South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-05-09

rations with the others and as we had
table knives in our haversacks. we
commenced digging the mortar out
between the bricks near one window
and as soon as we got one brick looee
we took the stock Off Of the gun, and
using the breech pin for prs, we
soon made hole large enough to get
out at but still prepared if any one
came to adhere TO our first plan, but
every thing was quiet, thejail appear
ed to be in an isolated rlace, for we
made as much noise as possible to ut.
tract some one there. but when the
breech in the wall was large enough
one OF the Louisianians got out and
passed him the gun barrel, and he
surveyed the premises and found no
one about, we then handed out our
baggage and left. After going a
short distance we held council of
war, the other two said they had de-
serted the infantry and were going to
join MAJ. Harry Gilmore's command,
that they were tired of infantry, and
they insisted that / should go with
them. but would not consent, told
them that l was going on to the army,
they said that fellow would arrest me
again, / told them he would not. I
then parted with them they went one
way, and l another. ] then walked
down the road about two miles and
laid down and slept until daylight.
The next day I kept in the big road
aud went on to the army unmo.ested,
and never saw or heard anything more
of my bold 'conscript officer, arriv-
ed in camp that evening and told all
OF them OF my adventure, aud was
not punished one day. They were
camped at Montpelier, President Ma
dlsons. old homestead, few miles
from Orange Court uouse. AS the
weather was hot and dry we did not
have any work to do but lay idle in
camp and took good rest and re.
crulted up after our severe campaigns.
There was large cornield between
our pioneer camp and where our bril-
gade was calnped, and the corn was
IN roasting-ears, but there was a
gnard kept around the field to keep
the soldiers from stealing corn, there
was road through the field and the
Rapidan River on one side, and every
day some of Us would go through the
field to the trigade, and as we came
back We would steal few ears Of
corn and hide them under our jack
cts SO the guard would not see them,
and the side the river was on there
would be no guards, we would 90 a.
bove the field and go in swimming,
and take sacks along and swim down
the river until we had passed the
guards, and gotten opposite the corn
field, then get out OF the river and
fill our sacks with corn and swim back
keeping tine sacks under alter. we
managed in that way to steal about
half OF the corn that was in that field
althoughit was guarded night and day
as long as we remained in that camp.
Directly after we arrived at this
camp there were about thirty soldiers
belonging to the 1st and 3rd North
Carolina regiments in our division,
deserted in body and took their
guns with them, and started for home
in North Carolina intending to resist
arrest Il molested, but when they ar
rived at the James River they found
every ford and ferry guarded and
could not cross, but undertook to force
their way, the result was, that some
were killc and wounded on both
sides, but some of them escaped, and
the guards captured ten Of them, they
were sent TO Richmond and court
martialed Immediately, and sentenced
to be shot to death. They were then
sent back to their regiments to be ex-
ecuted in presence of the whole divis-
ION, as a warning to the balance OF us.
When they arrived our pioneer corps
were detailed to dig the graves make
the collins, put up the posts and bury
them. We planted ten posts in the
ground about feet high and about 5 O
feet apart all in line, boring q whole
in each post near the top and putting
In cross piece, and dug one large
grave in the edge OF the woods large
enough to hold the ten coffins. When
everything was completed and in
readiness, the division was formed in
a hollow squarS around the field, ox-
cept the side the posts were. The
prisoners were then brought from the
guaFd-house conducted by heavy
guard, Chaplain and Surgeons, and as
the column entered the field, they
! were headed by the 6fers and drum.
mers, the drums being muffled and
playing the dead march, they had
some distance to march before arriv-
ing at the place of execution, aud /
noticed that they kept step and march
cd as precisely as if they were on drill.
On arriving at the place they were
halted, and the Chaplain talked to
them and prayed with them, when an
officer took each man, conducted him
to HE post, placed him on his kneea
with his back to tho post, and his
arms HOOK cd over the cross piece aud
his hands tied together in front of his
body, and then bIindfolded them
Ten men then stepped out in front Of
each prlsonei five of them having ball
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