The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-21
A BRAVE CoNFEDER ATE's D1Ara

From the Louisville Courisr-JourndI.
1.-THE recent death of one nearly con-
cerned. remarked veteran ex-confederate
yesterday, reminds me of remarkable
episode of the war. Connected with other
circumstances, it formed curious chain Of
incidents, aud one which will doubtless be
remembered by every survivor of the First
Kentucky brigade.
George Bibb Burnley wss a gallant
young fellow, enlisted IN the Fourth Ken
lucky infantry in 1861, at Camp Burnett. in
Montgomery county, Tennessee, under Col.
Irabue. The incidents to which / refer oc-
Cured at Murfreesboro in December, 1862,
and January. 1853. The brigade lay in
camp in the edge of Murf-eesboro, on both
sides of the Shelbyville pike. To the right
and rear lay an immense field, which was
used as a parade and drill ground. 1t was
on this ground that Asa Lewis of the Sixth
Kentucky met his death at the hands of a
firing party of his comrades for the techni-
cal crime of desertion.
ut was g sad case, and was the cause of O
great deal of the execration with which the
Kentucky troops afterward regarded Gen.
Bragg, state of affairs much aggravated
by g, ents which occurred on the field of
battle exactly one week subsequently. Lewis
was a brave young fellow, as shown by his
conduct at the battle of Shiloh, where, being
q non-commissioned officer, it fell to his lot
to take charge of his company, the COM
missioned officers having all been detached
or killed or wounded. He was a twelve
month man. When the Sixth Kentucky
was organized, several of the companies
were enlisted for twelve months while
the others were in for three
years or during the war. The time
of the twelve-months' men having expired,
some of them wanted to go back to Ken
lucky for awhile, promising to return and
resume their arms. Lewis was one of them.
He applied for a discharge, but 1t was re-
fused. He then asked for furlough, which
was also refused, because he lived within
the enemy's lines. He pleaded that he had
left mother and sister at home, for whom
he had provided for one year, and said that
all he wanted was to 60 and see them and
arrange for their further support; then he
would return. All this was to no purpose
he was refused.
I'm his desperation he resolved to go any
how, and one night left camp for the pur-
pose. He did not get far before he was ar
rested by cavalry patrol said to be a
party of conscripts, who had been forced
into the army. He was taken to Murfees-
boro and put in Jail He was tried by court
martial and sentenced to be shot to death
with musketry, in the language of the
court. A petition for bis pardon was signed
by every officer in the brigade, save one, a
strict disciplinarian. His reasons / do not
know, but do know that his action was
| afterward used in a political campaign to
defeat him for office, and he was beaten.
The men in the brigade were we'll nigh
furious, and it would not have taken mich
to cause mutiny, and, Indeed, the otncerS
feared something of the kind.
''The sentence was to be carried out on
Friday, Dec. &c. 1862. and the order was
! read at dress parade the Afternoon before
| Christmas day. | have bsen told what l
did not know at that time, that Lewis was
| in a manner responsible for his own death,
as Gen. Breckenridge and others who were
much interested in saving his life had adj
yissd him not to demand a trial, as they
knew what we privates did not know, that
! q battle was imminent, and that In all prob
ability he and others under charge would be
| released and sent back to their commands.
| But Lewis insisted on trial, thinking, posi-
| blv. that the court would LOOK on the mat
ter as he did: but his hopes proved fallacies.
Military Justice took no account of seDti-
ment. Here was a case OF a man who had
| technically deserted and was making his
| way toward the enemy. There was but one
thing to be done, and it was done. 1t has
| been stated that Gen. Bragg said he would
pardon tho culprit if the one man who had
refused would sign the petition. Whether
| that De true or not L cdnuob say. no was
condemned to death.
"Au this time the brigade lay under 6
grand guard, composed of details from al
tue regiments, each furnishing its quota
| From the guard mounted on the morning
after Christmas the detail for the execution
would be mode All the men knew it, anC
all who bad a chance tried to shirk tina
days guard But somebody had to per
form the unwelcome task, and the lot fell
| 1. Law hn a
marked for officer of the guard. There wa
to be under his command detail of fifteel
men, ten of whose Enfields would be loadet
with ball cartridges and five with blank
All these arrangements were made and Tn
| muskets loaded in a guard tent, where
guard was placed over them. The hour 10
the execution was fixed at l o'clock, and tn
brigade got the order to form at II O'Clock
Just as the companies marched out to tn
color line a heavy black cloud came UP
charged with electricity, and broke owe
camp in food of rain, accompanied b.
incessant peais of thunder and sheets o
lightning, the storm lasting about half al
hour and deluging the parade ground Wiz
water two or three inches deep. 1t seeme'
as if heaven frowned upon the deed abou
to be commi ted. But the brigade wa
formed and marched out to the field, wher
the usual arrangement of hollow square
with one side open, was observed. tn
firing detail, under Burnley, marched Z
town and escorted Lewis to his death. ID
was brought out in a covered wagon, whicl
contained the coffin soon to enclose him, bu
| which was not taken out of the vehicle
until all was over.
1.-THE men stood sullen and discontinued
while waiting the end. The rain had ceased
but the angry clouds still hung above. Gen
Breckenridge aud Gen. Roger Hanson wer
both present, and both were uneasy AM
restless The temper of the men was yer.
bad, and it would not have taken much t
cause trouble. If the officers could hav
heard what did they would probably hav
been more troubled. Finally the prisone
was taken out of the wagon aud placed be
fore the detail at distance OF about fifteel
PAGES He asked that he be allowed t
meet death standing and without being
blindfolded, both of which requests wer'
granted. His arms were tied with rop
around the elbows, passing behind his back
Everybody knew what task is was Of
Burnley to have to give the fatal command.
saw the bravest men in the brigade whei
the preparations were complete, put thei1
fingers il their ears 50 they could not heal
| &he ry01farr and 7 haard rfnufv Of -urxas ri