Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-03-11
A WAR "REMINISCENCES.

| noticed a short time ago upon the
Confederate monument in Alexandra
the name of Colonel William Orion
Williams. This recalled an incident
of the war which may be of interest to
your readers.
Col. Williams resigned his commits
sion in the United States Army soon
after the breaking out of the war, at
which time he was First Lieutenant of
Second Cavalry and detailed upon
Northumberland SCOTS staff.
first saw him in February, 1862,
at Columbus, Kentucky, as Captain OF
a light battery. He was an ideal speci-
men of young soldier-fully SIX feet
high, proportional accordingly and as
straight as an Indian. l next met
him at Chattanooga in the summer OF
80, just prior to Bragg's Kentucky
campaign, when he was, I think, chief
of Artillery to Major-General Leonidas
Polk. In June, 1868, Cleburne's Di-
vision, of which I was Adjutant-Gen-
eral, was on outpost at Wartrace,
Tenn, and the Federal Army, under
command of Gen. RosecIans, holding
the line in advance of Nashville, with
headquarters at Murfreesboro and
strong detachments at Franklin and
other points. Gen. Garfield, afterwards
President, was Rosecrans' Chief Of
Staff. On or about the night Of the
eth of June | was alone in my office
when an officer in the uniform of a
Colonel of Cavalry entered, accom-
panied by young Lieutenant. The
former I recognized as William Orion
Williams, and the latter | subsequently
learned to be Lieutenant Peter, his
Adiutant. I addressed him as Col.
Williams, to which he replied "Col.
Orion if you please" After greetings
were passed Col. Williams or orion
asked for the countersign and upon re-
ceiving which he Immediately left, CIV
ing no intimation of his destination or
design. A day or two following we re-
ceived information that Col. Williams
and Lieut.. Peter had been arrested
convicted and hanged as spies by the
Federals at Franklin.
In locking over records of rebellion
I find a record of the proceedings, (see
Page 424, Series l, Volume NXIII,)
which gives the dry official details of
the charges, specifications, findings and
execution of the sentence Of the court,
but containing none of the dramatic
incidents as we heard them. These
made deep impression upon me at
the time, and l will now narrate them
from memory, which after thirty-fve
years may be somewhat faulty, but
the main points are substantially cor
rect, viz: Upon obtaining the counter
sign as before said, these two officers,
having put on Federal uniforms with
the exception of caps, their own being
covered with oil silk covers, they rode
through the lines to the Federal camp
at Franklin and presenting to its COM
mander, Col. J. P. Baird, forged orders
from Washington and also from Gem
Rosecrans, stating that they were Off
GERS specially detailed from the War
Department to inspect the different
posts of the Western Army, giving the
assumed names of Col. Lawrence Anton
and Maj, Geo, Dunlop. 1t was stated
at the time that Col. Williams recog-
nized among the officers one whom he
had known in the old service, but this
recognition was not mutual at the time.
Upon exhibiting the spurious orders,
every facility was afforded them Of in
specting the troops and acquainting
themselves of their numbers and of the
defences Of the place. Dining with
the officers then late in the afternoon
rode off extensively to inspect other
points and had gotten nearly a mile
away when a suspicion that all was
not right crossed the mind of Col.
Baird, who called to his sergeant of
coumers to take such men as he could
quickly, follow these two and deliver
a message that he wished TO speak to
them, at the same time ordering him
in event they declined obeying to shoot
them down. The sergeant hastily di-
rected his men to follow, rode ahead
alone, and as he overlook them bring
ing his carbine to his hip ready to fire.
After having escaped the great danger
of discovery while in camp, it seemed
strange that this summon to return
had not aroused the suspicion of these
who being two to one, could
either have killed or captured the
sea ueant and with the start thew had