The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-25
MILITARY EXECUTION.
The One at Fort Totten was More Like Murd

The One at Fort TOtten was dOre Like Murder.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Having seen
in your paper some time ago request from
Dutee Johnson wanting someone to write an
article on the yellow fever epidemic at New
Berne, n. c.; also, of the military ex ecution
opposite Fort lotion, would say that | have
read the article in your paper written by
Jonathan Hopkins, of New Bedford, and he
writes very good piece, as he tells about the
yellow fever in very good way. Although my
company was not in New Berne at that time,
two of the members had the disease, Abner j.
Haskell and James White Haskell died. As
to the execution of the seven men that Lieut.
Johnson asks about, Mr.. Hopkins is right when
he says only six were shot opposite Fort Tot
ton. But as Mr. Hopkins was in the fort and
saw the execution from the parapet, he does not
tell, perhaps, what Lieut.. Johnson would like
to know. Now, I saw the whole affair, from
the time the prisoners were in Crayen-street
Jail until they were executed. My company
was stationed at Roanoke Island at that time,
but | got leave of absence to go TO New Berne
and return. | got there ON Friday afternoon
and reported to our Colonel, Geo. w. Tew. He
told me | was Just IN time to see seven men
shot on Saturday morning at sunrise. ThOs.
Baker, of the 26th II. Y, was to be executed,
and on Sunday morning six more were TO
expiate their crimes. A member of my COM
pany was about to be released from Jail, and got
a permit from Col Tew to go there. l saw all
of the doomed men and talked with them. On
Saturday morning before sunrise the troops
started across the bridge toward Fort Spinola
Shortly after Baker came by in an ambulance.
Guarded and handeuffed, he was marched
around the hollow square until he came to his
grave, where he sat on his coffin until his
death warrant was read. He was then blind
folded, and shooting party OF 10 privates and
a Corporal stepped forward, and at the orders
Ready-Aim-Fire Baker was a dead man.
He fell over backward on his coffin with such
force that his head split the board. This is
the man that Mr.. Hopkins speaks of as jump
ing so many bounties-25 think. On Sunday
morning l was at the Jail with Thos Borden, q
member of my company, and whose time had
expired.
We saw the six prisoners taken out and placed
in an ambulance, and we followed them out
side of Fort Totten to where the troops were
formed in n hollow square. The condemned
men were ordered to get out of the ambulance
and walk to the place of execution, Co. of
my regiment carrying the collins. One of the
prisoners cried all of the way. His name was
Berry, and he belonged to a Connecticut regi-
ment They marched around the hollow
square, and when they came TO the graves they
halted. They were told TO sit on their collins.
The handouts were taken off five of them, but
the sixth could not be unlocked The pris-
oner raised his hands and brought them down
with such force on the coffin that the links of
the handouts were broken but the cuffs re-
NAMED on his wrists. His name was Duffy,
and he was a member of the 9Th r. /. II. A.
The names OF the prisoners were Duffy and
DAILY, of the 9th r. /. IL. A.; Dunbar and Berry,
of a New York and Connecticut regiment re-
spectively, and the other two their names
cannot recall. The Provost Marshal came for
| ward and read the death-warrant to each one.
They were then blindfolded, and the shooting
| squad was brought forward-10 privates and a
Corporal Duffy, who had on a plaid shirt
| pulled it back, which laid his breast bare. The
| order was then given, Ready-Aim," but no
order to fire. The men, being excited, fired a
scattering fire, not regular, in which three men
were killed, and Duffy, Daily and Dunbar had
| to be shot the second time. The Doctor step
! ping forward placed his hands upon the hearts
of the men. He then called for q member OF
! the shooting-squad to come forward, and plac-
ing the muzzle of his gun at the heart of the
condemned ordered him to shoot. The troops
were then ordered to march around and see the
men as they lay III their collins, after which
they were lowered into their graves and The
ground smoothed over, leaving no trace what
ever of a grave. This ended the military exc
cution opposite Fort Totten, which was NOR,
of murder than a military execution. IhOpt
this will prove satisfactory to Mr.. Johnson
MICHAEL w. GREY, Co. d, 5th r. l. Ii. A.
| Woonsocket, L. |.