The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-05
he Preferred Death Rather Than Betray a
ITisRd's Confidential CommunleaiIan.
SPY WHO GOULD HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE
With oae Word, but Refused &c SpcnI
II Wheu StnndinE at the Foot or
the GaiioWs-A Bnst TO Pcrluate iI,e
OF IL Sublime and Noble
Character.
Courier Journal.)

Ioiu at Pulaski, Tenn, to save The LIE
OF a comrade, is one OF the best pieces
of sculpture In the Nashville ~par;henon
It is tina work of George Julian IoInay,
IS heroic in size, noble in conception and
absolutely true to the original. Joshua
Brown, now of New York "iLy, who be-
lonsed to the Second Kentucky Cavalry
of the Confederate army AMI was L fel-
low scout with Samuel Davis. ;ells the
thrilling II awful story &C his fate in
an article in the Veteran:
General Bragg a sent us. n few
men who knew the country. into middle
Tennessee. to get all the information
possible concerning the movements OF
the Federal army. to find nGt i; +. was
own from Nashville ana Corintli to
reinforce Chattanooga. We We're To re-
port to Colonel Shaw or Captain Colo
man, who commanded CJlcmln's scouts
we were TO go south 20 Decatur anl
send our reports by courier ltiia To Gtn.
sral Bragg at Missionary Ridge. When
we received our orders W., weri told
that the duty was very dangerous. AMI
that they did not expect hut few OF us
to return; hat we would probably lie
captured or killed, and we were cau;i1i-
ed against exposing ourselves unncc, :.
sarily.
After we had been IN Tennessee about
ten days we watched the Sixteenth ar
my corps, commanded by Colonel
Dodge. moved up from Corinth to Pu-
laski. We agreed hat we would leave
for the sourh on Friday, the 18th Of
November. 1853. ~ numhe had been
captured and several killed. We were
to start that night, each man for him
self: each man had his own Informal
t!on. but I did not write 1t down or
rake any memorandum of ii for fear
CT being captured. ] had counted al
most every regiment and all the artil-
ley IN the Sixteenth corps. n found
out that they were moving on Chatta-
nocga. Later In tne afternoon we start
ed out. and ran into the Seventh Kan
n cavalry. known as the KANSAS
JayhHwiers" and when we ere told
that regiment had captured us we
thought our time had come. We were
taken to PulaSiil. about fifteen miles
away, and put into jail. where several
other prisoners had been sent, and
among them was Sam Davis. ] talked
with him over our prospects OF impris-
oEment and escape. which were very
gloomy. Davis said they had searched
him that day and found some papers
upon Elm, and that he had been taken
TO General Dodge's headquarters. They
also found in his saddle seat map and
descriptions OF the Qualifications at
Nashville and other points. and an ex-
act raDort OF the Federal army jim Ten
neSsee. They found in his boot a letter.
with other papers, which was intended
for General Bragg.
DAVIS was taken 10 General Dodge's
headquarters. and this is what took
place bctween them, which General
Dodge told me recently:
Il took him to my private Office" said
Genera Dodge, and n told him It wa a
very serious charge brough, against
him; that he was a spy. and from what
l found upon his person. he had accu-
rate information in regard to my ar
my, and | must Know where he obtained
it. | told MN he was a young man
and did not seem to realize the danger
he was In. Up to that time he said
nothing. but then he replied in IL mos,
respectful and d;gniied mnnncr
Genera Dodge. I know the DANCE:
Of my situation, and l am willing ID
take the consequences.'
- asked him then to give the name
Of the person from whom he rot ths
Information: that ! knew Il must be
some one near headquarters who had
given him the plans OF the Federal
army. He replied:
~ know that ] will have to die. but
] will not tell where l got the lnforma-
ton, and there Is no !powcr on earth
that can make me tell. You are doing
your duty as q soldier. md am doing
mine If have to DIE, l do SO feeling
that am doing my duty to God and my
country
Il pleaded with him and urged him
with all the power ! possessed to give
me some chance to ave his life, for
discovered That he was 4 most admira.
BILE young fellow. with the highest cha
ac,er and stEL.test integrity. lie then
said: 1t S useless to talk to me, l do
not intend to do Il. You can court mar
lial me. but ! do not intend to betray
the trust imposed In me
"IIe thanked me for the interest T had
;tkcn IN him. and ! sent him back to
pris2n. | Immediately called a court.
GjArti1l To Try rim"
bNIc night before he was hanged hr
wrote the following letter TO his mother
me father:
PULASKI. Giles Co, Tenn. Nov. &C, 1863.
Dear Mother:-Oh. how painful Il 10
TO write TO YOU. l have got 10 die To-
morrow m~orning--to he hanged by tho
fc'!erals. Mother, do not grieve for mo
! must bid you good bye for evermore
Mother ! do not fear to die. Give my
love TO all. Your son.
SAMUEL DAVIS.
Mother, tell the children all to he
good | wish I could see you ell once
more. but | will never any more. Mother
and father. do not forget me. Think
OF me when | am dead. but dc not ErIeye
for me. 1t VIII not do any good. Ia Their.
you can send after iny remains. If YOU
want to do 50. They will be at Pulaski
Tenn. I will leave some things, too
with the hotel keeper for you. Pulaski
Ia In Giles county, Tenn, south Of
Columbia. SD"
After his sentence he was put into q
cell Ll the Jail II we did not see my
thing Of him until Thursday morning,
the day before the execution. We werE
Orlerrl 10 got rnalN rs we vnrn cnlnn