Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-26

tFrom the Nashville Union, Sathrday.l
Champ Ferguson's family-wife and daugh-
tcr-wore with him the greatest part Of
Thursday and oil Friday morning, till few
minutes before he was led out TO execution.
Mrs. Ferguson is spare, delicate woman,
and appeared deeply affected all the time.
His daughter was calm until Just before the
final parting, but evidently deeply felt the
horrors Of her situation. She, too, is deli.
cate in appearance, and is but seventeen
years Of age.
1t was half-past ten Of yesterday when the
parting came, and seldom have we witnessed
a scene more heart-rending. Mrs +. olung
to her husband, and wept aloud. my God!
My Cod" said she, "have not already suf.
fered enough? Is my agony never to coase?''
and her tears choked her uttoranoe, and she
remained long, clasping her husband, who
stood like n marble statue, showing no out
ward signs Of emotion. "Alone, alone, hence.
forth am l, " she at length said; deprived Of
my supporter-my husband; oh, God, Il
there nothing that will save my husband
Lost, Lost Lost" Then suddenly rising,
she neryed herself up, and exclaimed:
"Die bravely, Champ; die bravely"
II will" was the response Of the con.
demned.
The daughter, too, was deeply affected; and
after the two had been separated from the
prisoner II was with difficulty that they could
sustain themselves, and but for the assist.
ance rendered them they would undoubtedly
have fallen, fainting, to the floor. Criminal
wretch though he was, they loved and
adored him. 1t is humanity; the wife and
tho child clings to the husband and the
father, though a villain of the deepest dye.
The hour Of IL arrived, and Champ was
warned that tho time had come when he must
prepare to die. I'm ready when you are,
said he to Lieut. Chittenden; and he was led
out, by guard of eight men. to the scaffold.
His step was firm, his carriage erect, and his
bearing just what 1t had been from the be.
ginning. He nerved himself up to the occa.
SION not shudder marred the tranquility
of his Frame not change passed over his
countenance.
His hands were pinioned behind him with
strong cord His dress was black suit OF
coarse CLOTH but neat and clean; and on his
hands were black gloves. When he reached
the scafrod, Colonel Shafter inquired "Shall
l help you to ascend" NO." he replied,
"Ill walk up myself" and he did so with
firm and unfaltering steps.
On reaching the platform, he faced the
two or three hundred auditors, and the
guards without blenching, but requested
that DR.. Bunting should pray for him. The
doctorcomplied with the request, and i'm
plored the Throne Of Grace to show mercy on
the prisoner.
During the prayer the prisoner wept-the
first evidence Of emotion which he had yet
given. Colonel Shafter took handkerchief
ank wiped the prisoners eyes, his own, al
the same time, being any other than dry.
After this, the Colonel read the charges
and specifications against him-Ferguson
standing unmoved till he had read the fifth,
in which he was charged with numbering the
venerable Reuben Woods. When that name
was mentioned he dropped his head, and
looked steadily on the ground for time.
He was evidently affected remorse had pen.
etrated to his callous heart. But, like Pha.
roah, he soon steeled himself against the re.
proaches of conscience, and he raised his
head and braved the worst.
On reading the llth specification, in which
he is charged with numbering an old man
named Kizer and his little daughter he
shook his head; and on reading the 5th spe.
cifcation, in which he is charged with muir
dering three soldiers of the Union army, he
turned to the Colonel and said:
81 could tell it better than that, Colonel. ~
II presume you could, was the reply; and
the reading was continued.
From the 18th specification to the end he
nodded his head at the close of each, in nc.
acknowledgement of his guilt-or rather, as he
claimed, in acknowledgment of his exploits
in legitimate warfare.
his LAST SPEECH.
After Col Shafter had finished the read
ing, he turned to the prisoner and said
'In obedience to this order, Mr.. Ferguson
Il Is my duty to execute you
II know it, responded the prisoner.
"Do you blame me ?" inquired the Colonel
mot particularly" was the response.
Have you anything to say ?"
81 can't speak much,' said the prisoner
81 did some of the acts charged, but not all
some know nothing about. l desire Colo
mel, not to have my body cut up by the doc.
tors, but want to have it put in that thing
| (pOinting to his cOfin,) and taken to the
graveyard in White county, Tenn, and laid
there. You won't have me cut up, will y0
| Colonel ?"
NO. responded Col. shafter; "you shall
not be cut up; your body shall be sent tc
your friends. Have you anything more tC
say"
"Well, whenever you say stop, I'll stop,
said the doomed man; II am under your con
troll; wouldn't be here if l could help it.
!
| am, and can't help it; but you would no
have my body cut up; would you, ColOnelN
The Colonel again assured him that his re
mains should be given to his family.
81 have continued the prisoner "some
as good friends as any man; but they cam
help me now. All have to say is, dom
want to be cut up by the doctors; will yol
put my body in that thing again pointing
to his coffin" and send it to White county
Tennessee, and have it buried in the ole
graveyard there ?"
The Colonel again assured him that h
would accede to his request.
The cap of death was then drawn dow
over his face, and Colonel Shafter said:
Have you anything to say if you have
say it now, and we will wait on you"
Raising his head toward heaven, he said
| in n solemn tone:
Lord have mercy on me, pray you
and as his voice ceased, by stroke of tn
axe, the support was severed, and tho drOl
fell, and the prisoner was suspended between
heaven and earth.
The drop fell at precisely twenty minute
before twelve, and he remained hanging
twenty-five minutes, when the body was Gu
down and laid in the coffin and conveyed
away His neck was broken and he blet
profuscIy at the nose. After he fell his bod
moved but twice, and that slightly, so grea
was the shock of the descent.
On being asked concerning his politica
faith Ferguson said, II die a rebel"
While on the scafTold, Ferguson recognize,