The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-08

never be known how--David found a
friend who translated for him tho
technicalities, and showed him the
paths to many stores Of knowledge
possessed. til then. only by Steele and
his STAFF.
Parting time came. and David babe
. his comrades and his kinspeople good
bye. From the provost marshal he OBJ
tanned passes through the Federal
lines, back toward Benton whence ne
intended to cross the country 10 Cam
den, AT the last Union outpost, far
on the road to Benton. tho pass was
taken up, and he resumed his Jour-
ney At crossing OF the ways, he
became confused. and took the wrong
road
Several miles further on, he discov-
cred his mistake. and plunged into
| the woods at the roadside, to intersect
| the right fork. Soon, however. he
| came across a scouting squad OF Union
cavalry. Without passes. he was
| searched. and sewed In the soies of his
| shoes. was found the report to Gen
eral Pagan.
Sentenced to Hang.
He was taken back to Little Rock,
| court martialed and sentenced to hang
as a spy. During the brief weeks OF
! his imprisonment. and to the very edge
/ of the scaffold. men high in command
i In the Union army. plead with him
! To give up the names OF hts inform nsA
! and go free. His reply was ever, no. "
! The day of the execution, January g.
| 1864, came at last. The boy, just
! seventeen years OF age, stood upon the
| scafrold. About him. rank on rank
/, 10000 soldiers. to quell q dreaded out
! break OF the maddsned populace
| Further on wore the teaf -dirnmed faces
! OF hts friends, and further yet rose the
fray walls OF his alma mater
Beyond. tho dull, red winter sun
sank sulicnly toward the whitsned
| horizon
/ Came the flnal demand for the name
/ OF the informant; came tho final an
| swer. no: and then the boys clear
! young voice rang out across the dense
packed masses OF his foes: Il can die
/ but l cannot bstray confidence; the
responsibility is mine alone"
Such was the life and death OF David
/ Dodd. told as simply as possible to
| one OF the South. the barren facts III
| the case. borne out by history and OF
record IN the United States War De
partrnent. that he who runs may
| read"
Time IL TOO brief to tell here o,
how the days were passing In thu
home, Of how the mother, in thu
mornings, looked out across the dew.
wet fields for the returning form OF
her beloved boy; OF how the father
as the shadows heightened towart
the east. gaxad up the road, hopinr
each moment to glimpse the boyist
figure of his only son; OF how the
sisters. as the twilight deepened, raced
happily up the path. expecting te
/ h. AxIt
! cort him home in glad procession
OF the disappointment that met each
joyous anticipation OF the home COM
ing
! Family Starts search.
| Finally when the suspense and anx.
| iety created by his absence could nc
longer be endured. the father with
some friends set out for Little ROCK
to find out what was OBTAINING him
| On the way they met a squad oil
Federal soldiers going Sout1 under
a flag of truce to inform the Con.
federates OF the execution. One oil
these careiessly remarked, well. We
| hanged young David Dodd yesterday, :
Rmd thus the father received the
| tragic tidinxs. and the heartbreak
/ from which he died soon afterwArd
| Later. there came to the family a
! tCttVtS DnFAA . AAIGWeAA " luOS0 ulOUl
dear to him on earth: pitiful when We
| try to realize his feeling when writ
ing it. pathetic in his effort to COM
! fort those he must leave to well
| nigh unbearable grief. but sublime
! in his childlike faith and trust In
the God he had been taught to wor-
ship. 1t reads:
Dodd's last LeaAer.
Military Prison. Jan. :, 10 A. NJ, 1884
MY Dear Parents and 6isters:
was arrested as spy. tried and sen
fenced to be hung to-day at O'Clock.
The time lie fast approaching. but
thank God. am prepared will
soon be out Of this world of sorrow
! and trouble. ] would like to see
you all before l die. but let Gods
viii be done. not ours. pray God
TO give you strength to bear your
troubles while In this world. hops
God with receive you In heaven
] there ! will meet you.
| Mother. ] know IL will he hard
/ to give up your only son. but you
/ must remember that IL Ia Gods will
Goodbye: God Will give you strength
/ TO bear your trouble. / pray that We
may meet in heaven. Good. bye. 0od
HESS you Ill. Tour son aNI brother,
David o. Dodd.'f
DAVID Q. Dodds iifSrmaht 49, I
80 "a &.