Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-15
The Hanging of Four of Sheridan's Cavsi-
rymeD.
ATHENS, Ga, January 4, 1893.


ATHENS, Ga, January 4, 1898.
To he Editor or me LhSDa,ch:
In your Tuesdays edition Of January 8,
1893, the following inquiry was made by
Fred Swaeker:
Can any of Fitz Lees old troopers give
the circumstances and reasons for the exc
cution of four Federal cavalrYmen on the
Back road in Rockingham county, Va,
October 8. 1884. during Sherdan's retreat
down the Valley after his burning Dayton,
&c.?n
Having been an eyewitness of the execu-
tiOn 1 give the circumstances aS follows
Our command. or Wickham's Brigade, had
halted for q few minutes in the road, when
| saw squad of COnfederates of about
quarter of a mile to the left of the Back
road going down the Valley. left my
command and rode to the top of the hill
where / supposed they were holding q
court martial. When rode up two of the
Federals (Germans) were pleading piteous-
ly for their lives. Four or five Contede-
rate officers and ten or twelve priyates
composed tho squad.
One of the officers ordered a circle TO be
formed leaving few feet Of it open, and
IA the first Federal was ordered TO step
into the opening he was instantly shot
down. The second one shared the same
fate. The third, when ordered TO step out,
ran for his life. Several shots were fired
at him, but he succeeded IN reaching
fence surrounding strip OF timber about
200 yards away, and was shot by some
mounted cavalry just as he was in the act
of climbing the fence.
The fourth and last was very handsome,
well-dressed young man or not more than
Is years of age. who claimed TO be drum
mer, and insisted that he had nothing TO
do with the burning. When told TO walk
out he stepped into the opening and said
Gentlemen, If / must die, | will die like
o man-do not shoot me IN the back and
looking down into the barrel of a carbne,
at the report of which he fell to tho
ground. his soul took ITS flight TO await
that last roll-call whose drum. beat shall
summon the host of armies together atthe
hnal resurrection.
/ do not know by whom they were shot,
nor did / recognize any Of the officers who
composed the court-martIal. | was IN
formed that the Federals wore caught IN
the act of burning private property and
were accordingly executed.
WILLIAM b. CoSwAY,
Company q, Fourth Virginia Cavalry.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
HoUsToN. HAL1flx COUNTY. Va.
January 7, ls9A
To he Ealitor Of ne Dispatch:
/ read in last weeks DIsPATcB an inquiry
made by Fred. SwaekGr IN regard to the
execution OF four Federal cavalrymen by
Rosser's Brigade during the time that
Sheridan was laying waste the Shenandoah
Valley. lie stated that he had heard that
they were shot by Whit Battalion OF
Rosser's Bugade, and desired au answer
through your columns as to tho cause of
thor execution. / quote from Myers his
tory OF the operations of said battalion as
follows.
"On every side. from mountain 10 noun
tain, the flames from all tho barns, mills,
grain. and hav-stacks, and IN very many
instances from dwellings,, too, were blazing
skyward, leaving q smoky trail OF desola-
ton TO mark the footsteps Of the devils
iuspector-general, aud show IN "a fiery re-
cord that will last az long a. the war is re-
membered thaC the United States. under
the government OF Satan and Lincoln. sent
Phil. Sheridan to campaign in the Valley
of Virginia"
"Rosser's men tried hard TO oyertake
them, and did capture few who fingered
TO make sure work of mill near New Mar
ket, but they were instantly shot, and
when night came the troops encamped
near Brooks GAP, in position where all
through the dark they could see the work
of the 'journeymen Of desolation stlll
progressing
The above extract fully explains the
cause of the execution.
MARcELLUs FRENCH.
Formerly Captain Company f. Whites
Battalion.