Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-12-24

could nos De made to believe that the sentence
| Of the eouft-insrtial would be executed and ~
81 the lAsi moment n biz existence. he enitf.
tainci the fAin hope IT pardon tie believed
/ that the Imposing PREPARATIONS which had been
made. aud which sefe being carried out. we're
bet mockery aud farce. designed merely as
an intmdJon and warning; that. az the last
moment the cheering word Of requirement.
would be ANNOUNCED. the letters would be loos
ened from bis limbs. the bandage torn from his
/ eyes aud he would again become Tree MAJ.
] The Elusive hope did not die until the bullets
pierced his bresst. and the pangs Of death ef,
hin a mangiod corpse
! Poor. unfortunate boy May a merclul
Providence lock lightly upon his sins my his
sou. IN the world TO come. be Invested Of AL rs
hideous deiormlty. and hnd an eternal rest
where there shall be no more trouble. aud where
evil communications can never come 20 blight
/ and 10 destroy God bless the soul OF that mis-.
guided boy.
cH.KL9s siLLiSe.Ltr. ALIAS cmAKtss coorSR.
ALIAS ar0Reg RoBERrs.
/ IL 4. not known whether any OF the above
titles desigBates the real name OF the man who
was shot from coffin No 1, but IL Is believed that
the FIRST = the correct one he was born at
GrcencAstle. Putnam county, 10 this State. Fur.
/ lher THAI this nothing is known OF him up to the
time he entered upon his career a bounty
jumper When first arrested the oath Of allie
! glance was ioutd upon his person In the name
| Of Charles Cooper.
This oath was taken IN Georgia, and at tha,
/ time he claimed TO be deserter from the LIST
Georgia regiment OF rebels Bu, il was subse-
queutly ascertained that these representations
were false. aud intended for no other purpose
than 20 cover up the crime of desertion. Inves-
LEGATIONS after bic arrest developed conclusiyey
the Tact that he Was never in the rebel service.
bat that he had enlisted 10 several Indiana regi-
ments. the last time In the Eth lndiana battery
! lie AZ one time served several months in prison
| at Chattanooga. Hs a de serier, bat hnal J
released aud again deserted At the first opportu
nifty coming North under the guise OF "reiu
gee lie has made many different statements
while ia prison at Camp Morton. all OF which are
conflicting, and il n probable that none Of them
| are correct.
lie was great braggsrt. and would at times
boast OF his hair breadth escapes. his perlous I'D
ventures. and the many wonderful exploits 10
which he has been engaged since the era OF
bounties and bounty jumping. These stories are
many OF them. 1t is to be supposed. simply the
creation OF a brain fertile with lima gination, and
The promp,iugs Of heart which craved after
notOfieiy. He wanted to be thought a hero.
even though II should be the herosm of a bfi-
gani. At the last, however "a the hour Of
doom drew nigh. like the others. he earnestly
protested that oar deser,ion was his only oflense.
In charity, ii tor no other reason. let us believe
| this latter statement TO be Whatever
may have been the extent OF his lrausgTeseiOns,
| thev.hsve all been exoiated by the stern demands
OF military law. He hss erred, and he has sni-
fered the penalty Of his errors Though they
may have been as sands upon the sea shore his
life blood has wiped them all AWAY. IL i not for
us To magnify them, or To throw odun upon a
name which hA- been osckened TOR oil time by
a dsgraceiul death R,qusseaf in pace
PREPARATIONS fon rnE IxEourIoS
la pursuance Of ~ order issuei by command
OF Gen. Hosey. IT ! o'clock. precisely. All The
regiments stationed ia and about this city were
assembled IN martial array at Camp Burnside
under command of Col A. Stevens Of the
9th regiment Y r. c., who j. commander nc
Burnside Barracks snd Camp Morton. They
were formed IN limo around the parade ground of
the barracks. under the immediate supervision of
Col Stearns. and presented magnifcently i'm.
| posing appearance The solemn beat of muf
lied drums. and the shrill. w,ing notes of the
car piercing hfes, blended in beautiful conso.
nance i,h the orders OF officers which rev erber
a'ed mouruiully throughout the camp. and added
much 10 the prevailing spirit OF sadness which
characterized the exciting event OF the day
/ arPEAE,SCk or rHK PRISONERS
Al 2o'clock the condemned men were escorted
/ IRON. the prison at Osmp Morton to the parade
ground BY detachment OF the 9th regiment v.
! X. C., under command OF Major Audlcy W 4.
Gazzam. preceded by the rcgimcnta band A
solemn stiffness per, AIDED the precincts OF the
camp they approached, and men. women and
childreo, including ,be lion hearted soldiery
| looked upon the impressive scene with bated
/ breaths and palpitatng hearts the band playing
that melancholy mir. the Dead March.
rak PROCESSION o. DEATH
The following was tho order of the procession
which conducted the i'll iated men To the spot
which was 20 see their last OF earth.
!. Major A. W Gazlam. commsndant of the
escort.
:. Regimental band of the 9Th regiment. V e.
K. O.. with mui'ied drums. playing the Dead
March
). The party detailed to fire. consisting OF
thirty six men.
1. The collins. each borne by four soldiers
,. The prisoners. attended by their spiritual
adviser Rev Father August Bessonle- Of ,he
/ Holy Catholic Church.
I 3. The escort consisting OF one company of
soldiers of the V. X. c.
rHs LINZ Oh PROCESSION.
A. the cortcge Of death emerged from Camp
/ Morton. the escort marched SLOWLY around the
whole line OF sodiery, hating in front Of the em
bshkment between Camps Morton aud Burnside
where the execution TO take place.
rRAYkR
Alter the cofiins had been placed in position,
and the firing party aud escort had been prop
ery detailed to their respective localities. the
/ prisoners knelt upon the snowy earth with the
Reverend Father. and engaged in prayer
READING Oh rHE CHARGES. SPECIFICATIONS, siNn
lSGs AND SENTENCES
At the conclusion of the prayer VI ajor Gazxsnl
advanced in front Of the prisoners, aud in a clear
voice. which could he distinctly heard a, a dis
islee oi several rods read TO the prisoners the
findings Of the court martial. and the charges
and Specifications upon which they had been
convicted concluding IN each case silh the sen.
teuce OF death which had been decreed by the
judges. and concurred in By the president.
ixPRksslyL RELIGIOUS cERENoNIEs
The Reverend Man OF God. who had up this
time remained with the condemned men then
knet again with them IN prayer. aud after briei
but earnest eIhOrtatiOns, and the farewell kiss
OF father TO his erfng children. reluctantly left
them TO the fate which wss 80 soon 10 terminate
their existence He retired but a short distance.
and kueeling. again raised his voice TO Heaven
IN behalf of the souls Of those who were about
to proceed upon the endless journey OF iuta.
rily
PREPARATIONS FoE rmr TKAGEpT.
Everything being In readiness. Ser
gesnl who had b.en selected for that
duty approached John Naloney. and led