The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-04-05
sad scenes In the Life OF IA Chap
ln1n

Correspondence Springfield (Mass.) Republican,
BEFoRk l,IcnNoND. March 4. 1865.
TRIALS AND EXECUTIONS FoR DISCRETION.
Executions for desortion aro common
nowadays in the armies of tho Potomac
aud the James. As many as sixty of the
captured runaways have been confined at
one time in tho provost narshnl's prison
ctInp Of single division. Tho "bnll.pen,"
as this enclosure is universally called, is
collection of tehts surrounded by close
stockade of pine loga twenty feet high,
guarded on oil sides. just at the right of
its entrance. outside of the walls. is small
log cabin used rs the condemned cell. The
man who enters that goes out only to exc
cution. Sal stories OF romorse and agony
the walls OF that low, dark gloomy cabin
could tell. Soon rs convenient after de.
serter is arrested on his way to the enemy
or to the rear, aud charges are preferred
against him. he is tried before general
court martial. The declsion in Ills case is
notpromulgated until it has received APP
proval at department headquarters. fla
man is sentenced TO death he knows moth
ing of the verdict until the order comes
FOR his speedy execution. His suspense
meantime is often terribly trying Recent
ly seven men who had deserted together
aud against whom the evidence was clear,
were suddenly ordered back to their reg
iment when they anticipated death. The
commanding general had noted fatal err
rorin tho the proceedings Of the court, and
| had disapproyed it's findings, Tncn man
who had boon caught actually outside OF
gu lines had his seutencc.of death commit
ted TO imprisonment for one year. These
acts of leniency gave encouragement to
many prisoner who had before becn des.
pondopt. But the next move changed the
current of feeling A soldier arrested one
| day was tried the next, and shot tho third.
| Again, two meu who had been tried four
! weeks. before, aud from the long delay
now felt quito easy as to their prospects.
were taken into the condemned cell, and
! thence to the gallows. Two or three days
| later, another. whose trial had also been
long previous, was out under guard cutting
wood IN the forest when provost'S depu,
ty came, and putting hand.cuifs on him,
| led him back to that dreary cabin Then
tho rcmaieing innates OF the pen trembled.
Az the new victim was led dUut'to be shot,
the provost called a bright-faced lad from
tie gazing throiig tthe entrance of the
bull-pen to outer tho condemned cell. The
| lads face blancted as he ohcycd the sum
mons; bnt lie was only ordered 10 carry
back the blanket of the cuiprit leaving for
the field of death, ami il was with fiushed
face OF grateful Joy that ho bounded back
to the gnardcd pen, saying as he drew a
long breath, II tell you! latheusht they'd
got me them" @
He was probably awaiting tie promulga.
ton of lis sentence.
ruE RvII. WORK OR rIfE BOUNTY JUMPERS.
Although dcsertion is ono Of the grayest
crimes known 10 military law, and from ita
i recent frequency merits cxtremest penalty,
yet it does not follow that 4 soldier cor
yicted Of it is vilo and abandoned wretch.
There are SO many now at the North to adj
wise aud encourage dosertions, aud so many
TO entrap aud swindle the ignorant aud MT
fortunate. that many an officer here AZ the
front wishes that the broker or the home
lproyost st or the State Agent might be shot
instead of his poor deuded victim. Now
aud then a man is caught who richly de
serves his punishment. 0.G Of the two
Thing as above mentioned was Sprofcssion-
al bounty Jumper. lie confessed 70 having
deserted twice before, and TO the third at
! tempt no had planned tie addition Of rob
berry aud II the necesaitg arose, q murder,
On the Other baud the hd shot so sonn af-
ter hs arrest, was green Irish boy Of nipe-
teen, but few weeks IN the county Ills
sister came 10 america several years since.
and he had now followed TO ind her, A
Substitute runner met him on the dock IN
| New York, and Offering him work, hurried
him off TO 70 lrilgcrort, enlisted him after
getting him half drunk. took most Of his
money tho renainier bei.g slnlcRt New
lIlyen and the lad reached here ponniles's,
homesick, bewildoIod. Hearing al his Sis
/ a 4. H.. AZ hn
ITO start, iIia shrewdef eomrades Escaped
i iIe was taken and his life was iho Forfeit
A yEREa sAD CASE. saol, -si
Bat lie saddest. osso was tho latest. A
boy MOI vel siSiceu, born ami bruaght ~
IL the upper PA OF Now York eiig, was