The National tribune., 1907-07-04
EXECUTION OF SAMUEL DAVIS.
A Brave Young Man Who Died Rather
Than Betray His Informant.

Editor National Tribune: Joe Chen
oweth, formerly of the 9TH Iowa, a regi-
ment which was brigaded with the one
l served in. asks for a sketch of the
execution of Samuel Davis at Pulaski
Tenn, Nov. 81, 1868. Gen. G. NJ
Dodges command of about 5000 men
was stationed at Pulaski at that time
and some of his scouts captured some
15 miles south of Pulaski a handsome
young man about Is years old having
in his possession complete plans of our
camps These gave the location of every
regiment and every battery, with the
exact number of men, all drawn out in
manner which showed that an expert
had prepared them. On the trial of the
young man, whose manner and appear
ance ELECTED sympathy, he was told that
II he would furnish the name of the one
who supplied him with the plans he
would be set free and given an escort to
Bragg s outpostS near Chattanooga
This he refused to do. The finding of
the court-martial which tried him could
be nothing else than one condemning
him to death, but before the date fixed
for his execution the offer of his life
and freedom was frequently made
him, but always refused When, the
date of execution arrived he was taken
in an ambulance to the gallows, seated
on his coffin, band playing the funeral
dirge, and the ambulance surrounded
by guards. Chaplain accompanied
the young man and walked with him
inside the hollow square which sur
rounded the gallows. The coffin, borne
by four men, was carried in front of
the poor fellow, so close that he could
nave touched it by putting out his hand.
1t was placed at the foot of the gal
lows steps, and the condemned and the
Chaplain knelt beside it while the lat
ter offered prayer on behalf of the
slender youth. dress din gray, who
knelt beside him. AS the two arose
the Provost Marshal spoke a few words
10 the lad and every Union soldier who
stood in the lines forming that hollow
square knew that. for the last time the
boy was having an offer made to him
which, If accepted, would give him life
and liberty. He looked about him.
Surrounding him were hundreds of
clue coats. with giistening arms; across
a depression were assem- hled thousands
of citizens, residents of Pulaski and its
vicinity; overhead the moose; at his
feet the coffin. To this 1S-year-old lad
life, with all its possibilities, must have
been very precious For Il moment he
hesitated and then turnel and walked
up the steps He had made his choice
Alone, surrounded by those he deemed
the enemies of his country, with no one
to advise him. he deliberately preferred
death in its most ignominious form to
life secured by betrayal of trust. ]
remember that when he reached the
platform his head struck the moose and
that he stood and looked at it for an
instant. Then the rope was adjusted,
"a lever was touched, the drop fell, and
we marched back to our quarters con-
scious that we had seen a hero die.
Ten years after this tragedy. almost
to day, while connected with a Nash
vile. Tenn, newspaper. | attended an
annual meeting of the Tennessee Press
Association at Pulaski. 1t was the first
time l had been there since the day in
April, 1864, when we marched away to
join Sherman. to take part in the At
lanta campaign. One of the incidents
of the stay of the newspaper men at
Pulaski was a visit to various local
points Of interest. including the site of
the sallows on which Sam Davis was
hanged. / sat in carriage with two
gentlemen, residents of Pulaski, who
told me the story of the execution. ]
did not confess that | had witnessed
it standing within 10 feet of the gal
lows.-John T. Bell. I'd Iowa, Oakland.
Cal.