The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-21


The Falling of the Drop.
The Body Cut Down and Taken
Away.
Champ Ferguson is no more He whose
crimes were legions, and whose brutality
finds no parallel in ancient or modern his
tory, Outsids OF a score or more OF his con
| federates in treason, has expiated, 50 far as
that can be done through human punish
ment, bis offences and his crHeftVl He has
gone TO meet the scores Of his victims,
who have long since solved the problem
Of life and eternity. His mortal remains
are already blackening preparatory to decay,
. while his soul has, ere this, been assigned,
as Deity, who reads the heart and dispenses
I His grace or punishment, shall be pleased.
] The agony has been q long one for
weeks and months, he has lived without a
hope OF reprieve; lived with the vision of
the gallOws dancing before him, sleeping or
/ waking criSted, rather than lived for is
I that life when hope has vanished, and
/ when all that is beautiful in nature has been
/ forever shut out from vision, and when one
has no domicil beyond the limits Of dark
aud narrow eel?
HOW He TOOK HIS SENTENCE.
Some time since, we announced the result
Of the trial, the finding and sentence Of the
Court, and the action of the authorities !;
aud on the following day, the result was
communicated by Col. Shafter, to the pris-
oner in his cell-the official finding and
sentence being read to him. When the
officer entered Tor that purpose, Champ was
as firm, aud relentless, as when, IL the
midst Of his mad career, he murdered alike
the wounded, the sick, the aged, and the
pless child and when the last sentence
had been read, he barely remarked
CAS- ! expected, sir
From that time, he was urged 10 prepare
for death but for days he remained the
same firm, unfinching man he had been
throughout the trial. He would talk Of
death, as IL 1t were a rather disagreesble
matter, but a thing OF no great moment;
and as for futurity-that scarcely entered
bis mind, or, Il it did, his proud spirit would
not admit OF its presence.
Till within the last four days Of his exist
ence, he was as proiane as when heading
his band Of outlaws, and uttering imp.eea-
tons against all who remained true 10 the
Union-against even his own brothers, one
Of whom died in support of the Stars and
Striped, beneath which he had been reared,
could induce him to desert. He appeared as
b sced againss every feeling Of humanity,
as when, with his own hand, he murdered
the venerable old msn who had Graded
him on his knee, and 20 whom he was in
debted for a thousand favors.
INTERVIEWS.
As soon as il became known that he was
70 be hanged, we set parties to work 10 Oh
~ hot
not only one Of our editorial corps, but |
Others in our behalf, visited him, ON differ
ent occasions, and had long, free, and frank |
conversations, regarding his past life, his |
then feelings, his ideas Of death, and his |
hopes in the future.
He, at all times appeared frank, and an
swered questions without reserve; but when /
a general question was asked, his reply was /
equally general. 1t therefore required that |
should be put, relative to /
each particular incident, and 10 every phase /
Of that incident aud IN no instance, did |
he fail, or refuse TO reply, except that reply |
would have served to criminate others-snd /
this he persistently refused to do.
In giving the result, we do not pretend to
give his exact words: but the Substance is
the substance Of his declarations. We took /
each charge, aud specification, aud made
numerous Inquiries as to each the result Of
which was as follows:
Reptile first charge is, that you are q
guerrilla; is il true?
Champ Yves Union man in the begin
ming; was a Union man, ill after the bat
tie of Bnll Run, in 1861 electioneered at
the various polls, in Clinton County, Ken
lucky, at the spring elections, for Union
cand dates; but finding that war must de
eide, allied myself 20 the interests Of my /
section. Ny brother Jim went into the
Federal army, while / went into that of the
I was regularly in their army,
and fought, not 10 crafty any revenge, but
for the cause ] esp used. My brother Ben
also remained a Union man. Jim was killed,
while in the United States service. / held
no communication with him; / perhaps
would have killed him, bad / seen him, and
be certainly would have killed me, had be
got a chance. Ben and were moderate
friends, when we met.
Rep-Did you regard eli your acts, as
those Of legitimate warfare
Champ-Yes, thought 50 we were hav-
ing a sort Of miscellaneous war, up there, /
through Fentress icounty, Tennessee, Clin
ton county, Kentucky, and all through that
region. Every man was in danger Of his
lie. II hadn't kill my neighbor ,lhe would
have killed me. Each Of as had from 20 to
20 prescribed enemies, aud it was regarded
Is legitimate 20 kin them at any time, at
any place, under any circumstance, snd-
Rep-Even if they were wounded, or on
lick bed ?
Champ-Certainly He was our game.
But that couldn't be helped. Il was the
result Of the war. ] was a regular Confed-
crate officer, and ! won not have done
anything Of the kind, if ! had not thought
i necessary for the cause. / was no guer
lila, and my band wss not band Of assas-
Of tfa.ln ~
Reptile second charge is murder; do
gou claim that your acts do not come in that
,ategory2
Cbamp-I think they do not killed a
rrest many men. but didn't murder themi
hey would have served me the same way
4 thew could il was self defense.
Reptile specification Of the first charge
IS that YOU hsd 70 legal commission from
he rebel authorities.
Champ was authorized by the con-
sderates, TO do what 7 did; but my papers
rcre ell lost.
Rep.-The first specification to the second |
.harse IS. chat you billed Lieut.. Smith, OF
he 18Th XIV. Vols, L. 5. A.; is that true
Champ.-Yes, / killed him, but il was TO
ave my own life smith hsd sWorn TO kali |
ne. Il ne found me. He vas wounded, and
a the hospital. knew he would get well,
md my lie would't be ssfe, SO killed hun.
Had been moved BY mere cruelty, l could /
have killed others bat I only did what
was necessary 70 protect myself
kep,-W hat OF the second specification,
aiea charges you with killing ~ Union
,5.. a. saltyille, Virginia, in October
ChsmP.-I only killed one Of them. The
'iners were killed, but had no hand in it,
ana did not know il was done till next day.
NJ y men killed them. ,
hep-N hat Of the assertion that vpu !
Iwore you had killed ninetv-seven Yaukees.
md would shoot three more, TO make it a
hundred
Champ never used such an express
lion.
Reptile third specification cbs-rss Won, {
Eith killing two colored soldiers. living
sounded IN . rebel hospital. 81 Saitville, |.
Va, Ia October, 1854 ; Is that correct
Chamn.-u b not They were killed nv
nv men. as aftsrward heard. but u,thost
nv order. or my knowledge.
Reu.-Did YOU punish your men fer the
,ct, when YOU heard Of itf
Champ.-No. ] never either approved or /
iisapproved the act. Il was their work, /,
and they are responsible.
Rep According to the 4th specification
on are charged with hanging ~ members
o. ne 9Th Tennessee Cavalry on the I'd 81
thats
Nhamp.-No. I Was told thai they were /
~ SO, but I never saw them. THIS was
'. I-..e ! was Sighting Stokes cavalry. Both
,,-'.s Aghg their prisoners. I was badly
~ ~. s.- 10 one Of these fights, and II theT
- ie.eo me, know they would have !
s,,L-,1le- made q very narrow escspe. I
-s,,-t.. t-el All swgre I should hang, II they {
~ me- and J retsllialed J.