The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-03-28
SPY OR DESERTER.
Who was the Van Hang at PoolcsyIIle. sid


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE; Seeing sew
eral accounts in your paper Of deserters and
spies being hung In the camps and on the
march, and falling to have seen an account of
one hung at PoOleSville Md.Ain the year 1864
l viii give an account of what know about it.
During one Of the many marches Of the Sixth
Corps through Maryland, had fallen to the
rear of one of the divisions by struggling.
there saw a guard having charge of several
men. One of them attracted my attention by
being the most depressed and careworn soldier
/ ever had the misfortune to see. His wearing
apparel consisted of a pair of pants blouse
stuck inside Of his PANTS, and a pair of sus-
penders worn outside his blouse He stared at
me as If he was insane, and did not seem to
take any notice of things happening around
him. Ia conversation with one of the guards
/ was told that the prisoner had shot his Order
ly-Sergeant, and had tried 10 kill Lieutenant:
had deserted to the enemy while on picket, and
that he belonged TO the 1st L. /. Thinking
by his expression he did not want to answer
my questions l left him and pushed ahead un-
I'll / reached my command. That day or the
next we stopped for a short time at POolesville
Immediately after stopping, there was a detail
called and ordered to report to Capt. Day at
Second Division headquarters. was included
in the detail, and when we got to headquarters
the Captain was forming the men in line. He
marched US TO the edge of the town, and halted
Us on the road opposite some vacant lots on the
left-hand side, and there we were told to build
we knew not what until the work was well un-
der way-a scaffold for the hanging of man.
Nevertheless, we worked with the same will
after finding out what we were building as we
did before, and in a very short time had it
completed. This scatIold consisted of two up-
rights, a crOsspiece nailed on the uprights
three or four boards for a back platform, one of
these boards fitting up flush to the front of the
two uprights. To this board we attached a
door which we took from small shop near bv 4:
it, with its hinges, made a splendid trap The
door was held up by piece of board cut the
proper length and set under the door, having
piece Of board on the ground for the lower
end TO rest on, and rope attached to the up-
right supporting the door, and run back under
the platform for the person to pull when all was
ready
When the rope that was to do the hanging
was brought there was some trouble in getting
a man to tie the knot; but at last this was ac-
complished, and tried by several soldiers put
ting II around the!T necks to see how if would
do. One little fellow CREASED the rope with a
piece Of fat meat 10 make it slip easy. At last
the scafiold was completed, and we were through
with one Of the most horrifying duties that it
was ever my lot to take part IN. We retired a
short distance from the scalfoid to the lower
side Of the road 10 eat our meal, which we had
stopped for in the first place. and, while eating,
saw the man taken to the scaffold and lanched
into eternity.
don't think it was two hours from the time
We commenced TO build the scaffod until the
man was hung After had finished my meal
! went to see the man, as he hung from the
scaHold. Judge my surprise when / recognized
in him the prisoner l had seen on the march
that day or the day before While looking at
the man ! noticed the troops falling in for the
march, and / had to leave without obtaining
any more information. | would be pleased if
some comrade knowing the facts in the above
case would give an account Of it and set at rest
a statement which l have heard soldiers of
the Sixth Corps make, that the man was hung
for being spy.-EDWARD ARMSTRONG, Co. c,
18Th Pa, Butler Street Extension, Pittsburg,
Pa