The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-07-20
THE MESSAGE OF LIFE.

er IMAM thaC OF any OEner occurrence
of that stirring time. The sequel Of
thestory, which Learned some months
afterwards, is narrated here with the
principal event; and both together de-
serve a larger audience than any that
has yet heard them, because they
touch the heart and arouse those feel
ings OF sympathy which make the
whole world kin.
1t was in February, 1865. Twas a
stafF-oficer o. a division of the Union
Army stationed about Winchester,
Virginia; and military operations be-
ingthon practically over in that region,
l had succeeded in getting leave of ab-
sence for twenty days. The time was
short enough, at best, for one who
had been long absent from family and
friends, and two days were to be con-
sumed each way in getting to and from
my northern home. lost no time in
making the first stage OF my journey,
which was a brief one, from Winchester
to Harper's Ferry, by rail.
l went back to the hotel after an
hours stroll, wrote some letters, read
all the newspapers / could find about
the place, and shortly after eleven
o'clock went out again. This time my
ear was greeted with the music of a
band, playing a slow march. Several
soldiers were walking briskly past, and
/ inquired of them if there was to be a
military funeral.
mo, sir" one OF them replied; mot
exactly. 1t is an execution, Two de-
serters from one of the artillery regi-
ments here are to be shot up on Boil
var Heights. Here they GOMEZ"
The solemn strains of the music
were heard near at hand, and the cor
tege moved into the street where we
stood, and wound slowly up the hill.
First came the band; then Gen. Steven
son, the military commandment of the
post, and his staff; then the guard,
preceding and following an ambulance,
IN which were the condemned men. A
} whole regiment followed, marching by
platoons with reversed arms, making
in the whole a spectacle than
which nothing can be more solemn.
Close behind it came, as it seemedto
me, the entire population of Harper's
Ferry; a motley crowd of several
thousand, embracing soldiers of duty,
eamp-followers, negroes, and what
not. 1t was a raw, damp day, not a
ray of sunlight had yet penetrated the
thick clouds, and under foot was q
thin coating of snow. Nature seemed
in sympathy with the misery OF the
occasion.
The spot selected for the dreadf :,
gcene wsis rather more than a mile up
the Heights, where q high ridge Of
ground formed a barrier for bullets
that might miss their mark. Arrived
here, the troops were formed in two
large squares of one rank each, one
square within the other, with an open
face towards the ridge. Two graves
had been dug near this ridge, and a
cofin was Just in rear of each grave.
Twenty PAGES in front was the firing
party of six files, under q lieutenant,
at ordered arms; the general and his
staff sat on their horses near the cen.
tire.
Outside the outer square, the great
crowd of spectators stood in perfect
silence. The condemned man had
been brought from the ambulance, and
each one sat on his coffin, with his
open grave before him.
They were very different in their
aspect. One, q man of more than
forty years, showed hardly q trace
OF feeling in his rugged face; but
the other was q mere lad, Of scarcely
twenty, who gazed about him WITH q
wild, reckless look, as II he could not.
yet understand that he was about to
endure the terrible punishment OF his
ofsnee.
The proceedings oftbecoastrmartia
msse read, r~eciting the charges against
these Hen, their sriaii, conviction and
sentence; and then the order Of Gen.
Sheridan approving the ssutence ITO
be shot to death with musketryv and
directing it to bio carried into eficc6 At
t%elve o'clock noon Of this day. The
whole scene was passing Immediately
before my eyes; for northumberland I'll
pass its wearer almost anywhere ia
the army, and Ihadpassed theguardg
and entered the innef square.
A chaplain khelt by the condemned
men and prayed lervently, whispered
O few words Ia the ear Of EACH wfdng
their hands, andretifed. Two soldiers
steppedforward with handkerchiefs to
bind the eyes Of the sufferers, and !
heard the officer OF the firing-party
II give the command in q low tone,-
( Observation-Disclosures
looked at my watch: ii was 4 min
ute past twelve. The crowd outside
had heen Sc perfectlv Silent that s.
huttef and q disturbance running
through it at this instant fixed every
body's attention. My heart gave q
great Jump as I saw q mounted order
II urging his horse through the crowd,
and waving q yellow envelope ovsshis
, head.
The squares opened for him, and he
rode IN and handed the envelope to
, the general. Those who were per-
mitted 10 see the despatch, read the
following:
W4GaNoxoN, DIG, Fnn. 28,1665.
Gen. Job Stevenson, HarperE Ferry.
Desertera reptseFed till farther orders.
Stop tbs sxecutiogs. a. LE2rDLN