New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-01
A STORY OF THE LOST CAUSE.
The Lost Military Exeeution In the
Confederate Army, ~ Witnessed ~ an
Ex- Confederate,

! a 0TOBY OF THE AOoT OAOSB.
| The Lost Military Exeeutien in tho
CCnfederate Army, Witnessed NJ an
Ex- Confederate
The long and wavering lines Of Lee had, at
| last yielded. Richmond had succumbed
| to inevitable fate and the fortune OF war.
| The conference at Appomattox had taken
place. -,
The Army of Northern Virginia. with its
deeds of heroism and valor, had passed into
history; but there were other armies and
other detachments that were still trying to
uphold the i'll fated banner OF the doomed
Confederacy.
tucky cavalry, which, at the time of the sur
render at AppOmattox, was trying, by forced
marches. to reach Fitzhugh Lees command.
Rumors of the downfall OF the Confederacy
had reached the command, but not through
reliable source. In the meantime many
brave and gallant men, who had met and
defed death in thousand forms, for wnat
they believed to be q sacred cause, had be-
come almost mutinous, and desertions we're
so numerous that the commander was COM
PEELED either to punish the guilty or disDand
the brigade. Thus. after q brief consulta-
ton with his staff, the commander deter
mined to punish those who attempted to de-
sert, and Immediately gave orders to that
effect.
On Saturday night, April TO-, while We
were encamped upon the heights of the
Alleghanies, two brothers, by the name of
IMay-Kentuckians, who had passed three
years battling for the Banner of Right
attempted to. desert and return to their
homes.
They failed in the attempt, and being ar
rested in the very act, were taken to brigade
Headquarters, cOurtmartialed, and SEN
fenced to be executed at eight o'clock
next morning.
''Saddle up" was the order at seven
O'Clock the following morning, and before
golden light Of the rising sun, We were
mounted, formed, and marched forward
half mile. on to plateau of few acres in
| extent, and formed into hollow square,
| fronting inward, and the right open.
| Various rumors were adoat as to what was
| going to transpire. Some thought we were
to receive our long looked for pay others,
| that we were to be disbanded, and few,
that we were to be surrendered.
| But alas no one, save few regimental
| commanders, knew of the horrid scene that
we were drawn up to witness; for few
| minutes after being formed, q squad OF dis
| mounted cavalry emerged from cluster of
timber near by, marched into the centre of
the square, escorting the two prisoners.
The brigade commander and his staff,
being dismounted, marched to- where the
4 Ics
brigade" being given by the adjutant, the
death sentence of the two brothers was read,
and preparations at once made to execute
them.
Immediately after the order was read,
eight files more of dismounted cavalry, with
unloaded carbines, marched into the square,
under the charge of lieutenant and were
brought up in front of the first squad, facing
the prisoners. Their arms were grounded,
and the lieutenant proceeded to load them,
which he did, all save one.
In the meantime the brothers were pre-.
pairing to meet their inevitable fate.
An officer, personal iriend OF sne con.
and talk with them for The last time; ana
BY him they sent loving and dying messages
to their parents far away in their Kentucky
homes.
The squad in front Low stood with their
pieces at shoulder, arms" the squad IN
the rear at "order. arms" In case the first
platoon failed to do the work, they were to
finish it.
Every soldier of the command was now
Ito witness the death of two of their COM
| rades Many wished to dismount that they
might not be compelled to view the dreadful
scene But military law is inexorable, and
all were compelled to witness it:
The prisoners stood before their execu.
7 TONERS with an arm of each bandaged to-
gether-brothers in blood, brothers in arms,
and now soon to be brothers in death. Not
muscle moved, not a cheek blanched, and
each one, throwing the arm that was un-
pinioned around the other, embraced each
other for the last time. At thiS critical and
exciting moment a perfect hum OF
| voices could be heard along the line, and
many out5ursts Of GenunciatiOn could be
| heard, and an enleute seemed to be inevitable,
but these outbursts of disapprobation were
silenced in an instant by the order of the
lieutenant commanding the squad, who gave
the command, "Make ready-take aim
fire!n At the crash Of the rifles the fetters
that bound the condemned together burs.
asunder, and throwing up their arms, they
reeled and fell to the earth, pierced by balls
Immediately the brigade was ordered into
column, and marched by the remains q;
they lay covered with gore.
Apparently but few of the soldiers ex
pected that this horrible massacre would
take place, for they supposed that the com
; mander would respite them even after the
guns we're loaded. But no. To-day, upon
those far.awsy heights, sleep the sleep that
knows no walking, those brave and gallant
boys, who never committed crime. only
the one they paid their lives for, and al
though that wasa crime at sunrise on tht
fatal day, at sunset the sword had decreei
otherwise, for we then had received orueT'
that General Lee had surrendered all tn,
armies of Virginia. Thus ended the las
execution under the government of thu
"Lost Cause"