Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-06
A THRILLING SCENE.
The Newport Guard Firing Upon
swimming Deserter.


From the Cincinnati Commercial. 3D.
Last evening, between first and second
calls for sunset dress parade at the New
port Barracks, there was enected little
military life-drama, that in some of its
surroundings was quite thrilling.
VIM. Bache, private, U. S. A., had
been tried as a deserter the day previous
and condemned by the Post Court Mar
tial to one years imprisonment at hard
labor.
At the hour mentioned he had been
sent down, with others, to the edge Of
the Licking river TO assist in the filling
Of the tubs, on which the garrison is now
dependent for its water supply, armed
sentinels, as usual, accompanying the
party. ...s3..
In the regular army man attempting
to desert in the face Of the guard knows
we'll exactly what he risks, and Bache,
with courage worthy better cause,
boldly took his life in his hand, when a
moment after reaching the bank he
plunged headlong into the stream, and
began swimming upward and outward.
The sentinels fred hastily and care
lessly, as seems to be usual with them
lperhaps more to give the alarm than
With any desire to kill and missed the
strong swimmer, who rapidly widened
the distance between himself and dan
ger. BY the time therefore that "The
Guard who were al, muskets in hand,
prepared to join in the parade, and who
rushed to the bank upon the alarm of
firing being heard-were prepared to
open upon the deserter, the latter was
about eight hundred yards up the stream
and well away toward the Coyington
shore.
When the guard opened FIRE, there was
rattle Of musketry like that which,
coming from the skirmish line, was so
familiar TO all who participated in the
late war, and the bullets fell thick and
fast arodnd the head Of the swimmer.
The excitement at this moment was
intense. The banks Of the river, on the
Coyington side, were crowded with peo-
pie assembled as usual 10 hear the music
Of the band at parade and subsequently
on the esplanade. On the Newport
side, there thronged eagerly the hundreds
Of men, women and children, who had
come to witness the military display,
little expecting to be present at shoot
ing trial in which the target was a human
life.
THE sympathies Of the people seemed
TO be with the deserter, as with that in
stinctive sympathy given by Americans
to all who struggle toward liberty, and
many a heart beat hard and fast as
Bache, reaching the shore unhurt, rose
erect, and paused exhausted, or. perhaps,
with a wonderful presence Of mind that
saved his life. Certain is it that the
slightest movement toward further escape
would have been the signal for his death,
for twenty muskets had the range Of his
body, now wholly exposed TO the fire.
At the command Of the officer Of the
day, the guard ceased firing, but kept
their mark covered, while detail Of
four men went over in a skiff and recap
tured the desperate prisoner, who was
brought back and placed in irons.
The spectators scarcely breathed freely
until those in the boat had reached the
erect dripping figure that stood motion
less as a statue while the pursuers ap-
preached, and had returned TO the New
port shore.