New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-05-12
Hung at Sunrise.

Hung at Sunrise.
By an Ex-Rebel in Detroit Free Press.
When Bragg had Rosecrans shut up
in Chattanooga there were four of us
scouts from headquarters who pene-
trated the Federal lines almost daily.
Every move made was discovered and
reported and most Of them check
mated.
About a month before Grants arriv-
al, when things were at their worst
with Rosecrans, a scout named Will
Rossmore, who was rather new in the
business, having been detailed only a
few weeks, was sent in to try and as
certain certain things. The Federals
were keeping a sharper lookout than
formerly, and the young man was in
structed to exercise all possible caution
and take no extra risks. He rode
boldly into the city on an old horse,
claiming to have been commissioned
by certain refugees to look after their
property. He was, of course, placed
under arrest and taken before
the officer OF the day. He was ready
for the ordeal. He had the
name of three citizens who had fled
the place; he pretended a lameness
which incapaciated him for military
service; he had the talk and actions
Of a country lout. Hewas questioned
in the closest manner, and when moth
ing could be made of him he was al
lowed to go his way. It is likely that
he would have secured his informa-
ton and passed out in safety, but be-
fore he had been in the town three
hours an unfortunate thing occurred.
He was seen and recognized by de-
serter from our lines-a man who had
formerly messed with him and, OF
course, knew him WELL
The deserter saw Rossmore without
being seen himself, and at once went
to headquarters and gave him away.
when brought face to face at head
quarters the scout must have real
lied that his doom was sealed,
but he did not yield his life
without an effort. He denied
his identity. He offered to send
for people to prove he was what he
claimed to be, and he challenged the
officer Il think it was Rosecrans him
self) to send for surgeon to inspect
his lameness and pronounce upon it.
While his bold speech staggered the de-
serter, the man could not doubt his
own eyes, and he persisted that Ross
more was a spy from Bragg's head
quarters.
"Was Rossmore lame?" asked the
officer.
"No, sir"
"But this man is cripple for life. :"
"Well, I don't know how that comes.
am certain, however, that he is the
man."
eff the surgeon says that have been
lame for years will you admit that
you are mistaken" coolly asked the
scout.
"Why, I'll have to. Will Rossmore
was as sound as | am
every we'll, General. send the sur
geons" quietly remarked the scout.
He must have realized that the fraud
would be detected, but it seemed to
be his only hope of bluffing the desert
er down. If he had thought that a
surgeon would not be sent for it was
quickly dispelled. The General felt
that it was a serious case, and he
wanted bottom facts. A surgeon
came, Rossmore stripped off, and
after brief examination the medical
man announced his opinion that the
scout was shamming. The little toe
on his right foot had been cut off at
the joint in boyhood. The deserter
had seen the foot several times, and
now he suddenly remembered the
stump.
| When Rossmore saw that he was
doomed he owned up to his identity,
and pointing his finger at the man
who had betrayed him he said:
"Lew Warner, listen to me! Through
you shall hang, but sooner or later
my death will be avenged upon you!
General, / am ready.
He was led away to be hanged at
sunrise next morning.
Warner was from Tennessee, in the
neighborhood of Knoxville. In Au-
gust, 1865, ne returned there to set
tie down, and one evening, before be
had been home two weeks, some one
fired a bullet through his heart as he
traversed one of the back streets.
Rev. Mr.. Makepeace, Of Andover,