The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-04-01
A LOTTERY OF DEATH.


A GhaAuy story Of HOsby's Command.
A writer in the Philadelphia Weekly
Times relates the following story of the
war as told to him by a soldier of Mosby S
command:
"On arriving at Rectorville, Virginia,
we found Col. Mosby with full command
drawn up III line, and he himself in con-
sultation with his principal officers. One
OF these finally advanced toward the
squad which guarded the union prisoners
and gave orders to draw them up in line,
The adiutant then rode forward and read
an order stating that seven of our men
having been recently hung by the enemy
it was determined that seven of the pris-
oners should be hung in retaliation, and
that lots for these seven would be I'M
mediateIy drawn. A scene ensued which
viii be impressed upon my memory un-
til the day of my death. A cry of an
guish and CONSERVATION arose from the
unfortunate prisoners. Some implored
the guard to intercede with Col. Mosby
and have them excluded from the draw
ing, two of them declaring that they were
merely suffers, and not fighting men,
never having fired gun at Southern
soldier. Others said they had been
drafted into the Federal army contrary to
their wishes and were friendly to the
South. Others again expressed.a will
ingness to desert that army and join our
standard. While this tempestuous ap-
peal for life was going ON among these
poor fellows, the main body of prisoners
heard the awful sentence with deep de-
lection but sullen resolution.
In the course of twenty minutes,
two officers approached. one of them
holding a hat, in which had been placed
number of wads or balls of paper, cor
responding with the number of prisoners
Seven of these wads were marked The
drawing then commenced, the officer
with the hat requiring the right hand
prisoner to take out ball, which when
drawn he handed to the other officer in
attendance, who on opening pronounced
it to be either blank or otherwise. At
first several blanks were drawn, then
came marked ball, which was drawn
by cavalry soldier of Clusters command
and hailing from Michigan. This man
yerycooly remarked that he was prepared
to die for his country.
80 Six men have now been drawn,
cried the officer with the hat; fone more
must come.' m Efg r
'The next and last victim was o drum
mer-boy, who, upon being informed of his
fate, uttered the most piercing cries, and,
throwing, himself upon the ground, ex-
claimed that he was only drummer-boy
with neither father nor mother, and
begged to bespared. So greatly was the
pity of the officers excited that they i'm
mediately applied to Col. Mosby to spare
this boy He very promptly replied
that be did not know there was a boy
among the prisoners, and ordered that he
should be removed and the drawing
taken overagain. This was done, and on
the second drawing my friend, lieuten-
ant, drew marked ball. I was shocked
by this, and he was greatly distressed,
but exhibited courageous resignation
to his fate Calling to him soldier of
his company, who had also been taken
prisoner, he requested him to take to
his wife an empty pocket-book and pen
souvenirs he had left when condemned
to execution, and that his last thoughts
were with his wife and mother. / was
deeply affected at his fate, and desired
to assist him if possible Whispering to
him, asked him if he was Freemason,
to which he replied in the affirmative.
Immediately after this the guard was
ordered to march off with the seven men
who had been condemned. We pro-
ceeded with them Ct being one of the
guard only few hundred yards, when
we were ordered to halt and await fur
ther orders, and in few moments a
freshly-mounted squad of fifteen men,
commanded by lieutenant and equipped
for raid, approached us, with orders
from Col Mosby that we should be re-
heved from care of the prisoners. Among
the number of this relief gaurd was an
intimate friend of mine, to whom re-
lated the. circumstances in connection
with the lieutenant, and also informed
him that he was Freemason. Being
anxious to learn their destination, /
questioned him about the recent order,
and he informed me that they had been
commanded to take the prisoners across
the mountains and as near to Sheridan 8
headquarters as possible, and there to
hang them. He promised me that he
would do all that he could consistently
with duty in behalf of the condemned
officer. They then proceeded ON their
way, and several days elapsed before I
heard anything of their movements. On
meeting with my friend, he gave me the
following particulars:
"I1hlay reached Paris on the same
night after leaving and were there met
by Capt. Mountjoy, who was returning
from the valley with batch of prison
ers. Being friend of Mountjoy's he
took the first opportunity of informing
him of the situation of the lieutenant
and also informed him that he was a
Freemason, and requested that he would
try to save him. Upon hearing this
Mountjoy requested an interview with
the officer, and Immediately afterward
he crossed the street to where he kept
his own prisoners, and returned with
them. These he presented to the officer
in charge of the prisoners as two @.
Clusters men, whom he wished to sub
st;tlte for the lieutenant. After some
hesitation, and with the condition that
Mountioy should assume all response
bility, the exchange was made.
The officer, after returning earnest
thanks for his life, was hastily transferred
to batch of prisoners under the care of
sergeant, who was told to make all DOS
sible haste to Gordonville, and specially
to get out of 'Mosby's dominions' before
the break of day. The others met their
fate.
Presidents and Their Faith.