Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-02-03
[oRrGrNAL.]
SENTENCED TO BE SHOT.
HutSnyed on a Technically by GEN.
eral Robert Il. Lee.

AIRY battle OF rieoeli'hso'iS
Louisiana Brigade, commanded by
General Nichols, was in its winter
ouarters, at Camp Seymour. which
was located near the Rappahannock.
The winter had been spent in drilling
and disciplining the troops, who had
lust gone through the memorable cam
paipps of 1862. The General Court
Martial of Stonewall Jackson's corps
had been in almost daily session dur
inc that period of inactivity which
followed the thrilling dramas en-
acted In the valley of the Shenandoah,
around Richmond, at Manassas, in
MARYLAND and on Marye's heights.
Among those brought to trial wasa
private soldier, Patrick -, OF the
Shepard Guards, Co. A, of the 10Th
Regiment of Louisiana Infantry, who
had deserted his command to enlist
as substitute in another.
The evidence against the accused
was overwhelming, and offered no nit
ipatinc circumstances. Accordingly,
the members of the Court unanimous
ly declared him guilty of the charge
and of the specifications. Patrick
was therefore duly sentenced "to be
shot to death with musketry at such
time and place as the Commanding
General might designate"
We well remember the evening Of
that cloudy, wintry day, when the
10th Infantry, numbering about three
hundred and fifty. muskets, stood
aligned for dress parade on the drill
ground. A squad, commanded by
the Lieutenant of the guard, had
brought the condemned soldier, in front
and facing the left of the line. The
men, in thoughtful silence, were lis
tepinc to the reading of the orders o
the day, by Adjutant Henry Plussan
of New Orleans. At last that office
drew forth the one which spoke OF tn
trial of private Patrick --, of 20
A, 10th Regiment of Louisiana Infant
~, charged and found guilty, ant
sentenced to be shot to death wit
musketry." "The ,chole Court con
curing in the sentence"
At this solemn moment a thrill
commiseration went through ever
one of those stout hearts who had III
ainchingly faced death at the Cal
mons mouth. Every eye was turne
toward the condemned, who wa
CHASTITY pale. Just then, the Adj
tant, after pause, began to read al
other paper. Soon his words Dire
the attention of the men upon him.
The paper, emanating from Gener
Lee, said, in substance, that the tim
ING of the Court was approved, b
the Judge Advocate, in framing
report had violated the formula
the articles of war, which speclt
that when more than twO-thirds OF
Court Martial have pronounced
accused to be guilty, III order
to expose the members who ha
thus voted, he shall merely st;
that t,co-thirtls concurred in the sc
tence. In this case, by stating tt
the uhole Court had voted for
death penalty, every member
known to have thus decided. l
sentence was accordingly invalidat
and iuasmuch Us no accused could
tried twice for the same Otfense,
vate Patrick - was dlschar
and ordered to report for duty to
Captain of his Company.
The last words had scarcely ia
from the lips of the Adjutant,
cheer after cheer for General
went up from the Regiment, man,
whose members, after the dismi
of the parade, surrounded their err
comrade, to congratulate him and
him be true, hereafter, to his
and to the cause.
1t was some time before Pat
could speak when he did so he S
GLOW lucky it was that all the II
bers of the Court fourd me guilty
asingle one of them had voted o
wise, my days would have been ]
bered."
We have cited this incident
hof q