News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-01-01
How Ellsworth was Killed,

Another piece of old-time gossip
which I got at Alexandria, writes Car
penter in the Cleveland Leader, was as
to the Ellsworth tragedy. 1t is the
statement by the man who owns the
building in which the shooting occurred.
He says the two daughters of Jackson,
the man who shot Ellsworth, are now
employed in one of the departments at
Washington, and that they got their
appointments through Guerrilla Mosby,
L asked this man to give me an account
of the shooting. We were standing in
front of his building where it occurred
at the time. It is brick of two stories
with ridge roof, situated on the corner
OF King and Cameron streets. 1t has
two store rooms in front, and between
these hall leading to she second story.
The one on the right facing the street is
shoe store, the other one is devoted to
the selling of pictures. It was in this
latter that the following conversation
took place. Said the proprietor: 81
own this building and I was here at the
time of the shooting. The building was
used as hotel by Jackson, and was
known as the Marshall House. He did
not own it, but rented it. Jackson was
a game man, I can tell you. He had
said day or two before, when he had
put that flag on the chimney out there,
which still stands, that he would kill
any man who took it down, and he did.
We were expecting the troops that
morning and it was understood that the
town was to be surrendered at nine
o'clock. Early in the morning, just as
day began to break, they landed at the
wharf down there at the foot of Cameron
street and marched up here. They were
led by Ellsworth, young man with
hardly beard on his face. He was
only boy. Well, when they got here
they saw Jackson's flag flying. He had
gone to bed the night before and had
any one tried to take down the flag.
He slept alone in the building. His
wife and family were lodged in the
house next to this. When the soldiers
stopped in front of the building Mr..
Jackson was asleep. Ellsworth, as soon
as he saw the flag on the Marshall
House, started up stairs to take it down.
There were two men with him at the
time. He opened the hall door and met
a man, half dressed, who told him he
knew nothing about the flag; that he
was boarder. He pushed by this man
and going up to the roof climbed up to
the chimney and cut the flag off with
pocket knife. He then wrapped it
about his body and started down stairs.
In the meantime Jackson's servant had
awakened him, and when Ellsworth had
reached the first landing of the stairs he
was ready to meet him with double
barreled shotgun in his hands. He was
not more than half dressed, having on
only shirt and a pair of drawers. He
pointed the gun at EHsworth's breast,
and swore at him as he pulled the
trigger. The report rang out and Ellis
worth fell to the foot of the stairs shot
through the heart. As he did so jack
son turned to give his second barrel to
Sergeant Brownell, who stood just be-
hind Ellsworth, but he was too late.
Brownell knocked up his gun and its
fire went off over his head. AS this
happened Brownell shot jackson full in
the face, making a ghastly wound and
breaking his nose. This shot was
enough to have killed Jackson, but
Brownell followed it by stabbing him
with his bayonet, and pitchforking him,
as it were, to the foot of the stairs.
Ellsworth was then taken up and carried
away, partially wrapped in the Confed-
crate flag, which was stained with his
blood, and Jackson was left lying here
for time. During this his wife came
out and began to tear her hair and fling
her arms about and scream. The whole |
town was torn with excitement and fear.
Ellsworth's soldiers would, it was
thought, burn it, but they did not.
Jackson was taken to Bull Run and |
buried somewhere near there. His |
family have since moved to Washington |
and his wife is, I understand, living |
there"