Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-02-13
now Deserter from the Array Of the
Potomac Came Back 70 Ezls Death.

RO9Omac came BACK 10 kAa6 OeAeho
'sDo you want to hear of a singular
story 80 said Ed. Swan. as biting of the
end of cigar and carefully lighting it, |
he settled himself back in big arm chair |
preparatory to having good smoke. 'tOf
enurse,'' was the quick response. eat
the beginning of the war lot of us New
Yorkers. living in Cherry Valley, en-
listed, aud among our number was man
who went by the name of William Allen.
Our regiment was sent to the army of the
Potomac, and the excitement of army
life soon reconciled us TO the great
change from our former peaceful pur-
suits. Several months went by, and de-
sertions began to be quite numerous. At
roll call one morning, Allen, who had ae-
quired the name of slippery, was miss
ing and the boys were of one mind that
'Old Slippery had deserted, as he was
known to have been alive and well the
evening before. In the whirI of battles.
skirlnishes, foraging and camp-1ife he
was quickly forgotten, and time rolled
along. When the call for more troops
was issued, our regiment (Which by this
time was pretty well thinned out) was
gladdened by the intelligence that its
number would be filed up, and full ranks
would again be shown.
FfFinally the day came, and we were
notified that we could look for the new
recruits that evening. Sure enough, af-
ter dark they came tramping along, and
their names being taken they were put in
tents to sleep. Twas just getting ready
to go to bed when our orderly sergeant
called out, Lieutenant, can I come in ?''
Upon being answered yes, he entered,
and with grin spread all over his face,
said: Guess who one of our new re-
cruits is gavei up, and he insisted
upon my going with him to see. We
went to one of the tents, and Reese, who
had lighted lantern with him, sticking
lin his head, called out: is Newton here?'
No answer. He called out the second
time and much louder, SIS Newton here p
At this head raised up, and answered,
sYes, Newton's beside me- After lit
tie shaking Newton raised up, and rub
bing his eyes, as man does when awak-
ened from a sound sleep, said: 'sThat's
my name, who wants me?' Reese held
his lantern up, SO that had a good look
at the mans face, and at the time re-
marked, lieutenant, that's old friend
Slippery Sure enough, it was Slip
perry; and as the cuffs were slipped on
his wrists he remarked: Il am afraid il
will go hard with me, won't it p to which
we answered in the affirmative. He was
then put in the guard house. Charge:
were specified and made, a court-martial
convened, and Slippery was sentenced
to be shot. Some of US asked him wha
} induced him to enlist again. His answer
was as follows:
CATER deserving he had gone bael
home, moved his family to the western
part of the State, and gone to farming
} After working nine or ten months h
heard that by enlisting he could obtain
J bounty Of thousand or fifteen hundred
. dollars. This temptation he could no
withstand, and donned the blue again
: It then seemed as though sure fate wa
: behind and pushing him on. Along witt
: others he was sent into camp. and after
: a short time he was sent to Washington
p Remaining there few days he was trans
: ferred to the headquarters of the Potc
: mac army. Here another short delay
: then he found himself assigned wit
e others to corps. More delay, then
8 transfer to division. More time still
and then to brigade. Another stoppage
: then he was sent to a regiment. The
e came the last step, and he was placed i
n a company, and strange to say the yer
j. one from which he had deserted but
1 few months before. hen the day fo
j, his execution came, Slippery was pei
= fectly calm, and showed no signs of fea
It or flinching. The provost marshal tol
? the detail for the shooting to aim at h
!, head and breast and kill at once, and nj
!, show mistaken mercy by shooting owe
- the mans head or by his side. Slipper
K was placed in position, the order ws
It given to aim, and at the drop of hanC
Il kerchief the firing took place. Two bal
IS went into his head and his breast r,
r, ~ceived the remainder.
i 'tReese, who went home on furlougl
h. soon after, called to tell slippery's Wi
: how he met his death, and was astonishe
is when he was through relating the pa
% ticulars to hear from her:
le well, he must have felt pretty ba
= didn't he?' Reese told her that und
d the circumstances he certainly must,''