The Indianapolis journal., 1894-06-17
STORY FOR MILITIA
PATHETIC EXECUTION OF SIX BRAVE
BOYS FROM TENNESSEE.
Forever Dims the Fame of sold
Hickory Jackson.

10 those In this generation 1nere are
hardly hundred men in Alabama, or a
thousand in the whole Union. who are
aware that one OF the most tremendous
tragedies that blacken the records at
Washington was perpetrated just outside
the ole French-settled city. the classical
city by the bay. 1t was there, on Feb. q,
ISIS. that six American soldiers were ilIe-
galiy hurled into eternity by order Of
court-martial and the continent shook with
the protests that were made by Americans.
This wholesale illegal execution-official
murder. IL you please-with all it's attend
ant sckening circumstances, is without
parallel in the historical annals of the
United States. and to-day it rests =
OF the greatest blots upon the military
records at Washington That it was a
hideous blunder there can be no doubt in
this impartial day when all the parties are
dead and rest well I'm their graves. 1t is
equally true that the blood of these men
should never have been placed at the door
OF Gen. Andrew Jackson. as was done, but
upon the hands OF the members Of that
wonderful court-martial which condemned
them to be shot Notwithstanding, crafty
politicians who were none the less cum
ming In those days than they are now,
seized the charge that Jackson was reSpon-
sible for the illegal execution. and in the
campaign OF 1928 waved in all its ghast-
illness from one end OF the country to the
other in an effort to ALLEVIATE the militia
vote from the man OF New Orleans.
During the second war with Great Brit
ain Alabama was part OF Tennessee, and
those soldiers were from what is now Ala
bama-
Sept. 20, 1914. 2O5 members of the First
ooI-c<
refused to serve longer. They declared that
they had enlisted June 20, 1874 for three
months, and as the time had expired, they
officers denied that the time had expired.
declaring that the men had enlisted for six
months. They endeavored to get the sim
pie notion, as they called tt, out Of the
heads Of the men, The men were right in
believing their term of service had ex-
pired, as will be Seen later.
COURT-AfARTuAL ORDERED.
They secured rations the best way they
could, which was not very creditable, and
some Of them did go home. but subsequent
ly voluntarily rejoined the army, when
they were soon after arrested and put in
irons. court-martial ordered to try them
convened Dec. 8, 1914, and consisted OF the
following officers: Colonel Perkins, presi-
dent; Major william s. Stewart, Captain
James Blarkmore. Captain William Mckay
les, Lieutenant Daniel Mitchell and Ensign
Thomas NJ. Mitchell All were officers in
the Tennessee militia, and were reared in
the same section of the State with the ac-
cuSed. The court convened in Mobile and
the prisoners were charged with exciting
bedience to orders" The trial lasted ii twelve i
days. Six of the accused-James Webb, Ser
geant David Morrow. John Harris. a Bap-
list preacher, Henry Lewis, David Hunt
and Edward IAndsey-were condemned to
death Two commissioned officers were
cashiered and the rest of the number. near
TWO hundred, were sentenced TO have one
third OF their pay stopped, and at the ex-
piratfon of the six months term TO have
one-half of their hair shaved off and TO
be drummed out of camp Harris, VINO was
an fhfterate Baptist preacher. and the
father OF nine children, had taken the place
sixteen, en,year-old son, James: His death was
destined TO cause more noise in the world
than any of the others. The evidence
his rifle before going home. 1t also showed
that Morrow had been pardoned by a gem
eral officer.
On Dec: IS. 1915. the British. having suf-
fered a defeat at New Orleans. embarked
In their ships and left the State of Louis
lana and General jackson returned from
the camps at New Orleans He was the
hero OF the day. In fact. the most obscure
RriVate pr a,,su was III. hero In the estimation of
~ so, FOR had he not helped hurl back
.nose soldiers whose watchword had been
that if thew sucseedeg Wnien IN anta tney meant N
Orleans they would sack the. city and fore
IDLY dsfiower the virgin purity of its maid
ennood. consequently, Jan. % was ap-
pointed a day of thanksgiving and praise
and Jackson drove under triumphal arches
to the old cathedral. where Able Dubourg
crowned him with laurels. emblems OF a
warriors deathless fame. On the day be-
fore going to the cathedral he signed the
warrant condemning to death six Tennes-
see soldiers and ordered that the execution
should take place within four days after
the pronunciation Of the order at Mobile
Ieoa xx-ffh Die.
signed and was ratified at Washington
Feb. IL, 1915.
DAY OF THE EXECUTION
Bright was the morning Of Feb q, 1876
the day set for the execution 1t was a
winter month. but in this balmy Southern
cline the flowers were in bloom and the
birds sang sweetly in the vicinity of the
old French-settled town of Mobile. The
stanch Englishmen had taken Fort Bowyer
and placidly rode the bay just without the
harbor in blissful ignorance of the ratif-
cation of peace. There shadow of
gloom throughout that part of the Amerf-
can army at Mobile, for the fatal day had
arrived when their six comrades We're TO
be shot by order OF court-martial Fifteen
hundred troops were marched by General
Winchester to open field near Mobile
and drawn uD into quadrangle. Scores
OF curious citizens were attracted to the
place TO witness the sextuple execution.
wooden Collins were brought @ % into the eens
ter of the quadrangle by as many stall
wart soldiers and placed in a row on the
ground a few feet apart The sable fore
boders Of death sent a shiver through the
sss btsa ts no% gSeps Britsb Rad hgrled ary
for more than one soldier thought a
terrible murder was about to be committed
under the ban of the law. But the fiat of
doom had been proclaimed and there was
no probability of a reprieve arriving Gen.
Winchester knew nothing of the ratification
OF peace, and even If he had, he could do
nothing 10 stay the execution that had
been ordered by his superior. The victims
or that wonderful court martial had not yet
arrived and the soldiers grew nervous while
waiting. Presently there was rattling
sound down the road leading from the
camps. and the old two-horse country way
trotted into view around the bend in the
demned men. They were securely bound
and escorted by military guard. The
rickety old vehicle ratified into the center
OF the quadrangle of troops and stopped by
the side OF the row OF collins. Not a sound
heard save the signing of the wind in
the boughS OF a pine tree near by. The
eyes of every spectator were strained and
turned toward the silent of condemned
men standing upon the brink of dishonor-
able graves All the prisoners stood firm
and composed. except Harris. who was
from the fear of death as the thought of
leaving a widow far away i'm the Tennessee
hills. Colonel Russell, who had charge OF
the execution, said TO the men in under
tone:
''You are about to die by sentence of a
court martial Die like men-like soldiers.
You have hSep brave In the field. You have