Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-04-14
Death OF Abrams. the Traitor
MILITARY EXECUTION AT YORKTOWN.

| MILITARY EXECUTION AT YORKTOWN.
YORKTOWN, Va, March Private
Thomas Abrams, of the l39th New York
Volunteers, was to-day shot to death,
with musketry. in the ttesence Of large
portion Of General Wistar's troops, whom
he had prevented frou taking Richmond
on General Wistat's late raid, by bis
trcachery.
Now that the last act is over, there
eau be harm in relatihg the circumstances
heretofore but hardly hintcd at, which
prevented the capture Of Richmond and
the the release of our prisoners by General
Wistars troops.
VIM. Boyle, private Of The First New
York Mounted Rifles, murdered Licuten-
ant Disosway, Provost Marshal of Will
liaulsburg, some four months since. under
the most aggravating circumstances.
During row in the streets of that town,
Lieutenant Disosway, pursuing his duty
as Provost Marshal, came in collision
with Boyle. wLo drew his pist'l The
Provost Guard, under Disosway, instantly
levelled their pieces at Boyle, and would
have killed him on the spot but for the
Marshals interference, who was trying tb
subdue Boyle by argument and kindness.
when the latter basely shot him through
the heart. He was Immediately arrested,
tried, convicted and sentenced to death.
but before the sentence could be executed
the general order of the President was
issued, su.pending the execution of all
sentences OF death in the army till further
orders.
Under this order the execution was de-
layed for several months, Boyle being
confined in tent in double irons, and
under special sentinel, until the third
of February last. when Abrams, the vic
i'm Of to-duy's tragedy, came in regular
turn to be the sentinel over the prisoner.
Taking advantage of dark rainy night.
Abrams supplied Boyle with case knife,
neatly manufactured into a saw, with
which to Cit his irons, and, Under pre-
.ence of conducting him to sink, per-
mitted him to escape and delayed giving
the alarm to the guard till too late to re-
capture him. Boyle having long served
at that point, had a thorough knowledge
of the picket line, and though challenged
and turned back twice by the pickles.
finally succeeded in passing. 1t was
subsequently ascertainca that he was inn
nediately captured by, the rebel pickets,
'owhom he communicated his whole story.
and the information derived from Abrams
that we were massing cavalry at Williams
burg for some desperate enterprise.
The rebel pckets sent him at once to
Richmond by relays of horses, where his
arrival at Castle Thunder was announced
in the Richmond papers on the 9th, be-
ing the same day General Wistar left
Williamsburg, together with hint of the
important tidings of which he was the
bearer.
The rebels instantly commenced the
most vigorous exertions for throwing up
ntrenchments and forwarding infantry
and artillery to Bottoms Bridge, where
our troops must cross. Extra trains were
placed OH the York River Railroad +; ne
groes were impressed in large numbers,
and with such energy were their prepara-
tions pushed that daylight on the 7th
disclosed to our advancing column long
lines of intrenchmcnts and rifle pits,
abattis and felled timber in the ford, and
such extensive Instructions. with troops
posted in rear, that our object was de-
teated,' and after one or two Intellectual
attacks and some loss of men and horses,
| it became obvious that nothing more
could be done with advantage, and our
troops reluctantly retired
Upon a thorough investigation of the
causes Of this failure by Generals Butler
and Wistar, the foiegoing facts, with
much more Of detail, we're elicited.-
Abrams was brought to trial before q
court martial, and aftsr full trial, convic.
ted and sentenced to death, and hence the
execution of today.
| The troops who hhd made their forced
and exhausting march in vain, owing to
the treachery and treason of the condem.
ned, were formed in hollow square near
Yorktown, and with TIE usual ceremony
of military executions, all preliminaries
having been g,ne through with. the Grim
inal, sitting on his coffin. received the fire
of the party of eight men detailed for the
purpose, every bullet passing through his
body. lie fell back Instantly and died
without a struggle.
One traitor to his country, at least. has
met a fate as prompt as it was righteous