Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-08-05

,'"Hheu INC Tor the interest |
hau taken in him, and | sent him
Dack to prison. | immediately
called court-marshal to try him.
me night before he was hanged
| ne wrote the following letter to his
I mother and father:
Pulaski. Giles Co, Tenn.
November 10Th, 1909. !
DEAR MoTHER-Oh, how painful !,
Is to write TO you | have GOT To die to.
morrow morning-bc hanged bv the Fed
erals. Mother, do not grCvc ror mo.
must bid You goodbye for cvcrmorr-
Mo,hcr do not fear TO die. Give my
love to all. Your son.
SAMUEL DAVIS.
Mother, tell the children all to be good
wish ] could sec YOU all once morr but
never will any more. Mother and
father, do not forget me Think of m,,
when am dead, but do not gricvc for nc
1t will not do any good. Father, YOU can
send alter my remains il vOu want TO do
so. They will be at Pulaski, Tenn
will leave some things. too. with the no.
tel keeper for you. Pulaski is in Giles
county, Tennessee, south of Columbia.
S. d."
After his sentence he was put into
cell in the Jail and we did not sec
anything of him until Thursday
morning, the day before the execu-
tion. We were ordered to get ready,
as we were going to be removed to
the court house on the public square,
about 100 yards from the Jail. Da-
Wis was hand-cuffed, and was brought
In Just as we were eating breakfast.
! gave him piece of meat that |
had been cooking, and he, being
hand-cuffed, had to eat it with both
hands. He thanked me and we all
bade him goodbye, and were sent to
the courthouse and the guard was
doubled.
The next morning, Friday, Nov.
27th, at 10 o'clock, we heard the
drums and regiment of infantry
marching down to the Jail, and a
wagon with coffin in it was driven
up, and the provost marshal went
into the Jail and brought Davis out.
lie got into the wagon and stood up
looked around at the courthouse,
and seeing us at the windows, bowed
to us his last farewell. He was
dressed in a dark-brown overcoat
with cape to it, which had been a
blue Federal coat, such as many of
us had captured and then dyed
brown. l note this because it has
been stated that he was dressed in
citizens clothes. 1 do not remem-
Der exactly, but l think he had on a
gray jacket underneath. He then
sat down upon his coffin, and the
regiment moved off to the suburbs
OF the town, where the gallows was
built.
Upon reaching the gallows, he got
out of the wagon and took a seat un-
der tree. He asked Captain Arm
strong how long he had to live. He
replied: Fifteen minutes" He
then asked Captain Armstrong the
news. He told him of the battle of
Missionary Ridge, and that our army
had been defeated. He expressed
much regret and said:
"The boys will have to fight with
out me-"
Armstrong said: "I regret very
much having to do this; / feel that
l would almost rather die myself
than to do what have to do" Da-
dis replied:
" l do not think hard of you; you
are doing your duty"
General Dodge still had hopes that
Davis would recant when he saw
death staring him in the face, and
that he would reveal the name of
the traitor in his camp. He sent
Captain Chickasaw, of his staff, to
Davis. He rapidly approached the
scaffold, jumped from his horse and
went to Davis and asked if it would
not be better for him to speak the
name of the one from whom he had
received the contents Of the docu-
ment found upon him, adding: cit
is not too late yet" Then, in his
last extremity, Davis turned upon
him and said:
elf l had thousand lives, |
would lose them all here before |
would betray my friends OF the con-
tidence of my informer."
He then requested them to thank
General Dodge for his efforts to save
him: but to repeat that he could
not accept the terms. Turning to
the chaplain he gave him few
keepsakes to send to his mother.
He then said to the provost marshal,
"l am ready" assembled the scaffiold
and stepped upon the trap.
Thus passed away one of the sub
limest and noblest characters known
in history, and in future ages his act
will be pointed to as worthy of emu
lation.