The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1904-06-23
SHOT AS DEsERTERs
TRAGIC INCIDENT OF The CIVIL
WAR RECALLED.
Fifteen Confederate Soldiers Paid the
Penalty for the Gravest Of Military
Crimes-Youth Granted Pardon at
the Last Moment.

Strenuous and interesting stories OF
service with the old Orleans cadets
and with Fenner's battery are told by
John X. Renaud, cashier of the La
garde Lime and Stone company who
served throughout the war in the New
Orleans Picayune. Speaking OF the
organization of Fenner's battery, he
says:
In February. 1se2, Capt. Fenner
addressed a letter to ]. p. Benjamin,
secretary OF war. and received a reply
to the effect that q company of light
artillery would be accepted. provided
Capt. Fenner furnished the battery
of guns. This list was rapidly signed
by those in Jackson. though they
found that there were distractions in
the way of reaching New Orleans. On
the 10th of May the company was
mustered into service for the war.
we saw much service before and
after the fall of Vicksburg in the cam
paigns against Grant, finally ending
up in 1869 in the vicinity of Mobile,
where We built winter quarters, but
never went into them, owing to or
ders which carried Us in November to
Dalton. Ga, where we arrived just
in time to see our routed army return
from the battle of Missionary Ridge.
"One evening in the month of April,
1864, when the battery arrived on its
drill ground, located on a small fiat,
surrounded by hills. we observed on
one side long trench, along the mar
gin of which were sixteen posts with
ropes attached through holes about
halfway to the top. During the drill
an infantry squad arrived to guard
the place and when the drill was fin
ished and the guns were sent back
to the camp, the cannoneers re-
manned to witness the military execu-
ton of sixteen members of North
Carolina brigade who had been ar
rested, tried. found guilty of deser-
tion and ordered by Gen. Johnson to
be shot.
I'VE had no sympathy whatever for
deserters in general, but when mere
lad of tender years, who was said to
be only 10 years of age. was led for
ward and tied there was a murmur OF
general dissatisfaction, coupled with
cries of shame. A detail of men
stepped forward to blindfold the men
so soon to be hurried into the pres
ence of their Maker, but 1t was no.
ticed that the eyes of this lad were
not tied and a great load was lifted
from our hearts when an offlcer
stepped to the front and read the
youths reprieve from Gen. Johnson.
giving him his life and ordering him
back to his parents.
The fifteen guilty ones remaining
soon had firing squads in front OF
them. Then a strange thing hap
pened AS the commands we're given
to make ready and take aim with
one exception their knees gave way,
and by the time the muskets were
fired the most of them were only sup
ported by the ropes. The exception
was tall, heavily bearded man, said
to be the leader of the party and who
was at the extreme end of the line
near which we we're standing. This
man twisted around and managed to
get his right hand high enough TO pull
the cloth from his face Then he
Strengthened up in his position and
died calmly while looking down the
barrels Of his comrades muskets. He
was an atheist and insulted the min
lister while being prayed for"