The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-04-24
An Execution on tile Potomac.
Neubcrry NIeW,.

Wheat having recovered from his wound.
was again in command. The Seventh's
camp was between that of the Battalion
and Centerville. One evening one of the
Tigers returning from Centerville, while
passing through the camp of the Seventh.
had difficulty with member of that
regiment. He was arrested and placed
in the regimental guard house. The
night before, two OF the Tigers, named
O'Brien and Laferty, had gone about 8
miles beyond Centerville foraging for
whiskey. Arriving at the place about
sunrise, they each had q couple of can
teens filled and started on their return to
camp; trudging along they passed the
tlme by alternately singing song and
taking drink. All went well until the
camp of the Seventh was reached. There
they were told that member of tho
battalion was in arrest. The first thing
that crossed the minds Of these generous
lrlshmen, was to divide the whiskey with
their unfortunate comrade in arms. They
| went To the .guard.house, which was a
large tent, walked in without hinderance.
anu In few minutes the trio were enjoy
ing the contents of the canteen. The
Lieutenant and sixteen members of the
! guard were loling under the trees
uCon the outside: four stacks cf arms
were standing in front 0f the tent, and
the sentry was pacing his beat. The
whiskey they were drinking, made these
brave men reckless. O'Brien whispered
to Laferty that the Seventh had no RIGHT
to hold a Tiger prisoner, and that they
would release him. They told Frank,
for that was the prisoners name, that
they would fight the guard and he must
run Tor the Battalion's camp; giving the
canteens to Frank they made ready for
the rush. Out of the tent they ran, to
throw down stack Of arms, grasp q gun
apiece, knock down the sentry. Lieuten.
| ant and three or four of the guards and
drive the others off was the work of a
moment. Col. Hayea, hearing the noise.
ran from his tent towards the guard.
house. O'Brien seeing him coming
| dropped the but Of the gun he held into
the hollow Of his shoulder, and told the
Colonel If he moved step farther. he
was. dead man. The Colonel walked
back to his quarters, and the two victori.
Gus Tigers took the shortest route to their
own camp, and finished the day by get
| ting gloriously drunk.
The next day Gen. Dick Taylor order.
cd that the two men should be arrested,
and placed in the guard house of The
Seventh. They were arrested by the
first sergeant Of the company of which
they were members and turned over to
the Seventh. Col. Hayes ordered COM
pnny to guard them. They were tried
oy court'martial, convicted of striking
superior officer, and sentenced to be shot
in "a hours.
Gen. Taylor ordered that the1 should
be shot by twelve of their comrades.
The order was received with horror
Would the Battalion submit to this hu.
miliation3 Why not fight and die, with
the two men? WAS asked by dozen
tongues. What difference would it make?
None expected to survive the warl
Alter tapps that night dark shadows
were seen moving from tent to tent. Pres
| emily armed men issued from the tents and
made their way TO small grove, not a
hundred yards away; soon every enlisted
man belonging to the Tigers was in the
grove. What did it mean? Did they
intend rescue, knowing that the two
men werc guarded by two regiments.
who had orders to sleep on their arms
and shoot down any body of men that
approached the condemned? No, they
had determined to die with their com.
| rades. Quietly they formed in line.
word was passed not to shoot until thoy
were upon the guards and then every
man was to fight for himself, kill all he
could, and then die. The column moves,
they pass into the moonlight, by tho
| tents OF their sleeping officers; no not
all sleeping, for there is light in the
tent OF the Commander, tho gallant
| wheat, unable to sleep, is thinking of
those two brave hearts, the. viii be laid
low on the morrow, thinking of the late
battle, of the man who caught tho Colors
and bore them to the front, when the
color' bearer vas shot down, aud Eow hs
must die all en- account Of drunken
spree. surely the Confedesacy has no
lives to spare. The column reaches the
ROAD, a march Of q mile and they would
be there and then-But what ia. that
coming down the road? It looks ike
somc one running, and is, who can il be n
he comes closer, stops, moves On. and
comes up to the men, and thew sea it is
Lame Jerry, young brother of o 'Brien's.
who has been allowed to visit the pris.
oners. He brings letter from the con.
demned. a light is struck and the letter
read, it says: "Boys, we know you will
listen to the last request Of dying men,
Tor Gods sake attempt no rescue, we are
ready aud willing to die. Now thas We
are prepared, we would rather die than
live and perhaps die unprepared. We
want men of our own company to do the
shooting and, comrades, aim at our hearts
and don't mangle our bodies" The men
looked at each other, all felt that the re-.
quest must be oboyed; silently they
make their way back to camp, throw
themselves on their hunks and await the
morrow. When morning arrives the
Battalion is ordered out, with side arms
only, they are marched to field, when
the troops are drawn up in the form of q
rectsngle. with one end open. At the
open end are two stakes and two coffips.
A battery of shotted guns are upon the
LETT: Two regiments of Infantry with
loaded muskets are on the right. The
General still fears rescue.
AT the other end of the rectanele the
Tigers were placed in position, and
brought to rest. The band is heard play-
ing the Dead March, and soon the con.
demned are seen approaching guarded
by four companies of Infantry. They
arc taken to the stakes and ordered TO
kneel, they ask to be shot standing,. with.
uncovered eyes. This request is denied,
80 they kneel aud are tied to the stakes
with their hands behind them, q bandage
is placed over their eyes, and the Lieu.
tenant steps back to give the command
to the firing party. sa
In low but firm voice, it comes {: Pre-.
sent, aim, fire; a sheet Of fsme afom a
dozen rifles, and two bleeding Jumps of
clay are all that remain of two as gallant
| oolAiora NO forchI ko.ookh AL. =