The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-09
A DEATH SENTENOE RE
VER8ED.
The Hero Of Southern illinois.
Eli Perkins in the N. Y. Sun.

OLueF nlChoIy n~J"u Doy -.
Col. Baker, the chairman OF the OAl
70, ILL.,, Lecture Association. He
Joined the church now, buth he Away
takes care of every drunken man hs
sees. See, he's putting Whisky Bill
into his wagon now
"But why does he interest himself
so for Whisky Bill?" / asked.
"Well, as l was saying, the Captain
used to be q drinker and a tighter
himself. He was sentenced to be
shot once in the army for fighting
| He struck an ohcer-got on a drunk
en- frolic, and"
"How did the Captain escape?' ]
asked.
| "We|,' said the Colonel mason
with a dozen fellows from tbe Hick'
ory Bayou enlisted IN my regiment.
He was a splendid soldier-alwaya
ready for battle-one of the best men
in the regiment. but he would have
his sprees. One day, about three
weeks before the battle Of Mission
Ridge, Mason brought a canteen
of whisky into the camp, and
being always generous, went to
giving it to the boys. This was
against orders; so I ordered my Ma
iOr to arrest him and put him in the
guard-house. Mason soon found out
that the Major was after him with a
squad of men, and, full of deviltry,
he began lodging around behind the
tents to keep from being arrested.
But pretty quick in trying to keep
away from the men he ran square
against the Major
"Here, you rascal" said the Major
Selling him by the e%oat-collar. with
out giving him a chance 10 explain.
"Now you walk to the guard-house!
I'll fix you, you scoundrel!
'But, ia the excitement of the rae
ment Mason knocked the Major fiat,
and then went and gave himself up
What was done about it," I
asked.
"Well, Mason was tried before a
court martial for striking = superior
officer, sentenced to be shot, and the
sentence was sent to General JEFF. e.
Davis to be approved. Then poor
Mason was imprisoned on bread and
water. with q ball and chain to each
foot"
"Did General Davis approve the
sentences"
eyes, he approved it,"
"But how did Mason escape being
hung?"
"Well, the next day, before the APP
proved sentence arrived, came the
battle Of Mission Ridge, and our regi-
ment was ordered forward. Mason,
of course, was in the rear under
guard, with a ball chained to his M
kles. We heard the rebel ealnsn in
front all the forenoon. We knew
there was a big battle going On, and
we needed all our men. 30 [ rode
over to the guard house and told Ma
son that we would have to leave him
behind alene with his ball and chain
on till the battle was over"
"Let me go with the boys, Col
onel !" 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 hang
ing over ou."
by heavens, Colonel! you Amt
to let the boys 90 into this
fight without me!!' and tears came to
his eyes.
"Got to Mason I said. I can't
trust you.
"Then,' continued the narrator,
1.-THE order came from Gen. Davis for
our regiment to move up and charxs
. Rebel redoubt, and the boys dashed
forward. 1t was an awful feht.
they eniladed as, sad the
bullets moved down eur men
by dozens. while the Rebel flag still
on the redoubt.
"Colonel, you. must capture that
redoubt!" was the order that came
from Gen. Davis.
"Our men were now badly tired
out, and the dead and wounded Law
all around US; but I got cur men to-
and made the anal charge.
what a charge! NV horse was
killed under me. The men went for |
ward in a shower of bullets. I thought
hey were going straight for that fa z;
hen all at once they wavered. The
few like rain, and the ad-
vance men were all shot down. There
was no one to lead, and I thought all
was lost. Just then I saw ! man
'one rushing up from the rear. He
a dead soldiers repeating
life, pushed right through the dead
md dying, reached the head, and
up to the redoubt. The bows
'aw him, took courage and followed. |
IN a moment I saw the brave fellow
wing his rifle around him on the ton
# the redoubt, grasp the Flagstaff
nd break it off, while the boys
truggled up the sides and emptied
heir guns into the ~retIeatinx rebels.
The day was ours! As I came up
shouted:
"'Who took the flag, boys::"
"'It was Mason! y said the bows.
md looking down l saw a broken
hahn and a shackle still on his
Then the narraIor's veice chokeA
i'm and the tesrs came into his
yea.
"I couldn't help it, Colonel, said
dason. -! couldn't see the boys
lghtlng alone 40 I got the axe and
'ounded of the ball and chain, and
low, Colonel, I'm 60 back and put
EN- on again.
eco back and put them On aeaip!
almost cried. Ne, sir! Mason.
III put them On myself frat. Them
the Colonel, L reflected that this
1asat military, and 1 told tho
rave fellow to stay with two of the
oys.
THAT night" contin ued the Colo
el, II wrote over to General Davis
bout Aassn's bravery; how he
aptursd the rebel flag and led the
-giment to victory; in fact. saved
re battle; and begged him if he had
OF approved Mason's sentence Of
cath, to send it back to tho Court
In an hour the messen-
er came back with the papers. The
had been approved before
battle, but Gen. Davis took his
en- and wrote across the bottom:
1.-The findings Of the court disan-
Private Thomas Mason for
lstinguished bravery in capturing =
bel nag, promoted to q Second
ieutenancy.'" =,
"What did Mason say when y>u
I'd him about his promotion?0 I .
Iked.