Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16
LONG FORC0TTEN LETTER
BARES TRAGEDY OF WAR
Muskc'ry of Firing Squad
Speeds Soul Of Writer
Into Eternity.
SHAFT ON HALLowED sroT
just Over nrew OF Rude. Hill, m,
tss southern slope. on Valley Pike,
Just south OF Mt. Jackson, Stands
Mute Remisder,
Especial to The TIme,.Disnatch

Especial TO The Times Dispatch.1
STRASBuR0. VA, April l5.-Just
over tho brow OF Rudc's I'm, on It's
southern slope. on tho Valley Pike.
Just eouth of Mt. Jackson. a white
smart points skyward. q marble and
mute reminder OF one OF tho most
tragic OF all the tragic Incidents OF
tho War Between tho states. II
marks spot hallowed in tho NOM
cries of those who followed the for.
tunes OF tho Lost Cause and tells the
story of two boys In grey, who made
the supreme sacrifice for tho land
they loved. two months after the
stars and Bars had been furled for
ever at Appomattlx.
buried and long forgotten letter
has just been discovered. which WAS
written with q pencil by ono OF those
boys. but few hours before the
musketry of a firing squad sped his
soul into the eternity he did not fear.
The letter reads:
Near New Market
June %. 1865.
MY dear Father, Mother. Sisters and
Brothers:
Very much to my SUNRISE. we
must soon leave this world to try
the realities OF an unknown one, but
] pray God that no may receive my
poor. sinful soul. Would TO God that
! mad died upon the battlefield in de-
iense OF my dear native South. but
IL has been otherwise ordered. 1
submit TO my fate. Pray for mo and
try to meet me in heaven. | feel as
though my God Will forgive my sins.
Don't grleve after me.
Farewell my father. mother, sis
ters. brothers and friends.
Ever yours.
George"
Gaiinnt Troop of Suuthcrncrs
George" was Captain George w.
Summers. Of Page County, Va. of
Company ID, Seventh Virginia Cavalry
attached to the Laurel or RoSeers
brigade. ar gallant II troop of South
erners as ever drow steel on Il bat
uefeld. Captain Summers and Ser
geant Newton Koontz. also O Z Page.
and. too. soldier In Company ID, n
Few days after Appomattox. ran into
"a cavalcadc OF Federal troops escort
Ing Governor Letchcr. who had hccn
taken prisoner at his Lexington homo.
norihward over the Valley Turnpike
County soldiers, inspired by the dar-
Ing OF their kind. attacked tho mil
itary escort. and wounded several OF
the boys who wore the blue The
attack was made in Ignorance OF tho
surrender Of Lee. for the news from
Apromattox had not reached them.
After tho attack, Captain Summers
ana Sergeant Koonts made their way
to PnBe County. and there learned
that tho arms of tho soldiers Of Lee
had been grounded and tho era Of
fratricidal bloOdshch was at an end.
Fearing the result OF tho post-sur-
render episode near Narrow Passage,
- "a believing that the bitterness
,.h!ch war engeudered would prevent,
at the time, just consideration of
the circumstances surrounding the
attack. the two soldiers kcp, close
TO their homes and in that neigh
borhood.
Rironached on Rude's Hin.
At the time. Ohio troops were
on Rude's hin. under the
command Of General. Ben Butter
worth and Lieutenant Colonel Illus
eey, and word was brought to this
camp that Summers and Koontz were
just across the Massanutten Noun
tain and in the Page Valley. abou;
twelve miles from the Federal forces.
"a "cthii NHb 'iapdtCHeN IpV tncir ar
rest and they were brought to the
Rude's Hill camp. presumably for
trial. and military investigation OF
their alleged crime,
In the meantime. Butterworth had
left his troops on furlough and Hus-
soy was ranking officer In command
The procedure Of tho lieutenant-col-
onel is chlseled In marble on the base
OF the monument and tells that on
June Fl. 1865. Captain George w.
Summers and Sergeant Newton
Koontz, Company ID, Seventh Virginia
Cavalry. were executed at this spot
without the privilege OF any kind NJ
trial, having been arrested at their
homes In Page County" The letter
OF Captain Summers. now first pub
lished ffty-seven years after tho
tragedy, corroborates the truthful
ness OF the inscription Oh the little
monument. which tells the story OF
their death, for Il was written after
sentence had been pronounced. and
just before tho rattle of the guns
heralded the news of their killing.