Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-09-15
BALTIMORE WRITER
ON JOHN ". McCUE
Recalls Interesting War Time
Incidents in Which Staun-
ton Man Figured
HIS CAPTURE AND trial
Tributes to Patriotism and Cour-
age of Deceased Member of
Augusta County Family

Augusta County Family
The following very interesting
story of the life of John Willis Nc
Cue, whose death on British Column
bia and whose burial here took place
pen of Baltimore writer, and has
appeared in many newspapers:
Baltimore, Md, Sept. 9.-The death
and burial at Stanton, Va, of John
McCue, well-known engineer and
member of one of the first families"
of the Old Dominion, recalls to many
old residents of Baltimore an inter-
esting trial by cOurt-martial in this
city in Civil War times. AS boy of
fifteen and a Confederate soldier,
John McCue was tried for his life as
spy and was only saved through
the hard work and influence of
prominent Baltimoreans.
| When the war broke out the spirit
of the South of 81 beat high in the
breast of young John McCue, but he
was a mere boy-twelve years old
| dAu LID IdCuOI, CdPCdlu JOuH 1MCOuO,
Sr., who had himself joined the Con-
federate Army, forbade the boy en-
listing. To keep him out of trou-
BILE" young McCue was sent to the
Virginia Military Institute, where it
was thought the gray uniform and
drilling would be sufficient to satisfy
his military appetite.
The war dragged on, class after
| Of cfr ,fo,, 1of&
| institute to join the Southern army,
but still John McCue was too young.
Then came the dark days of 1864,
when the beautiful Valley of the
Shenandoah was overrun with the
blue troopers. In those days in Vir-
ginia boys became men in a day, and
the Virginia Military Institute cadets
were ordered to join the little army
gathered to oppose the march of the
invaders. They fought at New Mar
ket, and historian and poet have told
how the boys of the Virginia Military
Institute charged up to the muzzles
of the Federal cannon, bayoneted the
guHners and planted their little flag
on the battery.
But the fame won by the cadets on
the field of New Market was denied
John McCue. When the cadets
marched to meet the foe they left at
the institute a dozen weeping boys,
| too small even to march with their
| comrades, and John McCue was one
of them.
Join Mosby's Rangers
That was the last straw. A few
weeks later there rode into the camp
| of Mosby's Range-Mosby, the que
rilla-a mite of boy on a pony al
! most as small. 1t was John McCue,
who had run away from school.
II want to enlist" stammered the
stranger.
A roar of laguhter went up from
the hardened veterans of many
fight, and the lads face turned pur-
pie.
where's your arms9'' asked a
ranger, trying to look serious.
1--WE got a pistol" said McCue
producing toy such as boys used to
burn powder on the Fourth of July.
There was another shout of laugh
ter, and Judge Dorsey, of Howard
county, one of the rangers, said:
my boy, if you shot me with that
Ia think mosquito had bitten me-"
But the rangers knew a man when
they saw one, no matter what his
agc and size, and John McCue was al
lowed to stay with the band to ''show
his mettle." He did not have long to
wait. There were few intermissions
In the Great American drama of the
sixties. When the rebel veil rang
out on the Valley air and the Colts
began to pop. John McCue rode in
the front rank of gray. In the melee
ne rode up to Federal cavalryman,
thrust his tiny pistol in the mans
face and hOllered, "Surrender!" and
five minutes later, mounted on q big
horse branded "U. S." and with car
blne slung over his shoulder and big
Colt In hand, John McCue Joined in
the chase.
Captured in Maryland
soon afterward McCue and several
comrades were scouting in MARYLAND
When they ran full tilt into a party of
Federals. In the fight McCue was
knocked from his horse, and, after a |
struggle, was helpless in the CRASH of |
big soldier in blue.
Young McCue was brought tn Rail
tlmore and locked DIP III Fort McHen-
ny to Re trieG for hiI life as a spy A,
That THE his father, Captain McCue
was prisoner Of war in Fo~t DeIa.
ware, and the frantic father xrrte r,
Mrs. Robert Hull, of Baltimore, tn
try to save his boy. Mrs. Hull went
at once to Captain Wigel, provost
marshal of Baltimore, and explained
the case to him, asking permission to
employ a lawyer to defend McCue
captain Wigel gave her the permjs-
sion, but advised her to EMPLOY
secesh lawyer" Frederick BRINE
az once offered his service to defend
Inc 10Y, but as Mr.. Bruno was known
20 De Southern sympathizer. Mrs
Hull decided to get someone else. ri.
na!ly, she got the services of Milton
whitney, famous as a criminal law
yer and father of Joseph Whitney. of
VI
MIS-. Hull was permitted to SIM.
non witnesses for the boy. but the
,Dly one she could summon was his
htEer, who was brought from Fort
celaWare under guard. Firmly he
le'ing taat the boy would be execut-
sd' MRS. Hull summoned his father so
le could say goodbye to his son.
On the stand in his defense Young
NcCue. exhibited superb courage
'lalming that he was a Confederate
soldier and not spy. He told the
curt he would answer any question
'Dout himself, but none about his
-AA"
Whitney's Last Card
When the last day of the trial
anne Mrs. Hull had given I'D hone
ADDRESSING the court, Mr.. Whitnev
'egan to make an appeal for mercy
.hd SAID that young McCue had been
'conscripted." WV"
Hardly had he uttered the obnox-
GUS word when McCue jumped to his
eet' stopped Mr.. Whitney and shout-
"a: Il was not conscripted. ran
way from school to join the army
AXE me out and shoot me now Int
ION tell my people said 1 was con.
cripted." ' 0on-
mat ended the trial, and MI. Whit
ey turned away in despair. saving he
ad played his last card. As the how
vas taken back to prison to await
entence he said to Mrs. Hull: CASH
hem not to shoot me In the face
ny mother hasn't seen me for 40
n II -