River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-08-05

my remains II you want 10 do 50. They vii
- ~ Pulaski. Tenn ] Uill leave SOM
-hfrss. too. with the hotel keeper for you
Pulaski is IL Giles county. Tenn. south Of
Columbia s D.
After his sentence he was put into 3
cell in the Jail and We did ns Sc any
hing Of him until Thursday morning.
;he DAY before the execution. We were
ordered 10 get ready. a. We we're going
TO be removed 10 the courthouse on tie
public square about 100 feet from the
Jail. DAVIS was handcUffed anC was
brought IN just as Ue were eating
breakfast gave him piece OF meat
that I had been cooking. and he. hand
cuffed. was compelled TO eat il with
both hands He thanked me. and we
all babe him good-by, and were sent to
the courthouse and the guard was
doubled.
The next morning. Friday. Novem-
her %. at ten o'clock. we heard the
drums and a regiment of infantry
marching down to the jail aud a wagon
with a coffin in IL was driven up. and the
provost marshal went into the jail and
wagon and stood up ard looked around
al the courthouse, and. seeing us al the
windows. bowed to US his last farewell
He was dressed in q dark brown over
coat with a cape TO IL, which had been
a blue federal coat. such as many of us
had captured and then dyed brown.
| note this because il has been stated
that he was dressed in citizens clothes.
I do not remember exactly. but 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 his seat on
I bench under tree. He asked Capt.
Armstrong how long he had % live. He
replied: Fifteen minutes He then
asked Capt. Armstrong the news. He
told him Of the battle of Missionary
Ridge. and that our army had been de-
fcated. lie expressed much regret. and
said:
The boys will have to fight without
me-
Armstrong said: 4 regret very
much having to do this; feel that
would almost rather die myself than TO
do what have 10 do. Davis replied:
81 do not think hard OF you; you
are doing your duty
Gen Dodge still had hopes that Davis
would recant when be saw that death
was staring him in the face and thai
he would reveal the name of the traitor
in his camp. He sent Capt. Chickasaw
Of his staff, to Davis. He rapidly ap
preached the scaffold. jumped from his
horse and went directly 10 Davis and
asked il it would not be bette for him
to speak the name of the one from
whom he had received the contents oil
the document found upon him, adding;
1t is not too late yet And then, in
his last extremity. Davis turned upor
him and said:
"If | had a thousand lives ! would
lose them all here before 7 would be
tray my friends or the confidence of my
infOrmer.'
He then requested me TO thank Gen
I Dodge for his efforts TO save him. but e
. repeat mat ne cOulO uOI accept lut
terms. Turning to the chaplain, h
gave him few keepsakes to send TO his
mother. He then said to the proves
marshall: L am ready assembled th'
fold and stepped upon the trap.
Thus passed away one of the sub
FINEST and nOblest characters known il
history. and in future ages his act viii
be pointed to as worthy of emulation.
The bust in the Parthenon by tn,
sculptor. George Julian ZOlnay. is he
role figure. and one of the most admired
works of art in the building. Mr.. ZOl
nav has given the work a nObleness,
firmness that, while IL appeals to TIT
masses On account Of its strength, ais
has a softness that impresses ever!
visi or. II is one of Mr.. Zolnay's hes
proc uctions.
A number OF leading confederates ar,
row raising a fund to erect a monu
ment over the spot where he was exc
cuted 4 large amount has already
been contributed for the purpose.