The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-07-21

Davis was taken 10 General Dodge's
headquarters and this is what took
place between them, which General
Dodge told me recently:
81 took him 20 my private office"
said General Dodge, ''and | told him
il was very serious charge brought
against him; that he was spy, and
from what | found upon his person, he
had accurate information in regard 10
my army, aud must know where he
obtained IT, 1 told him he was a
young man and did not seem to real
ize the danger me was in. Up to that
time he said nothing, but then he re-
piled in most respectful and digni-
fled manner:
General Dodge, / know the dan
ger of my situation, and 1 am willing
to take the consequences
Il asked him then to give the name
OF the person from whom he got the
information; that / knew it must be
some one near headquarters who had
given him the plans of the Federal
army. He replied:
" I know that | will have TO die.
but will not tell where | got the in
formation, aud there is no power on
earth that can make me tell. You are
doing your duty as a soldier, and am
mine. If have TO die, do so feeling
that | am doing my daty to God and
my country
II pleaded with and urged him with
al the power / possessed to give me
some chance TO save his life, for / dis
covered that he was a most admirable
young fellow, with the highest charao-
t-r and strictest integrity. He then
said: 1T is useless to talk TO me. do
not intend TO do il. You can court
martial me, but / will not betray the
trust reposed in me-
He thanked me for the interest that
i had taken in him, and ! sent him
back 10 prison. / Immediately called
a conrt-martial 10 try him"
The night before he was hanged he
wrote the following letter 10 his father
aud mother:
Pulaski, Giles Co, Tenn, Nov. 25,
1863.
Dear Mother:-Oh, how painful il
= 10 write TO you. have got to die to-
morrow mOrning-to be hanged by the
Federals. Mother, do not grieve for
me. j must bid you goodbye forever
more. Mother, do not fear to die.
Give nay love 10 all. Your son,
SAMUEL DAVIS.
Mother, tell the children to be
good. wish could s.se you all once
more, bot never will any more.
Mother and father, do not forget me.
Think II nne when sm dead, but DO |
~, grieye for me. II xill not do any
good Father you can s-nd after nay
remains, II you want 10 DO -. They |
VIII be at Pulaski, Tenn. ! will have
ZONE things, too, with the hotel keep
er for you. Pulaski l. in Giles county,
Tenn, south Of Columbia S. d."
After this sentence he was put into a
cell in the Jail, and We did not see any
thing Of him until Thursday morning,
the day before the execution. We
were order ID to get ready, as we were
going 10 be removed TO the court house
on the public square, about 100 feet
from the Jail. Davis was handcufTed
and brought in just as We were eating
breakfast gave him piece of meat
that | had been cooking, and he, being
handcufied, was compelled to eat it
with both hands. He thanked ma.
and we all bade him goodbye, and
were sent to the courthouse and the
guard was doubled.
The next morning, Friday, Novem-
Der %, at 10 o'clock, we heard the
drums and regiment of infantry
marching down TO the Jail, and a wag-
on with a coffin in il was driven nm.
and the provost marshal went into the
Jail and brought Davis out. He got
into the wagon and stood up and look
ed around the court house, and. seeing
us at the window, bowed 10 US his Last
farewell He was dressed in dark
brown overcoat, with cape 20 il. which
mad been blue Federal coat. such as