The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-10-21

he was taking leave Of the general
commanding when a Confederate Of
ficer rode ur to headquarters and dis
mounted. Entering the generals tent,
seeing the inspector" he stood In
mute surprise. AS for the inspector"
he turned a shade paler. The new.
conner was an old army acquaintance
in ante bellum days. both having serv'
ed at the same post.
chandler. what are you doing here
end in this uEiform""
Il came here to benefit the cause 1
serve or die. Iii luck in meeting you
turns the scale for death"
There was a commotion in the Con-
federate camp at this discovery that
the inspector. and his orderly were
spies and that had it not been for q
timely arrival they would have got
away with ample information to in
sure the defeat and possibly the cap
ture of their whole force. They
both arrested. a drumhead court mar
tial convened and within an hour after
their detection were sentenced to be
hanged at daylight the next morning.
Owing to their former acquaintance
and service together as brother Off
GERS Colonel Albert, the officer who had
recognized Chandler, made a strong
effort to save him. He appealed to
Richmond in his behalf by telegraph.
but the authorities there seemed to
think that If either should be spared
it was the orderly. who was little
more than a boy.
Meanwhile both men. being under
sentence of death. were permitted to
communicate and to write letters to
those who would mourn them. When
Colonel Chandler had signi6ed his
willingness to undertake the mission
| the officer who had arranged it ,sug-
gestcd that he take with him an or
| derby, both as becoming his supposed
rank and because If the principal were
detected the orderly might possibly
; carry the information he had acquir-
| ed. Volunteers were called for, and
the young man who was now await
ing execution had been selected from
among those who had volunteered.
Up to this time Colonel. Chandler was
ignorant even of his orderly's name.
The young man wrote a. farewell let
ter to his mother, addressed, it and
laid it on the pine camp table on
which he had penned it. Colonel
Chandler noticed the superscriptien,
and Il look of anguish crossed his
face.
Soon after midnight came news that
but one of the two should be executed
as a warning to spies and which was
to suffer should be determined, by lot.
Colonel Chandler begged that he.
might be made the victim without re-
sort to the wheel Of fortune. His. ap-
returned that inasmuch as the order
from the secretary to determine by
lot which should die was specific the
general did not a l. to take the re-
sponsibiltty Of disobeying it. The ap-
plication wMs forwarded by telegraph.
but no answer was received before the.
hour that had been fixed by the court
for the execution. So Colonel Chan
der was informed that the matter:
must proceed in conformity with, the
outstanding orders.
At daylight in the morning the
provost marshal Of the Confederate.
force entered The tent where the two
spies were confined. carrying a hat in
his hand Having read to them the,
order beasing Oh their case. Ire. said:
I'm this hat arr two brass buttons,
be with raised letters U. S. A.
stamped on it. the other bearing. the.
letters c. y. 4. You will turn your
backs. pnt out Il hand III rear and
take Il button. He who draws the c.
S. A. button Will go forth to execu-
tom
Colonel Chandler stepped up to. the
officer holding the hat. thrust in his.
hand, drew it forth. looked at the let.
ters on q, button he held in it, and.
handed. III TO the officer. 1t was stamp.
ed C. S. ~
Any man thus imposing upon. q, fell
low human being the task of deciding;
whether he shall live or die will nat
nrally he undcy considerable emotion.
The Confederate officer holding the.
hat was SO moved that he. threw it,
down without paying any attention to.
the remaining button. Later he re-
turned for the hat to give it to. it's
owner. and. feeling for the button.
failed 10, ind it. He hunted for it.
turning up the lining. but it was. not
in the hat.
Colonel Chandler was taken, out and:
hanged. When his body was let down.
bis right hand was found to, Ike tightly
closed: The fingers were forced open.
and out rolled Il button stamped with
the letters U. s. A. He. had taken.
out both buttons, giving up the one.
that mean death. Fearing that his
intention to prevent his young comrade'
from sharing the chances with him
might be discovered and thwarted. he.
had held the evidence. Of it tightly
closed in his fist till the. last moment.
The orderly was sent to Libby prison