The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-08-12
A Thrilling MISUNDERSTANDING Lots
for Death.

lately been appointed Superintendent
of the life saving apparatus on the New
Jersey coast, once passed through q
very perilous adventure. He was
among the Federal prisoners in Libby
Prison at the time when the Confeder-
ate Government determined to retaliate
in kind the execution of two Rebel otli-
GERS by one of our Western Generals. -
Mr. Sawyer was at that time n Captain
in the FIRST Cavalry, and was OF the
grade of officers from whom selections
were to be made for the victims to Con-
federate vengeance. The officer who
was in charge of the prisoners ut that
time Was a kind hearted and agreeable
man, and was regarded by them with
feelings OF gratitude and affection. On
the mo rning in question this officer en-
tered the room where the prisoners were
confined, and told all the officers to
walk out into anothe, room. This or
der was obeyed with particular alacrity,
us the prisoners were daily expecting to
! he exchanged, and it was supposed that
| the order had arrived, and that they
were about to exchange their prison
quarters for home and freedom. After
they had all gathered in the room. their
couiitenances lighted up with this
agreeable hope, the officer came in
among them and with Il very grave face
took paper out ofhis pocket and told
them he had a very melancholy duty
to perform, the purport of which would
he better understood hy the reading of
! the order he held in his hand. which he
| had just received from the War Depart
ment. He then proceeded to read to
! the amazed and Mortified group an or
der for the immediate execution of two
of their number, in retaliation for the
| hanging of two confederate officers. As
the reader c. ased the men looked mt
each other with b,anchcd faces, and a
silence like death prevailed for some
minutes in the room. The Confederate
officer then suggested that perhaps the
better way would be to place II number
of slips oipaper equal to the number of
be selected, in u box, with the word
death written on two of them and
the rest blank-the two that drew the
fatal slips to be the doomed men. This
plan was adopted, and a chaplain was
appointed to prepare the slips. The
drawing then commenced, the men ad
vancins and taking out a slip and, if il
proved to be Il blank, taking their places
in another part of the room. The draw.
ing had proceeded for some time, and
fully one third of the officers had ex
changed gloomy looks of apprehension
fora relieved aspect they could rot
avoid showing, after escape from sucl
terrible peril, before Il fatal death sliI
had been drawn. At the end of abou
this period, however, the first slip wa.
drawn, and the name of Captain Hen
ry w. sawyer of the lst New Jerse,
Cavalry" was called out as the untortu
nate man. The Captain was OF course
deeply agitated, but did not lose his sci
possession. He Immediately began re
, volving in his mind some plan for aver
. ing, or at least postponing the immedi
ate carrying out of the sanguinary edic
of the Rebel Government, and 10y tn
the time he was joined by his cOmpan
ion in misfortune, who turned out to b
a Captain Flynn OF an Indiana regimen
he had resolved upon his course. Thu
/ officer in command, rs soon as tn
drawing was completed, ordered tn
G two to be taken out and immediately eS
= ecutnd. Capt. Sawyer, however, dc
| mandci rs request that no civilize
nation could refuse under such circum
4 stances, that he should have permission
# to write to his " lie, to inform her of tn
= terrible fate that awaited him and I
@ have her on hand to bid him an etern:
@ farewell. Respite for IA day or two wa
thus obtained, and Sawyer subsequent
$ is obtained an interview with the Rebt
Secretary of War, and secured permi>
: sion to write to his wife, which he did
II His object in writing was princi pail
It for our government to be made acquaiI
II ed with the predicament in which tn
l. officers were placed, and to secure host
l. ages and threatei retaliation should tn
\ order ofthe rebels be carried out.
turned out precisely as Sawyer hope
q and expected. Our government was il
4, formed OF the condition of affairs, an
% promptly seized Il son of Gen. Lee an
'r one Of some other prominent rebel, an
to threatened to hang them if the Cnio
officers were executed. BY this NEAR
1t the lives Of the two doomed men We
,e saved, n the Confederate governmel
ID did not dare to carry out their threats.
Ia After a few months more c0niin mel
Capt Sawyer was exchanged. CAP
IL Flynn, his companion in misfortun
came out of the ordeal with his hair
- white n snow; turning grey by ment
~ sutlrrings he endured. Captain Sawy
- served throughout the war. Trent
III state Gaeotte.
~
Int
\ young gentleman of Loganspo
Ind, has sued barber fer spelling !