronting the
pay. Az minutes past ], the prisoners,
securely bound, guarded by the execution
party, accompanied by their escort and
chapialn, le1t the prison, and were placed
IN two horse wagon, seated on coffin
the spiritual adviser, Rev. r. McCune,
Chaplain OF the post, sitting between them,
and proceeded to the beach. the band play,
ing the Dead March.
The battalion formed in hollow square.
the execution party in the center, front
facing the prisoners, Major Pierson and
staff on the right. The proceedings of the
court martial, finding and sentence were
then read by Adjutant Bailey, after which
the Chaplain stepped forward beside the
condemned, and said:
II am desired by these unfortunate men
to return their thanks to the commander of
this post, and to all Of the men with whom
they have had intercourse, for the kindness
and sympathy they have received since
their araival here. 1 am also charged by
them to say to all in attendance that they
die forgiving all enemies and accusers, and
in love and charity with all men, believing
in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that they
have thus far been concerned and gained
n in ha Of
God, through Christ, they have good hope
of eternal life.''
After an eloquent and fervent PRAYER by
the Rev. Mr.. McCune, the condemned We're
bllndfolded, the necessary orders were Civ
en- by the Provost Marshal, and at forty
minutes past one, COrbin and McGraW
paid the penalty of their acts.
The execution party consisted of thirty
two men, divided into squads-half being
reserve. The firing was eXcellent-the
sixteen shots being fired as that of one
man. The criminals fell back upon their
cofiins, each pierced through the breast,
within circle OF a few inches, by twenty
five balls and buckshot, and died without
a struggle. Corhin did not move muscle,
McGrtw gasping but once. The bodies
| were then examined by surgeons. and1ife
found extinct. The troops We're then
marched past the bodies, the band playing
the Dead March, thence to the parade
/ =
The whole proceedings attending the ex-
ecutlon were very solemn and impressive,
and the manner in which they were con-
Quoted reflects credit upon the officers and
men having ii in charge.
| Just previous to the execution the pris-
oners handed the Chaplain the following:
Il, w. f. Corbin, was born March s, 1888,
IN Campbell county, KY; Joined the Ma
sonic Order at twenty-One years of age
joined the Christian Church in my twenty
| second year, at California, in the same
county; was baptized by Elder f. Sallie, OF
Bracken county, KY; joined the rebel army
! in October, 1862; came to kentucky in
February, 1868; was taken prisoner on the
night of the Sth of April
II, Il. L. McGraw, was born in Harrison
county, KY, June 4, 1929; my father died
in December, 1858, when | removed to Fall
mouth, where 1 lived till 1850, and then
came to Campbell county, XIV. where / re-
mained till April, 1862; / then went to the
Confederate army and was attached. to the
| 9th Kentucky Volunteers; was a Lieuten-
| ant i'll Co. G until February, 1863, when I
was sent by Gen. Marshall to recruit a COM
pany of men for his command: was taken
prisoner on the 9th of April, 1868 was not
tried by court martial, and supposed I
would be treated as prisoner; Joined the
Christian church at California, KY, in
1856; L leave mother and two sisters and
brother and friends to mourn my loss,
but their loss is my gain. Prepare to meet
me in heaven. 1 freely forgive all men, as
God, for Christs sake, has forgiven mes
By order of Gen. Burnside, the bodies
were delivered to friends from Kentucky
who were in attendance to receive them.