The Washington herald., 1914-11-08
CIVIL WAR DAYBY DAY, FIFTY YEARS AGO
Daring Exploits Of Union and Confederate Forces on Land and Sea
Thrilling Events Of the Great Struggle Graphieay Described

AIRY prisoners had been brought In TO
supply the required number, Mosby as
sembled his command to perform the sol
men once Of selecting the victims.
Col. Mosby staged the tragic drama
with view to obtaining its greatest ef-
feet The men were TO be chosen for exe-
cutlon In .Mosby's Confederacy," on the
east side Of the Blue Ridge. but the SEN
tence Of death was to be executed as near
as possible to Winchester, the Federal
headquarters In the Shenandoah valley.
On the morning Of November 8 the
rangers assembled at Rectcrtowr, on the
east side Of the Blue Ridge. Twenty
three prisoners from Clusters command
formed q line. while their captors sat
their horses In front Of them
The seven sacrifices to reprisali were
chosen BY lot each man OF the twenty
three being required to draw from a hat
a slip Of paper that might prove his death
warrant. Sixteen Of the slips were blank.
seven were numbered. A numbered slip
meant the choice OF the holder for the
death company.
FAe Seven Death warrants.
The confedsrate ranger who passed
down the line, with the slips Of paper
could not keep back tears. and the whole
company was affected by the solemnity
and emotional Intensity OF the scene
One prisoner reached his hand into the
hat with an air Of indifference. Another
trembled and .blanched under the bronze
Of his tanned cheeks Others silently
One prayed: 20 God, spare mel Pre-
ciohs Jesus. pity met As he plunged
his trembling hand into the hat, and
drew forth a blank. by a transition al
most ludicrous he cried, BLANK. by Godl
Damn, It. amt luckyr' Then he
dropped the paper and leaped from the
ground. striking his heels together.
To the men watching the painful scene
these words were like a blow. They
turned angrily upon the swearer; but the
words of the condemned men, who were
giving last messages to their compan-
Ions, diverted their attention from him.
One lay his head on a companions 9
shoulder and wept aloud.
In the line there stood one prisoner
who should not have been there, for he
was but boy. He was drummer. but
well grown and might have passed for
man. To the Confederate who had
taken him prisoner, he had shown lit-
tie silver badge, engraved with his drum
and sticks, that he said his mother had
given him when he left home for the
front
The boys captor. seeing the lad among
the condemned seven. made an appeal for
his life. Col. Mosby declared the boy
ordered that the remaining prisoners
draw again to NIL the vacant place.
Again the hat was passed. The fatal
number fell to a young lieutenant. His
face blanched. and he said: Must ! be
hanged7" Then he became silent. pre-
pared to march with the others to the
place OF execution.
Two Condemned Escape.
Col. Mosby did not go in person with
the cavalcade of death that rode out OF
RectortoWn that afternoon, to cross the
mountains and the Shenandoah. into the
enemy's territory Of the valley.
The escort was in command of Lieut.
E. F. Thompson. On the road over the
mountains a party OF rangers was met
with Capt. R. p. Montjoy in command
and he. being senior to Lieut.. Thompson,
turned back with the death party.
Night came on dark and rainy, and
one of the prisoners, taking advantage Of
the gloom, slipped from his horse and es-
capped to the woods.
With the other six. the party kept on,
past the town Of Berryville. making a
detour to avoid Federal pickets.
They were yet nine miles from Win
chester, when, the night growing more
stormy. Capt. Montjoy ordered a halt.
about a mile from Berryville, to perform
the execution.
The party had come to a stop on a
slight crest, known as Grindstone Hill.
Woods lined the road on either side, but
not far OF a dim light burned in a noble
mansion, which before the war had
blazed with the lights and fires Of ample
hospitality.
In the dark and rain the little party
moved up the roadside bank to a growth
of heavy oaks. Here three ropes were
thrown over a low branch, and nooses
were made in the ends Each of three
of the victims was placed on a horse,
and the moose fixed around his neck.
The horse was then driven from under
him. So three Of the men went to their
death.
Not having rope for more nooses. the
executioners decided to shoot the other
three men. Two were shot TO death. A
third asked time to pray. He was told
by Lieut.. Thompson he could pray as
long as he wished. As he prayed he work
ed dexterously at the cords that bound
his wrists until he had freed his hands
Then with a bound, he sprang upon
Thompson and knocked him down. and
leaping over him, disappeared in the