Sam Davis Sam Davis ( October 6 , 1842 — November 27 , 1863 ) is called the " Boy Hero of the Confederacy " . He was born in Rutherford County , Tennessee . He served in various combat roles in the Confederate army in 1861 through 1863 during the American Civil War . As a Confederate courier , he was captured around November 20 , 1863 , and upon suspicion of espionage was executed by the Union Army after a captivity of only seven days . Youth and Confederate service . Davis was educated at the Western Military Institute , now Montgomery Bell Academy , which he attended from 1860 – 1861 . While there , he came under the influence of headmaster and future Confederate General Bushrod Johnson . He was recruited by Confederate scout forces early in the Civil War . He signed up as a private in the First Tennessee Volunteer Infantry in 1861 and his regiment marched off to war first at Cheat Mountain , next in the Shenandoah Valley , then at Shiloh and Perryville . Wounded slightly at Shiloh , Davis suffered a more severe wound at Perryville ; after recovering from the latter casualty he took on very active service as a courier for Coleman ' s Scouts . Capture and execution . He was captured near Minor Hill , Tennessee , on November 20 , 1863 , wearing a makeshift Confederate uniform and in possession of Union battle plans . He would not give the name of who gave him the items . For this reason , he was arrested as a spy , and was seen as ineligible for the privileges of a prisoner of war . Instead , he was sentenced by a drumhead military court to die by hanging unless he was willing to divulge the name of his contact . He is purported to have said , " I would rather die a thousand deaths than betray a friend . " Another famous quote , reminiscent of Nathan Hale , was , " " If I had a thousand lives to live , I would give them all rather than betray a friend or the confidence of my informer . " Davis wrote a letter to his mother before the execution . " " Dear mother . O how painful it is to write you ! I have got to die to - morrow - - - to be hanged by the Federals . Mother , do not grieve for me . I must bid you good - bye forevermore . Mother , I do not fear to die . Give my love to all . " " There was a postscript for his father , too . " " Father , you can send after my remains if you want to do so . They will be at Pulaski , Tenn . I will leave some things with the hotel keeper for you . " He was hanged by Union forces in Pulaski , Tennessee on November 27 , 1863 . As he was trundled along to the hanging site atop his own coffin , Union soldiers alongside the bumpy wagon road shouted out their entreaties for his cooperation , lest they have to watch the grim execution . Supposedly the officer in charge of the execution was discomfited by Davis ' youth and calm demeanor and had trouble carrying out his orders . Davis is alleged to have said to him , " Officer , I did my duty . Now , you do yours . " Legacy . Davis ' story , and its parallel to that of Nathan Hale during the American Revolution , became a rallying point for the Southern cause in the waning days of the Confederacy . Postbellum , he was commonly spoken of by clergy as well as laity as a Christ figure . His boyhood home is opened as a tourist destination Monday through Saturday . A statue of Sam Davis was erected on the grounds of the Tennessee state capitol at Nashville .