The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-06
MosBY's DEATH LOTTERY.
One of the Incidents of the War l.
i.,ia

One OF the Incidents of the War in
Virginia.
Captain Charles Brewster of this city, says.
the Kansas City Star, while serving as COM
missary of subsistence for the Michigan
cavalry brigade during the war, was cap
tured November 1, 1864. in the Shenandoah
Valley by Mosby's guerillas, and was one
of twenty captured Union soldiers who drew
lots to determine who should compose. the
seven whom Mosby had announced he would
hang, as he said, to atone for the hanging by
General Custer of seven of Mosby's men
who were spies, and who had been caugh;
within the Union lines.
Captain Brewster was found by reporter
for the Star yesterday in a reminiscent
mood, and was persuaded to tell this story OF
a minute, which. to the twenty men in-
volved seemed an age, and which meant.
death to the lucky number of seven and life
to the unucky number of thirteen.
After detailing how they were captured,
the Captain continued: "Near Rectortown
Mosby's mnions assembled, coming from
all points of the compass. They came
quietly. singly, and by twos and threes,
making at least 600. When all had assem-
bled, the prisoners, who by this time num-
bered twenty, were directed by the guard
to fall in, the officer in ordinary clothes be-
ing excluded We were told that seven of
our number would be selected by lot to be
hanged, in retaliation for men hanged and
shot by General Custer. Having had fore
bodings of this fate, this depressing an
nouncement was not unexpected 1t was
bravely received, although the solid faces
along our little line of twenty Union soldiers
gradually turned pale as a full realization Of
tie ordeal before US passed through each
mind during the preparatory pause. To this
feeling was added the horror of the ignom-
inious death of being hung up TO tree like
a traitor or murderer by these miserable
highwaymen.
sBy virtue of my rank / received the
empty honor OF being placed upon the right
of our little line. On my left stood the only
commissioned officer of the party, FIRST
Lieutenant j. G. DisSomay of the Fifth New
York Heavy Artillery, who had joined us at
Paris with another squad Along that line
l saw bowed heads and lips moving in silent
prayer. Visions of dear ones at home, of
hopes and ambitions blOtted out fitted be-
fore our eyes. A tall man, with head I'M
covered, not reverently, but because he then
bad other use for his hat than as head
covering, raised his hat above point OF
vision of its contents, and allowed each man
to draw a slip of paper from it. Those who
drew blanks remained in line and those who
drew numbers were considered condemned,
and Immediately taken out of line aud
placed under special guard. My action in
selecting a slip was slow, and | was ordered
to hurry up | picked up three slips, and
gradually let two OF them drop, and at
the same time raised my hand with the re-
manning slip TO decide my fate. 1t WIS
taken quickly and pronounced Il blank.
Five had already drawn numbers, and one
of them, who was young, gave vent TO loud
lamentations. He was a drummer-boY, and
was ordered by MoSby to be released
Private George Soule said to me: Captain,
| shall be one of the men hanged This
was the second premonitiOn among the
seven Lieutenant Dissomay drew the
seventh fatal number. Raising his hat
with one hand he passed his other hand over.
his fevered forehead, and half turning to
me he simply said: This is tough The
Lieutenant was Mason, and | reasoned
that way would be found to spare his life.
AT the critical moment one of Mosby's men
whispered to Lieutenant Dissomay and
asked him if he was Mason. He replied
in the affirmative, and immediate efforts
were made for his release, which proved
successful
''Ihe scene of the hanging was near the
Berryville Turnpike, where the bodies of
the men were found by the Union troops
within the Federal lines. The executioners
were drunk, and made horrible job of it.
They began by tying one end of rope
around SO dier's neck, throwing the other
end over the limb of tree and drawing
him up. The feet of the victims were left
so close to the ground that their toes dug
holes in the earth in their death struggles.
After the job was finished the rangers placed
placard on one of the bodies informing
General Sheridan with much flourish OF
words and pnraseoogy that these men were
hanged in retaliation for seven of Mosby's
men killed by General Clusters orders,
measure for measure, that he would raise
the black flag, etc. l made my escape. and,
disguised as negro, managed to re-enter
the IIDinn lines