Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-03-13
doomed 10 Die.


being, doomed by merciless court-mar-
tial to die; to leave the bright and beauti-
full world around him, and to be ushered
alone into I" the valley of the shadow
of death.n A noble looking man he was,
as he stood there unmoved amid the enc
mics that surrounded him, and haughly,
half sad half defiant expression rested
upon his handsome, daring face.
He was Union spy, captured in the
Confederate lines, and bearing upon his
person reasonable papers sufficient to have
condemned regiment. He had made q
good fight, but was at last overpowered,
the papers found upon him, and. after n
speedy trial, was condemned to die.
/ had formed one of the cOurt-martial.
and though 1 new that the crime of
being a spy was punishable with DEATH
yet had / sought to have him spared. i
was young, for it was the first few months
of our civil war, and was not as used to
deeds of blood as became in after years |;
and, besides, the spy was young and hand
some, 10y his department evidently a
gentleman, and his reckless bravery had
won my admiration.
Night-fall came upon our camp, and the
following morning the spy was to be called
out and shot. Il had been appointed to
take charge of the execution, and seated
in my tent, was MISUNDERSTANDING of
the unpleasant duty was to perform on
the morrow. ..
Lieutenant, note for you, sir"
l started as the orderly's voice broke the
Stiffness Of the night, and taking the out
stretched note, read
Pardon me for disturbing your slumbers,
but as you command the detachment that
will tomorrow usher my soul into eterni-
ty, would see you'll your duties as an Of
ficer do not urge to the contrary. Hoping
you will grant this favor, 1 remain with
respect. WILBUR HAYES.
carefully read the note over twice, and
lien said to the orderly:
Say that will Gomez
n few moments later, and stood in til e
presence of the condemned man. ...-.
Mr.. Hayes, you sent for me ~
" did, Lieutenant; and it was because
of your Kindness to me during the trial,
and also that saw in your eyes pity for
my fate"
1 do feel for you-from my heart 1 do,
and sincerely wish had not the unpleas-
ant duty devolving upon me of ordering
your execution tomorrow"
have a favor to ask of you, sir; to
please order the guard to remove some dis
lance from the tent, as it is a confession 1
wish to make.n
/ gave q command to the guard to retire
few PAGES, and returning TO the tent
Hayes at once began: .,.-...
am no spy, sir; but am condemned
upon circumstantial evidence. came in
to the Confederate line to visit my mother,
who lives in the South, although she is
Union in her feelings. After q visit to
her of few days, | started to return, and
by the roadside came upon dying man,
clad as Confederate soldier Imagine
my surprise to recognize in him noted
spy OF our own army, and also recognizing
me, he informed me that he had been
wounded the night before, by being fired
upon by a party of Confederate cavalry,
and had ridden on until he could go no
further. He knew he was to die, and en-
trusted to my care the papers he had about
him. / watched over the poor fellow un-
til he died, and then, following out shall
low grave, -.. a..
. Left him alone in his glory,
and proceeded on my way.
I have little more to add, except that
am Major of cavalry in the United
States Army, and wish that you will take
my private papers from me after am dead,
and send them to an address will give
you. Now this is all L ask, except that
you will send me pen and ink by the or
derby when you return"
Thus we parted, and finding q scout
awaiting me at my tent upon my return L
gave him pen, ink and paper, and ordered
him to ride over to the tent where the
doomed man was with them, and tell the
guard to release his hands of the shack
les while he wrote, but to keep a close
watch upon him.
A few minutes after 1 was startled by
loud shout, one, two, three shots in rapid
succession, and then the rapid rush of
hoOfs by nay quarters. / was Just in time
to see the scouts horse dash swiftly by,
and recognize by the moonlight, the COM
manding form of Wilbur Hayes, the
Union spy in the saddle.
Men mounted in hot haste, and chase
commenced, but the daring soldier escaped
and thus saved himself from the death of a
spy.
Upon inquiry learned that when the
manacles had been removed from his wrist
Hayes, watching his opportunity, with
two rapid blows struck the guard and the
scout to the ground, and springing lightly
on the back of the scouts horse, rode rap
idly away, followed by the shots from the
sentinels in the immediate yicinity.-Col
Pre1ltiss Jngrahon, tCenfederdte.)
o-@-e--
The Poet at breakfast table gives this
vivid description of the manner in which
girl of the period makes ready to play
and plays her grand piano: -
III was young woman, with as many
white muslin fiounces round her as the
planet Saturn has rings, that did it. She
gave the music-stool q twirl or two and
fiuffed down on to it like a whirl of soap
suds in hand-basin. Then she pushed up
her cuffs as if she was going TO fight for
the champions belt. Then She worked her
wrists and her hands, to timber 'em,
suppose, and spread out her fingers till
they looked as though they would pretty
/,