The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-01-05
Tw.ce Hung.

The following incident occurred be-
tween one and two years since, on
the Harpeth river, Tenn, near Brent
ford: a detachmento of Union troops
was stationed there, and were sur
prised by the rebel General Wheeler.
There was u considerable amount of
Government property in the care
of the Federals, and doubtless this
was the principal object of the attack.
Every man was ready to fight des.
perately, and every man was consid-
erably surprised when, after com
paratively short combat, a surrender
was sounded by the buglers. Many
were the execrations uttered by the
captured soldiers, at such tame
resistance, or, rather, delivery to the
enemy by their officers. Whether
the rank and file or the commanders
were correct in their Judgment, has
never been settled, but one fact would
seem to place the blame on the lead
or, which was this: After the whole
force had been captured, together
with the government property, and
marched off by the rebels, General
G. G. Smith cfme upon them with
force of only one TO six or eight,
drove them some distance, recaptured
and destroyed the bulk of the stores,
and then fell back in safety until re.
Inducements met him upon which
Wheeler fed.
During this second engagement,
the subject o. our sketch, Thomas
Burton, of Wisconsin regiment,
never ceased TO throw up his cap and
cheer at the top of his voice, though
he was often threatened with death
for so doing by his captors. SAs
long rs our oys-liclk you, Mr.. John
nies!' retortcd he, 81 don't care how
often you kin me. II we hadn't been
surrendered, we would have thrashed
you ourselves. Hip, hip, hurrah!
Ila! that $ beautiful; give it to them.
| Put the forks Int .,------- ,'iA.-
Steal, but can't stand the steel
Thus he. continued 10 shout until
the rebels, being forced to retreat,
they carried him along with them; he
meyer ceased to cheer for the Union,
and to taunt them with cowardice.
AS soon as Il halt was made, the Con-
federatcs, enraged at their defeat,
and still more enraged at losing the
baggage they had taken, began to
wrchk their malice upon their pris-
oners. Burton was speedily selected
as sacrifice, and was taken by five
or six rebels INTO thicket. a
Here they subjected the brave man
to every torture and indignity they
could think of until at last he could
not stand up. But, faint and wound
e | ms he was, he continued TO defy
them. Lets hang him just little,
that'll convert mm!" suggested one
Of the iiends Instantly q rope was
procured, thrown across q limb, Il
moose made, and Burton run up, his
head striking the limb with violence.
Then he WAS let down, and asked il
he would recant. With just sense
and strength left to say one word, he
replied, "No." "rhen let's hang the
id Yankee, anyhow, and be done
with 1t - exclaimed two or three oe
the villains. Up went the poor victim
again; the slack of tie rope was fas-
tened about the trunk OF q tree, and
and the cowardly murderers rode
OH.
just as they got out OF sight, a
poor negro woman, who Glanced to
be in the woods, and who had seen
thc hellish deeds, ran out and cut
the rope. The victim, who fell to the
earth at once, was black in the face,
and his tongue and eyes protruded.
Bat there were yet signs OF life, and
the negress-a stout, strong woman
49, took the body up in her arms and
carr led it half mile away to Il hut.
Here some simple restorative recov.
cred Burton, aud in day or two he
was sufficiently strong to make His
way to camp. In gratitude TO his
preseryer he took her and her son, q
boy of sixteen, with him, paid their
passage to Wisconsin, and directed
Chem whore to get constant work.