The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-31

lines. which they well knew, and of course
the suggestion must have Jared their hon
est intentions. if they had any.
When headquarters were reached the men
were boldly accused of being spies. They
showed great Indignation. and. of course,
vigorously declared that they were lnno-
Immediately Colonel Baird reported con-
ditions TO General Rosecrans. GOssip said
at the time. that the wires between Frank
lin and Nashville were tapped. so that in
the event the men should be suspected and
an inquiry sent to Nashville or Murfrees-
boro the message would be intercepted by
q confederate and a suitable answer re-
turned; but the rumor was without toun-
dation. as Colonel Baird had used both the
wire and signal flags.
General Rosecrans replied: The men are
no doubt spies. Call a drum-head court
martial. and. If found to be spies. hang
them without fail before morning.
knowledge of the arrest of the sDies, ana
all sorts of rumors were on the wing. tx
element in the vicinity of Fort Granger
was intense.
TRIED AND CONVICTED.
The court was promptly convened and a
fair trial accorded the accused. They wore
their overcoats buttoned tightly up to the
chin. When %unbuttoned there were ex-
hibited the dress coats of the Confederate
army. The caps they wore were the or
binary fatigue caps of the United States
4 THY III td6lC buNNbAioF LhNAA
were of navy blue, with large capes, lined
with oranse-colored material, and ordinary
United States buttons. The pantaloons. also
of navy blue. with an orange cord down
the outside seams, completed their attire.
On the hilts of their swords were engraven
their names, rank and service.
During the trial they made no defense ex-
cept that they were not ordinary spies.
The evidence against them was complete.
and. being caught ''red-handed. the court
could do nothing less than adjudge them
guilty of being spies, and at once sentenced
them to be hanged by the neck until they
Early in March, 1861, after Mr.. Lincoln
was inaugurated President. the younger
Williams was commissioned a lieutenant In
the regular army and was appointed conf
dential secretary to Gen. Wlnneld Scott,
who was then in command of the army.
AT first. II is said. he was arrogant and
domineering in his manner toward those
who were in sympathy with the South, for
the purpose, there was afterward no doubt,
to make himself secure with the national
authority, so that he could the more sue
c~essfully gather in the secret work of the
management of the war. but in a BRIEF
time. however. he publicly declared his
sympathies with the South, and upon an
nouncing his intention to go South he was
put on Governors island until after the
battle of Bull Run, because of fear that he
would unfold General Scott's plans to the
authorities at Richmond. After going South
he changed his name TO Lawrence W. Or
THE EXECUTION.
The morning of June 8, 1863, was the
opening Of a beautiful day. 1t was indeed
one of the rare days of June. The YER
dict of the court received the silent appro-
baton of every soldier in blue. The SOL
diers somehow felt that if the plans of the
spies had not miscarried the garrison would
likely have been overwhelmed with dis
aster, yet they manfully resisted all un-
seemly demonstrations in the faces Of the
condemned men and in the presence of i'm
pending death. There was no e%xultant
demonstration.
The gaIlows was constructed by a wild
cherry tree not far from the depot and in
a very public place. Two ropes hung pen
dant from the BEEN reaching within eight
feet of the ground. A little after 3 o'clock
a m. the whole garrison was marshaled
about the place OF execution. W poplar
collins were near by. At 800 o'clock a. m.
the guard conducted the prisoners to the
scafOld. Arriving at the place of eXecu-
ton they stepped upon the platform of a
cart. The provost marshal, Captain Alex
ander, then placed 4 linen handkerchief
over the face of each and adjusted the
rope. They embraced and babe each other
a last farewell. This over, the cart moved
from under them at $3.50 a. m At 10 o'clock
a. m. the bodies were cut down and en-
cOfined in full dress and both buried in
Colonel Williams was the officer of the
highest rank ever nunS as a spy Dy an
American army. Major Andre, OF revolu-
tiOnary times, was the next in rank.
AS Colonel Williams claimed, they may
have been more than ordinary spies, but
they were nevertheless spies, and of a
dangerous sort. The correspondent of the
Chattanooga Rebel could not divine their
real mission, but said that ii was evident
they had resolved to do some deed of knigh
erranty which would commend their names
10 all pO~Sterity or perish IN the attempt.
The Confederate authorities. civil and
1 military 6iGp1gfr1a6 any EnnyN1a1Rp of the
scheme, and nothing developed during the
trial or since 10 disprOve their disclaimer.
When the spies entered the Union lines
they had no baggage, no papers other
than the forged ones, and they were with
l out money, SO that the inference drawn by
[ Colonel Baird that they were on some i'm
portant mission To Canada and Europe
does not seem altogether reasonable. con-
sistent. nor we'll sustained.
What. then, could be their purpose
!, They went TO the gallows without a con
fession of their intentions. We can but
[ theOrize. Open theory is probably as plausi'
! BILE as another; but. in any event. the mis-
+, sion was a daring and a hazardous one.
Is not the theory most plausible that the
E capture of Fort Granger was the object
of their mission? Time and again tbs
D enemy had failed to take the fort by di
rect assault; why not now try 1t by sub
| t~erfuge?
Colonel Williams Cor rather Lawrence w
/, OrtOn) commanded a brigade in General
l Martins Confederate division Of cavalry
which was then stationed near Franklin
and il is the opinion of the writer that il
was the mission of the SPY TO secure the
; cOuntersisn for the night. and when once
| safely outside the Federal lines his re-
l entrance inside the lines with his brigade
and other troops would have been an easy
matter by the use of the cOuntersign ami
the capture of the pickets.
. To have at once entered the camp with
, out hindrance and with fun knowledge OF
2 position and strength of the troops, the
7 garrison would almost surely have beer
; overwhelmed. This may not be the cor
y rect theory, but il such was the real pur.
: pose the scheme came very near being Z
{ success.
The garrison was not disturbed again
> \ few weeks later General ROSecrans de.
termined TO respond TO the demand mad,
z upon him by the authorities at Washing.
p ton. on June "A the campaign began. and
. within nine days the advance of the FEEDER.
al column rested at Tullahoma. and Gen,
: eral Bragg and his army had fallen bach