The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1901-08-08
weut Rrayely to Death.

| The man who can face death without
a tremor and even give the command
which is to result in his body being
pierced by dozen bullets may without
question be considered as possessing
bravery Of a high order and when to
this is added the fact that his execu-
TONERS are all friends and sympathizers
the case seems all the more unusual.
An instance of this nature which Oc-
Cured during the civil war is related
by Southern soldier, who. although
| he had witnessed violent deaths with
| out number and had become Injured to
scenes of carnage. had lasting im-
preston made upon him by one officers
heroism. He told the story rs fol-
lows:
Zone morning left my command for
| a walk and had gone but a short dis.
| tance when l ran into n little body of
| men. Two of them had their eyes blind
folded and their arms tied behind them.
The first fellow couldn't have been
more than @5. He was tall. straight as
an arrow, with dark, curling brown
hair, and his face was the handsOmest
and the saddest ever saw. He was
walking quietly and steady. couldn't
see his eyes. but not a muscle of his
face was twitching, and his feet were
planted fairly and squarely on the
ground. l noticed that he wore the
uniform of u captain.
The second fellow had to be held up
by four men. Every few steps he would
fall to the ground perfectly limp and. 1t
seemed, lifeless. When the men would
get him up he would scream and cry
like a scared child. He was n great.
big, raw-bOned North CarOlinian. and
his terror would have been disgusting
II 1t hadn't been so pitiable.
II followed the little procession for
hundred yards to where the line Of
crosses stood. The captain was TO be
shot first. As they placed him with his
back to the cross lie said: Men, you
know me. I've led you in so fights, and
you've never seen me shy from gun
muzzle yet. have you? just want you
to take this bandage off my eyes. and
as long as I've got TO die let me die like
a man. I've given you the order to fire
many a time. and I'd like to give my
last order. II you'll let me- The lieu
tenant hesitated, and then he said:
Jack. I'll do 1t, If get shot for it.
They unbound his eyes. He straight
ened himself for q minute, took long
look all about him, and then facing his
men said in as steady voice as I ever
listened to. Ready! Aim! Fire"
.'They fired. and he pitched straight
forward his full length. dead before he
struck the ground. Then they tried to
bind the Tar-heel to the cross, but he
writhed and moaned and twisted away
from it like a snake with a broken
back. They gave 1t up. and he was shot
while he was crawling along the
ground, screaming out prayers for
mercy.
Il heard afterward that the captain,
hearing that his old mother was dying,
had asked leave TO go to his home.
which was only 10 miles away. We
needed every man then. and the per-
NIT was refused. He slipped away.
but before he got back Grant made
one Of his attacks ON our lines. The
captains company went into action for
the first time without him at the head
of 1t. He returned for a court martial.
DESERVING had become too common for
any excuse to be taken for 1t. and he
was ordered TO be shot the next morn
Ing"