St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-21
TOLD BY GEN. DODGE.

Asan instance of conspicuous bravery
within my experience of the war, will
give you the story of young COnfeder-
ate soldier, who, being caught as SPY
with plans and communications alleged
to have been furnished by traitorous
officer of our engineers, preferred to die
on the scaffold rather than divuige the
name of the informer.
Directly after the battle of Chicka-
manga the Confederate General
Bragg, contemplating forward move
ment into Tennessee and Kentucky,
found it necessary to obtain informa-
ton concerning the Union Notifications
in middle Tennessee. 1t is claimed that
he succeeded in suborning an officer
high in the Union service to furnish
him with complete details Of our
strength and plans of the fortresses of
Pulaski, Nashville and others. 1t is
more probable to suppose that Confed-
crate agent was employed i'll the task.
This information was to be ready by
the middle of November, but the diff
Guilty arose SIS to now it should be con-
veyed to the Confederate lines. A dis
lance of over 100 miles had to be ira
versed. the greater portion Of which
sWarmed with our men, ever on the
lookout for spies or informers.
Gen. Bragg cast about to find man
suitable for the dangerous enterprise of
obtaining the documents and safely re-
crossing our lines. The choice fell
upon young man named Samuel
Dayis-not more than eighteen years
old-who had been drafted from the
First Tennessee infanty into Coleman's
scouts OH account of conspicuous dar
ing in many previous exploits. That
Davis fully justified his commanders
high opinion was shown by the sequel.
Retaining his uniform Davis managed
successfully to cross our lines and secure
| the precious documents. He had evil
IDENTIFY moved from house to house
where he knew he would meet with
sympathiZers, and done his journeying
| by night, for on him were afterwards
found various female tokens for the
rebel commander, III the shape of stock
ings, handkerchiefs, etc.
l sent them over the lines to Gen.
Bragg, because they were harmless
but that is another story, as somebody
has already remarked.
Davis was making his way slowly but
surely, back to his headquarters, when
| one morning-it was Nov, 20, he
stumbled upon party of my men
within the Union lines, about fifteen
miles from Pulaski. They found the
compromising papers upon his person
and brought him to headquarters.
When Davis appeared before me
was struck with his youth and bravery.
| Wishing to spare the life of such brave
| fellow offered him the alternative of a
free pardon and safe conduct to theCon-
federate lines. if he would only disclose
| the name of his informant. This he
sturdily refused to do. mo. SIR" he
| replied, 81 would sooner die thousand
| times than betray friend"
Nothing remained but to submit him
to trial. Col. Madison Miller, of the
Eighteenth Missouri infantry, had charge
of the military commission that tried
him. The deliberations were prolonged
several days solely for the purpose of
giving Davis time to change his mind,
but it was foregone conclusion that
their finding would result in his death if
he did not reveal the informer's name.
Nothing could make him finch. He met
his death bravely Oh the scaffold outside
Fort Pulaski, Oh Nov. 81, 1868. Among
his last words were: 1.-THE rest of the
battle will have to be fought without
me-" GRENVILLE M. DODGE.