The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-12-22
CARDS, THEN DEATH
A DOOMED DEseRTER WHO PLAYED
POKER AND WON.

He Had His Winnings Distributed
Among the Members of the Squad
That Shot Hin, to Death.
at is a curious fact" said men,
DER of Company A. Third Maryland.
that military execution had peculiar
fascination for men who were daily
accustomed TO see hundreds slain 10
battle. Men who shovel brcistwork
In on trench full of slain comrades
and chew bareback or eat salt pork
while at the job with a calousncss
which only such frequent scenes or oc.
currences would make possible in the
human heart became peculiarly sensi
tive and alive to the solemn parade
and formalities OF military execution
in cur regiment we had 4 private
soldier sentenced to be shot for desert
ing to the cleny. His name was
Thompson, and lie belonged TO Com.
pany K. This man Thompson had de-
serted off veGctte post one night and
some two months afttrNard came into
our lines, where mcmbors of his cwn
DlEket
duty. Thompson did moi calculate ON
this. His idea n coming in was o sur
render as a Confederate soldier and he
sent north. 1t happened near to the
Weldon railroad, where cur division OF
the Ninth CORPS was then posted. OF
course. on being recognized, he was
taken to headquarters, and court
martial was Immediately convened. II
leaked out somehow that Taonpst.o
was not the humble soldier he seemed.
but Confederate officer and SPY. Re
had been an officer in the United State,
navy before the war. lie resigneJand
went south, where he secured the com
mission of colonel of infantry
Being Marylander Of family, eff
forts were made to save his life, but in
a quiet way, as his relatives feared to
disclose his real identity for fear he
would be hanged as a spy instead Of
shot as deserter. Friday, the day
set for execution in the Army of the
Potomac, came around too soon for
Thompson and his relatives. The night
previous he had been informed that all
efforts had failed at Washington.
was on guard duty over him, and my
brother was one of the detail of twelve
men selected as the firing squad. Ny
brother didn't like the job, and came
to the tent where / was on guard to
consult with me how to get out of it.
Thompson overheard our conversation,
and, knowing my brother by name, he
broke in: Say, Tip, you must not back
out. l want you in the squad, as
know you are dead shot and will
save me from the sergeant
"It was the practice for the sergeant
IL the firing squad failed to kill the
doomed man with volley to place the
muzzle of his rifle against the temple
Of the prisoner and blow out his brains
"After Tip had consented the office
Of the guard permitted US to play cards
with the prisoner. He had a roll OK
bills, and we were soon in stiff poker
game. Two guards. including myself,
ny brother Tip and Thompson, COM
posed the quartet. We played until
gray daylight, and Thompson skinned
the party of every dollar. He had
phenomenal luck and watched the
game closely.
"In the afternoon he was to die, and
about noon he asked to see the lieEten-
ant Of the firing squad. Handing the
officer $500, he asked him to divide it
equally among the men detailed to
shoot him.
1.-THE division was drawn up and
formed three sides Of a square, the
fourth side being open, where the grave
Of Thompson was freshly dug. The
band played the dead march in Saul
aud Thompson, at the head of the fir
Ing squad, marched around the three
aides of the square, with the coffin in
which he was to be inclosed carried i'm
mediateiy behind him. Reaching the
open space, the coffin was set down.
Thompson seated himself on the end of
t, facing the firing squad. about twelve
paces distant. The death warrant was
read, and the chaplain tied his hand
kerchief over the prisoners eyes.
watched Thompson, curious to note IL
he would hear the reports of the mus
kets that killed him. Presently heard
the lieutenant's low voice: Ready!
Aiml FiPev
SIN the next instant Thompson top
pied back into his coffin a dead nan.
The reports of the muskets he never
heard, as l saw him swiftly fall over
before heard the guns crack, and SO
settled this disputed point to my own
satisfaction, and to that extent the ex-
ecution Of Thompson interested me and
no more" Washington Post.