The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-07-14
9maessna gatelligeHeer.
SAM DAVIS HEROIC END.
Death Rather than the Betrayal of a
Friend.
From the Louisville Courier. Journal.

crate hero, who met death on the scat
fold at Pulaski, Tenn, to w the life
of a comradc, is one of the best pieces
of art in the Nashville Parthenon. 1t
is the work of George Julian Zolnay,
is heroic in size, noble in conception
and absolutely true to the original.
Joshua Brown, now of New York city,
who belonged to the I'd Kentucky cav
airy of the Confederate army, and was
a fellow scout with Samuel Davis,
tells the thrilling and awful story
of his fate in an article in the Veter-
an
Gen. Bragg had sent us, a few men
who knew the country, into Middle
Tennessee to get ali the information
possible concerning the movements of
the Federal army, to find out if it was
moving from Nashville and Corinth to
reinforce Chattanooga. We were to
report to Col. Shaw or Capt. Coleman,
who commanded Coleman's scouts.
We were to 60 south to Decatur, and
send our reports by a courier line to
Gen. Bragg at Missionary Ridge.
When we received our orders VIC were
told that the duty was very dangerous
and that they did not expect but few
of us to return; that we would proba-
bly, be captured or killed, and we were
cautioned against exposing ourselves
unnecessarily.
After VIC had been in Tennessee
about ten days we watched the 10Th
army corps, commanded by Gen.
Dodge, move up from Corinth to Pu-
laski. We agreed that we would
leave for the South on Friday, the
18th of November, 1863. A number
had been captured and several killed.
We were to start that night, each
man for himself; each Of us had his
own information, but I did not write
it down or make any memorandum of
it, for fear of being captured. | had
counted almost every regiment and all
the artillery in the 18th corps, and
found out that they were moving on
Chattanooga. Late in the afternoon
we started out and ran into the 7th
Kansas cavalry, known as the exam
sas Jayhawkers," and when we were
told that regiment had captured US we
thought our time had come. We were
taken to Pulaski, about fifteen miles
away, and put into Jail, where several
other prisoners had been sent, and
among whom was Sam Davis. [ talked
with him over our prospects of impris-
onment and escape, which were very
gloomy. Davis said they had search
ed him that day and found some pa
pers upon him, and that he had been
taken to Gen. Dodge's headquarters.
They also found in his saddle seat
maps and descriptions of the fortiica-
tions at Nashville and other points,
and an exact report of the Federal
army in Tennessee. They found in
his boot a letter, with other papers,
was intended for Gen. Bragg.
Davis was taken to Gen. Dodge's
headquarters, and this is what took
place between them, which Gen. Dodge
told me recently:
81. took him to my private Office
said Gen. Dodge, land l told him it
was a very serious charge brought
against him; that he was a spy, and
from what l found upon his person he
had accurate information in regard to
my. army, and I must know where he
obtained it. I told him he was a
young man, and did not seem to real
lie the danger he was in. Up to that
time he said nothing, but then he re-
piled. in a most respectful and digniGed
manner:
"'Gen. Dodge, I know the danger
Of my situation, and l am willing to
take the consequences
II asked him then to give the lame
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 I will have to die,
but ]. will not tell where I got the in
and there is no power on
earth that can make me tell. You are
doing your duty as a soldier, and |
am doing mine. If l have to die do
so feeling that I am doing my duty to
my God and my country
IT pleaded with and urged him with
all the power I possessed to give MI
some chance to save his life, for l dis
covered that he was a most admirable
young fellow, with the highest char
acter and strictest integrity. He then
1t is useless to talk to me. l
do not intend to do it. You can
court-martial me, but I will not be-
tray the trust reposed in me-.
"He thanked me for the interest |
had taken in him, ard [ sent him back
to prison. I Immediately called a
court-martial to try him
The night before he was hanged he
wrote the following letter to his moth
er and father:
"Pulaski, Giles County, Tenn, No
vember 26, 1963.-Dear Mother: Oh,
how painful it is to write to you! [
have to die tomorrow morning-to be
hanged by the Federals. Mother, do
not grieve for me. I must bid you
forevcrmore. Mother, I do
not fear to die. Give my love to all.
Your son. SAMUEL DAVIS.
"Mother, tell all the children to be
good. I wish I could see you all once
more, but I never will any more.
Mother, and father, dc not forget me.
Think Of me when I am dead, but do
not grieve for me. 1t will not do any
good. Father, you can send after my
remains if you want to do SO. They
will be at Pulaski, Tenn. [ will leave
some things, too, with the hotel keep
er for you. Pulaski is in Giles Coun-
ty, Tenn, south Of Columbia:
After the sentence he was put into
a cell in the Jail, and we did not see
anything of him until Thursday morn
ing, the day before the execution.
We we're ordered to get ready, as we
were going to be removed to the Court
House, on the public square, about
one hundred feet from the Jail. Da-
Wis was h~andcuffed and was broughtiD
just as we we're eating breakfast. |
Id