New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-11-14

4
Every possible effort had been made.
every available influence pressed into
service with the President, and he had
/ positively declined interfering withthe
Judgment OF the court-martial. The
chaplain corroborated their sad in
formation, said he:
Captain, you should prepare for
death. for your lie ends in a few
days"
Finally It came. Shall 1 ever for
get that November morning 1863?
/ They had told me should be taken
out ats o'clock in the morning, would
be allowed an officers room in the
barracks, where my parents, sisters
and brothers would meet me and
spend my last few hours with me.
i When taken out they had to seat
me in the outer guard room a quarter
OF an hour until my eyes became ac-
customed to the piercing glare OF sun.
shine.
Then they took me to the room
where ] found father, mother, SIS
tiers, brothers and a minister. It was
the quarters OF an officer of the post,
and very comfortably furnished.
Just outside-We could see them
through the window-stood a special
detail of twelve men, selected as theun-
willing executors of the sentenced man.
Telling me should have until the
last minute before three O'Clock, but
then would have to go, the colonel
| locked the door and left me with nv
! friends.
They had secured the privilege OF
spending these last few hours with me.
| knew, to comfort and console, per.
haps to strengthen me for the fearful
ordeal through which had to pass.
But [ had to comfort and cons ole
them
| My father was broken down. It
must be a horrid strain on a fathers
feelings to sit and look at his son, in
the prime of manhood, and count off
the few intervening minutes of that
boys remaining life.
Brothers and sisters could only
gaze at me in speeches. misery, APP
palled by the gloomy shadow OF death
that was then casting about me.
| had to become CONSIDER and
strained every nerve, called forth
every power to smile. [ would not
permit the trembling man of God to
offer prayer, knowing that his words
would fall npon those loving ears as
death walls, as clods falling on my
coffin. [ drew them, by everything
interesting that Icould think OF, to con-
template anything put my impending
! doom.
AS [ would about succeed the little
clock on the mantle would strike, or
a footstep on the stair outside, or
some movement on the Garrison
would recall them with sigh to the
| horrid present.
The little clock on the mantle
seemed to me in these intervals to
tick as loudly as the clatter of mill.
1t struck the half-hours as we'll as
the full stroke, and it seemed to me
it's little whir would buzz and the tiny
hammer strike every FIVE minutes.
Ten! Half-past! Elevenl And q half!
Twelve! Half! One!
Heavens! How it licked off the
seconds, galioped the minutes and
startled our panied ears with those
1eeting half-hours
We were seated around the room,
close to each other as we could get.
Father on one side, of me, mother
on the other, a hand clasped by each,
as the little monitor on the mantel
broke the gathering stiffness with it's
metal voice, crying the half-hour gone.
Just then a step sounded without,
a hand touched the knob, the key
turned in the lock, the door was
thrown open, and the Colonel stood
looking upon us.
Instinctively Jumped to my feet, as
father and mother sprang to my side,
a hand upon each shoulder.
How rapidly thought does it's Office
In such emergencies!
My thought was, "Their dining hour
approaches, and these officers wish to
get through this unpleasant duty be-
fore dinner"
For minute-it seemed eternity,
and that the little clock had ceased to
tell the time-we stood, the Colonel
and myself, silent, gazing sternly at
/ each other.
He evidently expected me to speak.
But | did not-would not.
At length he slowly drew from his
pocket a slip OF paper, and saying,
Captain, | have just received this
telegram" read, while we gazed upon
him in strained listening earnestness-
''The execution of the sentence in the
case OF Captain William F. Gordon is
postponed until further orders. By
order OF the President
Not one OF us spoke.
''You can stay with your friends
until 3. Then you go back to your
cell" he said, closed the door and left
us hurriedly.
Father drew a long, trembling sigh
and sank slowly to the floor, where
mother had already fallen. Their
support gone, the sudden, unlocked
for lifting OF the cloud OF death, the
rush OF relief from the horrid night
mare caused a quick revulsion of feel
ing that made me limp as rag, weak
as dying babe, and /, too, sank be-
tween my parents.
The minister said something did
not hear, brothers and sisters knelt
around us, and I heard the preacher
pouring out prayer OF gratitude that
] the dark shadow OF death had passed