Mexico weekly ledger., 1883-05-17
BIT OF LOCAL WAR HISTORY,
Dr,W. W. Macfarlane's Thrilling War
Experience..Led Out to be Shot.
Wonderful Nerve.

Many, II not all OF u readers,
have heard of Dr. W. W. Macfarlane's
thrilling adventure during the late
civil wal. You have all heard of it,
and, at the same time, have not heard
the particulars. A LEDGER reporter
has cleaned all the facts he could
without interviewing the Doctor, for
We knew he would give us nothing
for publication.
DR.. Macfarlane and about fifty more
eonfederates were one day fighting
thrice their number of federals near
Moore's mill, in Galloway county,
when the Doctor and Pres. Wilker-
sol were sent out to reconoitre. The
Doctor is color blind, decidedly so.
He had not gone far before he saw
some men in the brush near by, but
as he could not tell blue from gray,
thought they were members Of his
own company. He kept on his way,
when ''spit! spit! spit!" went bullets
by his ears. He thought it was ran
dom shots. He then turned toward
the men and saw that they were
shooting at him, the bullets whistling
uncomfortably close. He kept On to-
ward them shouting, "what in the
devil Cor words to that effect) are
you shooting at me for?" They rush
ed in and captured him before he
found out they were not members of
his own company. He was taken to
Fulton and kept in prison for a time.
He was then brought to Mexico. In a
few days Col. Smart, well-known but
not favorably in Mexico, had an order
for "Macfarlane to be shot" When
the day for the execution arrived, he
was led out near where Mr.. Dunbar's
residence now is in North Mexico.
The guns were loaded, the coffin was
there and Macfarlane had taken his
position, but he never finched. Col.
Smart then began to give him a lee
ture, but the Doctor told him to stop ;
that he orders to shoot him, not to
talk him to death. : The men formed
in line, the order was given to "Make
ready! Take aimi" The Doctor
could hear the locks click, and could
see the caps glisten on the tubes, as
the executioners were only a few feet
distant. Just as the Doctor was
sighting along the dark barrels of the
rifles, and wondering if they would
not shoot below his face, Col. Morsey
stepped out and ordered a halt in the
proceedings, saying that he had an
order for a communication of the SEN
tence to Imprisonment during the war.
Smart had this order several hours
before, but still took the Doctor out,
wishing to give him a good score.
We do not know how badly the Doc.
tor was frightened, but do know that
he did not weaken. He fully expect
ed to die, but saw no way out of it,
and was going to die as he liyed-s
brave man. What a contrast be
was to Smart. After he received
orders to shoot Macfarlane, instead
of telling him, he put him through al
the above torture, which amounted
to the same, as far az human feeling
goes, as if he had shot him, and this is
not all. On the way out to the shoot
ing, in the face of the Communication
he wanted Macfarlane to try to es
cape, so he could shoot him dow
running, like a dog. Macfarlan'
thought it better to be shot in tn
face for the aus he was fighting for
than to be shot in the back in an en-
deavor to escape. Smart vas in thi
way cheated out of his morbid desir'
for human blood. The devil will
never allow Smart to cheat him. w
think the devil has got him now, ant
he Is still alive.
DR.. Macfarlance remained a pris
oner during the war, and now reside
in Mexico with his family. He show
the same character in all his dealing
that he displayed on this trying occa
sion. We expect he will give US
lecture when he sees this bit of histo
tory, but the LEDGER is bound t.
publish what will interest the people
especially when by so doing no harm
can result.