The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-01-15
DEATH-SENTENGE RE-
VERSED.
The Hero of Southern Illinois.
EGYPT, ILL.,, Nov. %. 1881.

| OND~@ @Ns00SAJ 0oyS6 0Oy5p ootC
Col. Baker, the Chairman of the
Cairo IN Lecture Association.
He's joined the church now, but
be always takes care of everg
drunken man he sees. See, he's
putting Whiskey Bill into his wagon
now."
but Why does be interest himself 60
for Whiskey Bill?" | asked.
well, as I was saying, the Captain
USED TO be a drinker and fighter
himself. He was sentenced to be
shot once in the army for fghtiug.
He struck an Office 90 a
druuken frolic and
Glow dill the Captain escaped"
| asked.
"Well," said tee Colonel, "Mason
with g dozen fellows from the Hick-
DRY Bayou enlisted in my regi-
ment. He was splendid soldier
always ready for battle.-ope of the
best men in my regiment, hut he
would have his sprees. One day.
about three weeks before the battle
Of Mission Ridge. Mason brought a
canteen of whisky into camp. and
always generous, went TO giving it to
the boys. This Was against orders;
so I ordered my Major to arrest him
and put him in the gusrd-house.
Mason found out that the Msjor was
after him with squad Of men, and,
fall OF deviltry, he commenced
lodging around behind the tents to
keep from being arrested. But
pretty quick in trying to keep away
from the rren, he ran equare against
the Major"
Here, you rascal ~ said the
Major, selzing him by the coat-collar.
without giving him chance to ex-
plain. ''Now you walk to the
gdard- house! I'll fix you, you scoun-
drel ~
"But, in the excitement of the
moment, Mason knocked the Ma
jor fiat. aud then he went and gave
bimsel: up"
''Wnst was done about it Pr
[ asked.
Veil, Mason was tried before a
courtmartial for striking a superior
officer, sentenced to be shot, and
the sentence was sent to Gen. JEFF G. !
Davis to be approved. Then poor
Mason vas imprisoned on bread and
water, with a ball and chain to
each foot"
did Gen. Davis approve the
sentence p
Eyes. he approved It,"
"But how did Mason escape
being shot?"
"Well, the mex. day, before the
approved sentence arrived, came
the battle OF Mission Ridge, and
Cur regiment was ordered forward.
Mason, of course. was in the rear,
uud der guard, with a ball chained to
his ankles. We heard the Rebel
cannon In front all the forenoon.
We knew there was big battle on,
and we needed all our men. So l
rode over to the guard-house and
told Mason that we would have to
Leave bin behind alone with his
ball and chain on till the battle
was over"
"Let me go with the boys.
Colonell" pleaded Mason, II don't
want to see the boys in a fight with
out me-"
"But you might escape, Mason.
You know there is a sentence
hanging over you"
"'By heavens, Colonel you amt
going to let the boys go into this
fight without mel and the tears
came to his eyes.
"'Got to Mason. 1 sai1. 4 can't
trust you
"Then," continued the narrator.
"the order came from Gen. Davis
for our regiment to move uD and
charge a Rebel redoubt, and the
boys dashed forward. It was an aw
ful fight. Twice they en6laded us,
and the Rebel bullets moved down
our men By dozens. while the
Rebel flag still waved on the redoubt.
Colonel, you must capture that
redoub. ! was the order that came
from Gen. Davis.
"Our men were now badly tired
out, and the dead and wounded lay
all around us; but 1 got our men
together, and made the final charge.
Gods what q charge My horse
was killed under me. The men
went forward in shower of bullets.
thought they were going straight
for that flag; then all ct once they
wavered. The bullets few like rain.
and the advance men were all shot
down. There was no one to lead,
and 1 thought ell was lost. Just
then saw a man come rushing up
from the rear. He grabbed q dead
soldiers repesting.rifle, pushed
right through the dead and dying,
reached the head, and pushed up
the redoubt. The boys saw him,
took courage, and followed. In q
moment saw the brave fellow swing
his rife around him on the top of
| the redoubt, grasp the flagstaff and
break it of, while the boys struggled
up the side and emptied their guns
into the retreatiDg Rebels.
"The day was ours AS l came
Up | shouted
as GCF1La .ooLz 4La e., howell -