The National tribune., 1905-10-12

the hanging. but was told that the or
ders were that no man should leave
camp for two hours. The field where
the execution took place was about 40
rods from our camp, and almost an un-
Obstructed view. l could see the man
on the scaffold and see him hanging
for nearly half an hour after the trap
was sprung. About the middle OF May
the Orderly-Sergeant of my company
came down the company street and
called for Frank Mitchell. Thomas
Lynch and II. F. Swick to report at his
tent Immediately with gun and cart
ridge-box. We did no, and were taken
TO brigade headquarters, where there
were three more men from the 18th
Regulars waiting. The six men were
then taken to division headquarters.
where we found IL others waiting in
line. Two men came out of headquar-
tiers and took the guns of the six new
arrivals. In a few minutes they brought
them back. An officer then took us and
marched in a southwest direction about
one mile to an open field, where there
were two lines OF soldiers formed SO as
to make double hollow square, with
one end of the square open. We march
ed N II the open end and up TO the
closed end where we We're double-fled
To the right, SO that we would face the
open end of the square. All the way
from division headquarters we were
followed by on ambulance with a Ser
Geant and six men guarding it. The
ambulance came into the square and
halted about five rods from where we
stood. A Surgeon and Chaplain and
another man got out, and a coffin was
taken out. The Surgeon came over to
our squad. The Chaplain and another
man knelt down by the coffin and be-
gan to pray. During this prayer the
officer of our squad stepped in front of
US and addressed us as follows: Men.
that man out there was Union soldier.
re belonged to the 9th Ind. Battery.
He deserted to the enemy, was captured.
court-martialed and sentenced to be
shot You are here to execute that
centence. Some of your guns are load
ed with ball, some are not. If YOU were
IN his place you would want to be killed
dead; 50 aim three inches to the left of
shoot t., kill. l shall inspect guns inn
mediately after firing, and any gun that
i find with a load in and the cap not
burSted. that man will be the next one
shot" By this time they were through
praying; the man was blindfolded and
MS hands tied behind. The order was
then given: "ReaGy-Aim-Fire The
Surgeon went ard examined him, came
back and reported him dead. Our arms
were then inspected. and we were
marched back to headquarters and dis
missed TO go to our company.
In February, 1864, I was on my way
to Nashville, and in passing through
MurfreesbOro / saw two more men
hanged near the place where the first
one was hanged in April, 1863. 1 also
saw man that was shot who was
claimed to be rebel spy. He was put
in the guard-house, and attempted to
escape, but was followed by another
prisoner and shot by him, so it was
claimed. ] saw him lying dead on the
spot where he was shot. All of these
incidents came under my observation
just as l have told them, and though
the whole world We're to contradict 1t,
would not change them.-H. F. Swick
Co. G, I'd Battalion. 18th u. s.; Second
Brigade. First Division, Fourteenth
Corps, Tullahoma, Tenn.