Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-01-18

man 10 sucn hopeless, bottomless doom
If only be had fallen on some fierce
battle field, madly striking for bis coun-
try! If only he had been slain on the
picket line plotting the grand old army
to victory! If he could have died in the
hospital, wasted away by ..ineurable
wounds or disease. or been sacrificed in a
southern prison. enduring outrage and
starvation with fortituds born of honor
and patriotism If only in any way lis
blood might have beea reckoned as
part of the price paid for liberty aud free
government!
But no-none Of these. The very
record of his country's cause, and his
faithful years of untiring service, were
to be blotted out! His memory WAS to be
| blacksued forever, and his name to be
come legacy of shame to bis children;
and yet they knew he was conscious of
no crime!
Was il possible to save him in any way
Could he be pardoned or his sentence be
renowned? Yes, but only one man
could do 1.-THE General. Would he do
hi Only one man in all the command
could ask it and hope to be hsard--the
Lieutenant Colonel. Would he do IT'D
The days of respite passed rapidly,
and the anxiety aud sympathy for the
doomed man constantly increased in a
cumulative ratio. At last the indispens-
able man arrived at headquarters, with
petition for pardon" and asked the
staff To sign it. Every valid reason that
could be found was urged, and he went
away with all our names. He Jared tie
same at brigade headquarters; and by
the time be reached commanders of regi-
ments, who al signed it, the report had
rejoiced the heart of every tent squad in
the whole division. They kneso it would
be granted. The General could not avoid
il; he wouldn't dare to shoe. him in the
face of that list of names. There was a
threat Of vengeance lurking in every ex
preston of JOY. If If"
Armed with the petition, the Lieuten.
tenant Colonel went to the General, and
gathering up all the eloquence of all the
arguments, laid the case before him. He
would "consider the NATTER" aud the
Colonel was dismissed.
A day passed by without an answer.
Another, and still no reply. The third
some anxiety was manifested. The
fourth, the soictude increased On the
fifth day, the old fear seized them. The
sixth-not word spoken-to morrow
"betwesn the tours of ten and twelve
O'Clock -" They lay in squads. scat
tered through the camps. talking until
late into the night, not caring to sleep;
and the reveMe seemed to break in upon
their first nap
The morning wore away in the midst
of its usual dnles.
Seven o'clock -breakfast. There WAS
the usual hum throughout the camps the
neighiug of the horses, and the voices of
the men calling back and forth, rs they
strapgled in, each to his own mess =
Once more, AS they drank their coffee and
ate their hard bread aud bacon. grumbl
ipgly den0uncing the short comings of
the commissariat, they wondered if it
were yet possible for the General to
speak.
Eight o'clock -sick call The order
lies reported their latest candidates, the
surgeons prescribed, and the hospital
stewards provided for them; and the sick
men, lying on their cots in anguish,
turned to inquire of their new neighbors
if the word had yet been spoken.
Nine o'clock guard mounting. The
first sergeauts hastily summoned their
/" details" and reported to the adjutants
on the parade grounds. The ceremony
over, the corporals proceeded TO post the
first " relief" and each man, as he re
signed bis charge and "fel in" at the
rear, eagerly asked for the nows.
Nine and half o'clock-the bugls
sounded boots and spurs
There were no more questions. From
the mere force of habit the men obeyed
the summons. and by ten O'Clock the
whole division was in motion. Silently,
sullenly, the troops moved away from the
camp, down the main road; and one
brigade after another, regiment by regl-
ment, were formed in hollow square
around vacant sugar field, adjoining
the town. The General and staff passed
though the line, moved forward to the
center of the square, and being drawn
up in line. awaited the appearance of the
solemn cortege.
Slowly down the road from the gusrd
house il came, entered the square, and
marched along the inward facing lines of
troops, entirely around the space-tbe
guard, the firing party with arms revers-
ed, the wagon drawn by four large horses.
with their sad faced driver seated above;
and in the wagon, with their arIDs pin
toned behind them, each on his own cof
fin, facing the rear, rode two men, and
took their last leave Of their comrades.
The second man was private from
the Fourth Cavalry. and was tired and
condemned BY the same court as the SER
geant, for desertion-the third or fourth
offenss. He had been vagabond Grim
inal before he became soldier; and
never having been patriot, he was a
character from the first. and was paying
the Just penalty for his crimes without
even the pity and COMMUNICATION OF his
own mess mates.
The sunshine; the cloudless sky; tbs
songs of the birds; the graceful swaying
| of Tho Ioro, fao,aons If Snanish uoss in