Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-12-25
SHOOTING. TIE DESERTERS.
an ExTRAoRDrThB Bx rHcIDzE 1T OF
THE CIVIL WA2.
Exec cvtIOn OF Tyy0 EsnRntY Jumpers
one of Thcu shot Dead GnIy
AFTER EsrDentrH Efforts

AEteV Escpentcd Efforts.
In September, 1866, writes t. T. Gal
wey, in the New Yo,k Tribune, the
Third division Q, se Second corps, in
camp near the ItaI dan river, had its
frsg execution. Z ere We're two con-
demned both "bslnty- jumpers" who
had enlisted in Te yiment of this
division and had essapcd after receiving
the advanced boun(, hoping probably
to repeat the game it'll some other regi-
ment. Early one kfine afternoon the
division marched put to the chosen
ground and formcdk &c sides of hol-
low square, the fouL NJ side being little
ridge. At the 70 "a + the RIDGE were
two open graves about twelye iget apart.
The division, consisting of about 5000
men, rested in place until the notes Of
the dead march were heard. "Attention!"
was sounded by the bugles, and ali was
rigid silence rs a procession composed
of the provost guard surrounding two
two ambuances in each of which one of
the cuI prits sat on a rough coffin, entered
the square at one of the angles aud halted
near the graves. A coffin was placed at
tue end OF each grave and the two desert
ers were made to stand up in front of the
provost guard, facing the long lines of
attentive counte !ances of the division,
waie the findings of the court martial
and the orders for the execution were
read After religious services the two
were arranged sitting on their coains,
their eyes bandnged, and their arms
pinioncd behind In front of each
firing party of the provost guard took
position and the word of command from
the provost marshal was given. One of
the deserters fell back on his coffin, but
only wounded, for he sat up again The
other, who was not hit, jumped to his
feet, burst mis- pinions, and snatched
nway the white handkerchief from his
eyes. There was a murmur of disap-
proval throughout the di,ision at the
awkwardness of the provost guard,
VIII ch was now adding unnecessary de-
lay and torture to the penalty of the un-
fortunate men The wounded man was
placed again, and his party dispatched
him with its next vo ley. He lay mo-
tionlcss on his co In. But the other
seemed almost invulncrablc, for tbs
second volley from his p rty, though it
{ Il,lN lluNC SCl uIClitN lltll, ICib llIll SJlt
struggling vigorously to free himself.
A brilliant idea then entered the
provost -marshal's mind. He brought
up his men one by one close to
1 the condemned to have them shoot him
| successiveiy. But for some reason, the
.muskcts would not 90 off; merely the
raps flashed. 1t had rained hard the
day before; yet that was no excuse for
the provost guard, who had known for
some days what they had to do and
ought to have had their muskets clean by
this time, rain or no rain. Seven OF
eight men went up one after the Other
/ and presented their muskcts within foot
Or two of the deserters head; but only
10 snap caps; low growl Of indigna
/ tion ran along the ranks of the division
and became fierce when one of the pro
vost mems guns went off finally only tc
wound the poor fellow who sat there OF
his coffin squirming about under the slow
murder. The general of the division
was IN rage and sent his staff one after
the other galloping up TO urge the pro
vost maIshal to do the disagreeable duty
promptly and properly. Minutes wen
by and still the repeated efforts Of
twelve veteran soldiers to kill this sit
ting, blindfolded, pinionod, helpless
man were all in vain. A superstitious
feeling spread through the division thai
he would not be killed. Eecause he coulC
not be. Nearly half an hour of volley.
and file firing hat passed, when the pro
vost marshal, placing the muzzle tf hi
| long barreled seven-sh0oter to the un
fortunate mans heal. discharged all the
loads. The victim fell back, and at las
all was over.