Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-01-23

DOR, and When the Federal army returned to
Greenbrier, in June, this negro boy went off to
them, and gave them information. Search was
made and the remains found. Mr.. Creigh
made candid statement of the whole occur
renee to the military authorities, declaring that,
he considered himself justified in what he had
done, and that he would do the same thing to
any of them or to any soldier Federal or Con-
federate under the same circumstances. After
his arrest, they took his wife and two daugh-
ters, about ten o'clock at night-very dark );
compelled them to ride behind their guard on
horseback four miles to head quarters They
did not, however, ask them question, nor
were they even permitted to see Mr. Creigh-
He requested that his excellent friend and neigh
! Dor, Mr.. John W. Dunn, should appear as a
witness. They sent for him, but wouldnot per-
NIT him to answer a single question.
! They departed from the neighborhoOd of
/ Lewisburg the next day, leaving Mrs Creigh
and her two daughters to go on foot to that
place., flour miles distant. Mr. Creigh, they
marched on foot to Staunton, distance Of one
hundred miles, and where the forces under
| Ayerill were joined by the army under Hunter.
He wrote letter to his wife, in which he speaks
posing, however, that it was probably Staunton
He exhorts her to bear up under the trial. ho-
/ ping to meet his family soon again on earth
at all events in a better world. This is about
all the information his friends have concerning
him, till the time of his end. The few facts
known concerning his murder We now proceed
| to relate.
The Army of General Hunter left Staunton
on Friday, June the 10th, proceeding up the
Valley towards Lexington, by various roads. -
| On Sunday evening, the 18th, Gen. Averill en-
camped on Hays Creek about two miles below
Brownsburg. The spot selected was the home
Il L L IL I L I'll.
and, ever since his death, by his son-in-law and
the Rev. James Morrison. The tent Of Gen
AveriH was pitched ip his yard. About dark
a rather elderly looking person knocked at the
door, announcing himself as the Rev. Mr. Os-
| born, from Union Town, PENNSYLVANIA, Chap
lain of the Federal Army. He requested to see
Mr.. Morrison, stating that they had with the
army citizen Of Greenbrier county whose name
was Creigh, that he was under sentence of
DEATH and was about to be executed. (H!s
doom had just been announced to him He
also said Mr. Creigh had mentioned that he
was well acquainted with Mr.. Morrison, had Of
ten heard him preach, and that, in the imme-
| diate prospect Of death, he had sent to ask an
interest in his prayers He stated farther, in
answer to inquiries on that point, that no COM
munication with the prisoner would be permit
ted He was kept under strict guard in ne
gro cabin close by and though repeated efforts
were made that night to visit him, they were
in vain 1t was at this awful hour and imme-
diatey after knowing his fate, that Mr.. Creigh
wrote his beloved wife the following letter, from
which we omit only few matters relating to
bis private aftalrs-
! JUNE 10th, 1864.
Dear Emily i arrived this evening at the
Rev. James Morrison's, in Rockbridge county.
After eating my supper was taken into house,
and the sentence pronounced that | was to be
hung. ] was not permitted any counsel In my
case.
wish you, my dear beloved wife, to bear up
under this dreadful bereavement; you and all
the children bear up under this as well as they
can, and all try to meet me in heaven. | am
meeting death with calmness, believing and
trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour
of sinners. My sincere wish is that all my
brothers and sisters may meet me in heaven.
In my sentence it was read that the house
was to be burned to the ground, but the gem
tlemen that brought lie. this paper said that
part Of the sentence would pot be carried out.
| hoped that | would once more see you all on
earth, but it is decreed otherwise, and l have
to submit, | wish my remains to be removed
and laid by the side of our father and mother S,
as soon as convenient
The execution viii take place in few min
utes. The Rev. A. G. Osborn has prayed for
me before commenced writing.
sent for him this minute, and he and Pro
vost Marshal came in together, and Provost
Marshal was authorized to say the execution,
if wished, should not take place uatil daylight,
which accepted: that much more time to of
fer up prayers to God, for myself and dear be-
/ loved wife, and children to meet me In heaven.
My dear brother Lewis, know how this will
affect you You know all about my business.
4 ] wish my beloved son
Cyrus, if he is spared through this dreadful
war, to manage my business with your assis-
tance; as dutiful a son as ever lived, and Unjust
say so for all my sons and daughters. [ now
! leave you, Cyrus, Thomas, Charles, Rufus Da-
vid, Christopher, Loekhart, Egbert, Margaret,
Mary and Elizabeth leave you with your Chris
tan mother. God be your stay and support,
trusting in God. and preparing to meet me in
heaven.
DAVID S. CREIGH.
The next morning little after sunrise he was
4 brought out and under guard, put intQ wagon
and conveyed up a little vale to a spot about a
quarter Of mile north of the house, and in full
view of it. There upon tree, close by a foun-
tain known as the big spring, was this most
infamous deed Of demons, in the shape of men
perpetrated, and their malice gratifed
| About nine clock that day. as the army be-
gan to move, the chaplain again knocked at the
door to inquire whether the family were aware
of the solemn event which had taken place
He expressed the strong impressions he had re-
ceived of Mr. Creigh being good man, and
bore testimony to the perfect composure and
christian spirit with which he met his death
(Some Of the private soldiers took occasion tc
declare their opinion that the execution was nc
better than murder; that in killing the soldier
he had done no more than he was bound to do
He stated also that it was his request that his
remains might be left SO that his friends could
obtain them, and, as soon as the army departed
the body left hanging on the tree might be ta-
ken down. This was accordingly DONE The
wife Of the venerable minister Che being in very
feeble health could not assist, with such assis-
tance as could be commanded, proceeded to at
tend at once to this mournful office. The body
was taken down, wrapped in a blanket, and put
into grave dug on the spot, until better al.
rangements could be made. In the disturbed