Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-08-13

M& 5AM HH& " Il
Cot HenTyr W,Sawyer. Rhulpss iate-
EblSn appointed dTterinfsndent OF She
l~ffe-sSRinR appaFatusOnatheNe Jersey
coast, once passed through a very psrf-
lOuS adventure. He was among she
Federal prisoners in Libby Prisons at
the time when the Confederate Govern
ment determined to retaliate 10 kind
b execution Of two Rebel o~f1eAFs by
one cur Western Generals. Mr.. Saw
yer was at that time a Gaptain III the
LIST New Jersey Cavalry, and was Of the
grade of officers from whom srneofibns
were to be made for the victims aCbn-
ifedeFate Vengeance. The OfnrAF pFho
WAS in charEe of the prisoners 81ahRf
time, was q kind-hearted aud 9Qraeable
man. and was regarded by them with
feelings ofgratitHde and affection. On
the morning tnquestioH this oficer en-
tered The room where the prisoners
were c0nfned, and told all the Officers
TO walk out into another room. This
order was obeyed with particufaralaeri-
~, as the prisoners were daily uexuec-
Sing to be exckanEed,& Rnd It. was Sup
posed that the order had arrived, and
that6hey were about to exchange their
prison quarters for home D freedom.
After they had all gathered ia the room,
haeiEc -Qunfensnee8 hghtsd up WITH his
agreeable hope, the oGacer came in
gnIong them and with very grove
lace fook,s paper out Ofhis- pocket and
told them thatrne bad avery naelancho-
7 du y to performy the purpOrt Of
which woHld be- better uIderst0od by
b reading OF the order he hBH7 IN his
hand, which, be had just receiEedaF pm
The Wa Observation-Disclosures pFOceed-i
ed to @ 10 the amazed and mortified
group an order for the immediate e&eTa
Gut1on Of two or th-ir numbersin retabd
latiou for the hanging OF E~ohederate
officers. As the reader ceased, men
looked at each other with blsnehed IA
gsesgaud sileneelfke deathepreHA ed
for some minutes 10 the ROOM. Tue
Confederate officer then suggested that
perhaps the better way would beto
place a number OF slips Of paper eqqaI
To- the whole nnmbeF " rgAlcss 1ro9h
WhomtHe victims were 10 be spEeG45
81 & EoZ, aWitHthe Word deaph Yrit@
ten on two CT She1n, andthe resi- 5tank
the two wh0dreW the fataF slips to 0a
the doomed men. This p1an va adop-
ted, and a chaplain was appehgeu. 70
prepare the slips The drawing then
commenced, the men advancthg and
taking OUta Slip and If ithpF0ved to
6ther part of tire roorn The draW1pg
had proceeded for come time, and fuHy
sthErd of the officers bad exohanRed
gloomy looks of apprehension for a re-
lieyed aspectd9they could not avold
showing, after escape from such terri
Bile peril, before the fatal death s4fpAbRd
been drawn. At the. eLd of about TINS
period, however, the first slip was
QF8Wu, ana the uaEl60 OF ECADNaAn hCAAE
W. Sawyer, Ofthe 1st New Jersey CaVai-
ry," was called out as the unfortunate
man. aGaDta ain was, of urse
deeply aRitRt6d, III did not lose his
self-Dossession. HetnmedfatelT began
revolving in his mind some plan .ioT
averting, at least, postpnnanRthe31
mediate carving out ofthe sangu4nsfy
7edict of the Rebel GoVernmentvaud by
the time that be. was joined BY his CON-
panion in misfortune, who tunnel out
to be a Captain FIynn;A of an Indiape
fegiment5 he had resolved upon bis
9ourBe: The afffcerin command, as soon
a. the drawing WITS eoAnplg&ed, ordered
the two men to be taken out and imme
diatPly executed. Capt. Sawyer, hoWev'
eri demanded, as q request that no ciT
HIzed nation could refuse under sucE
mgeumstanees that he shouldhAEe per
mission to write to his wife. to inform
h6f of the terrible fate that awaited HIN
and to have her come on and bid hin
an eternal farewell. Respite for a DAY
or two was thus obtained, and SawYel
subsequently obtained an interview
with the Rebel Secretary of War, ant
secured permission to write to his vie
which he did. His object in Writing K
her was prime pally for our Govefni
ment to be made ~aeQnainted with th'
predicament In which the officers wert
placed3 and to secure hos ages and
threaten retaliation SHOULD the order o.
the Rebels be carrigd out. It turned
out precisely as Sawyer hoped and eX
poGgeQ. YVES tuIO1mte
ofIhe, condition. efR fstTs and pnQHnpty
seisSd a son of Gen. LeeRnd on9 of SOM
other prominent Rehel, and tEreateueC
to hang them if the Union officers werI
executed. By this near the lives o
two doomed men were saved, Rs TIL
Confederate Government did not darl
to carry out their threats After q fev
months moresconfuenent, Capt. Saw
yer was e1changed.a Capt. Flynn, hi
companion is misfortune, came ont Q
the ordeal with his hair a. wh7tea
snow; turned gray by hementaLsnde
fnRs he endured. Capt. SAWYER served
through the War.=TrentoB State JoaT