Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-02-15

rived ut City Point for the purpose OF
conveying the federal prisoners to An
napolis. This good news was soon fol
lowed BY an order for al the captains
III the prison TO report in one OF the
lower rooms. This following so close
upon the news Of the arrival OF the
nag-of-trucc boat was regarded rs still
more encouraging. The prisoners con
cludcd that the captains were ordered
downfor the purpose Of being parolcd
preparatory to being conveyed 70 the
boat, and that other officers would soon
follow. The officers who had been left
were in Il state Of intense anxiety to
learn what disposition was to be made
Of the captains. They waited above an
hour III this state Of suspense when al
the captains returned except two but
not in the same high spirits III which
they had left but, on the contrary, in
the deepest gloom. They had been
forced to draw III II lottery in which the
prize was death Two Of their number
had drawn this prize. These were
Capt. Henry w. Sawyer, Of the First
New Jersey cavalry, and John y. Finn,
ofthe Fifty-frsl Indiana infantry.
When the captains had reached the
room designated, the commandment of
the prison informed them that he had u
very painful duty 10 perform; that he
had been ordered that all the captains
should draw lots to ascertain which two
of them should be hung, by way ofrc-
tlliation for the spies hung by General
Il. InI In
name OF each on small slip of paper
and deposited it in box he then in
formed them that they could select one
Of their own number to draw two names
from the box, and that the two thus
drawn would suffer death by hanging
After consultation they concluded that
the lots should be drawn by Rev. Mr.
Brown, the venerable chaplain Of the
Fifth Maryland infantry, who WAS ac-
cordingly sent for md consented to
perform The solemn work, and the re-
sub was that Captains Sawyer and
Finn drew the prize Of death. After
this all the captains, save Sawyer and
Finn, were returned to their former
quarters. The latter were escorted to
General Windcr'S headquarters, where
sentence Of death by hanging was for
mnlly passed upon them, TO take place
nj some time and place to be named by
President Davis. They were returned
to the prison and confined to the cells
for some days, but after 4 time they
were permitted IL remain with the
other officers during the day but fa4tcn-
cd in cells during the night.
The authorities Of the federal govern
mcnt, upon learning of the condemna-
ton Of Sawyer and Finn, and believing
the condemnation to be gronndlcss, i'm
mcdntcly ordered Gen. lit1Eugh Leo
and Capt. Windcr, son Of Gen. Windcr,
who were then confederate prisoners in
the hands of the fedcrals, into close CON
iincmcnt, and informed the confcder-
ate authorities that if Sawyer and
Finn were executed lee and Winder
should suffer death III the Same man
nor. When the confederate authorities
learned this they modified their treat
mcnt Of Sawyer and Finn, and placed
them on the same footing with other
federal prisoners. After this but little
WAS ever heard Of the matter The day
Of execution was never named by the
confederate president. Sawyer and
Finn were parolcd with others and sent
To Annapolis by tlng-oI-uruce boat on
the lth Of March, 1864.