The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-05-07
GENERAL DODGE
TELLS OF DAVIS
EVENTS LEADING Up TO TIE *
ECuTIon or THE YOUNG coz
FEDERETE HERO.

LlE p14rLs AD@-- ~
when BE- vas CAPTURED and which Tsre
tbe cause Of his execution a. zly,
contained very accurate and very val
yss1= information Of the movements OF
The sixteenth Army CORPS under Gen.
Dodge. The papers we're concealed
in his boots and il the saddle seat
T1ey we're evidently given him D.
Cant. shaw OF Capt. Coleman. a he
vas Erozn 10 The Federals- Mrs.
MARY KATE Kyle declares that there
vas nothing on him At the time she
last saw hi-a that could have caused
his execution. Great wonder has Of
ten been expressed as 20 why Shaw
or Coleman. who vas in jail a Pulask
A. the time Of the execution Of young
Davis. did not reveal his identity and
save the life Of the young man
The following excerpts from life
81 sam Davis. written b Dr. H. NJ
Hsmn for the Confederate Veteran
for next June. gives very vivid idea
OF the events leading un 2 the cap
tire and execution OF Davis:
In November 1863. the Sixteenth
ARM Corps. under Gen G. VI. Dodge.
vas conferred a. Pulaski Tenn, not
far from the Tennessee River and the
Alabama line. Gen. Dodge had start
ed from Corinth. Miss. to Chatta-
nooga. Tenn. 10 reinforce Gen. Grant,
on ali roads his cavalry keEt sharp
lookout. especiallv to break to pieces
me Coleman band Of scouts. who we're
here and there. watching every move
r4rr Of the FederaIs. and by persist
emf and accurate reports to Gen.
, Bragg we're making havoc Of Gen.
Dodge's peace and plans-so much 50
that the General put on its mettle the
famous Kansas Seventh Cavalrv. nick
named the sJayhawkers." to run to
earth and capture Coleman and his
scouts. So active and alert was the
entire corps that capture was at most
a matter Of few days only.
Cant. shaw. alias Coleman. sum-
moned Davis and committed 70 his
care certain papers, letters, reports
and maps giving late and important
. news to Gen. Bragg. In his shoes
and in the saddle seat were hidden
, the dangerous documents; and Sam,
} with Coleman's pass, started south
ward to Decatur, thence to take the
scout line to the headquarters OF
lGen. Bragg His last route began and
ended Thursday Nov. 10. Run down
and arrested at the Tennessee River
nv the 'Jawhawkers, along with other
prisoners. he was hurried to Pulaski
and by night was in Jail. Elsewhere
on the same day, Capt. Shaw himself
was captured and imprisoned also In
the town"
Gen. Dodge. in contributing to the
Davis monument fund, wrote the foi
! lowing tribute to Sam Davis:
He was Ia fine, soldierly-looking
, Young man, dressed in faded Fed
eral coat. an army soft hat and tor
boots: he had a fresh open face which
was inclined to brightness; in al
things he showed himself true sol
der: IT was known By all the com
mand that the people Of the Soutf
and Davis comrades understand nj;
soldierly qualities and propose to hon
or his memory 1 take pleasure II
contributing to a monument to MI
memory"
Continuing as to the capture ant
his CDodge's) efforts TO save youns
Davis. he says: Il had Davis broush
before me. His captors knew that n
was a member Of Coleman's Scouts
/ and 7 knew what was found upon hin
), lend desired to locate Coleman an'
), ascertain. if possible, who was fur
t nishing information so accurate AM
e valuable to Gen. Bragg. Davis me
t me modestly / tried to impress OF
!. him the danger he was in, and as onl,
e a messenger | held out to him tn
a hone of lenient treatment If he woult
d answer truthfully my questions.
e informed him that he would be trie'
g as A spy and the evidence would surel
/ convict him. and | made direct az
g peal to him to give me the informa
d ton knew he had, He very quletl
d but firmly refused to do It, pleade
l. with him with all the power / pos
r sessed to give me some chance to saw
e his life. I discovered that he was
l. most admirable young fellow, wit
IT the highest character and strictest II
" tegrity. He replied, I know, Genera
II that I will have to die; but ] will nc
e tell where got the information, an
:, .horo e NJ power IN earth that ca