Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1896 — BRAVE, BUT SHOT AS A COWARD [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BRAVE, BUT SHOT AS A COWARD

An Incident that Had Many Duplicates in Military Life. There was a solemn stillness resting over Hill’s Corps of Lee’s army, encamped along the Itapidnn when the sun rose on a beautiful morning in the early spring of ’O4. The most sorrowful scene of army life.was about to be enacted —two deserters were to be snot by their former comrades. Desertions had become too numerous and now that these two fellows who had escaped, one from a North Carolina, the other from a Georgia regiment, were recaptured, they were to be summarily dealt with. The two brigades were marched out to witness the execution, and were arranged in the shape of a half circle, on two hills. The stakes were driven in the valley between. The men were called to “attention,” as the band of music, from the Thirteenth North Carolina Regiment, was heard playing in the distance the “Dead March.” The music, with drums muiflod, was in front, and then u plutoon of armed soldiers marching in rear of the deserters. Th'e North Carolinian had his head down, but the Georgian was erect, kept a firm step to the music, and peered fearlessly into the men’s faces a* he passed uy. He was a naudsome fellow, well set, of round and ruddy face, and black hair and eyes. When they reached the stakes the North Carolinian fell down with his face In his hands, and remained in that position. No so the Georgina; he showed not the least fear. The chaplain prayed over them, and then they were asked if they had anything to say. *The Georgian stood up, asked permission to pull off his overcoat, and then said substantially as follows: ‘ l I want to say that my sentence is a just one. I did wrong to leave my colors, add I want all you soldiers to take warn>lng at my fate. The only thing that I regret is that it will bring my old fatb«r’t

gray hairs to the grave in disgrace, but.l want you, sir (to the chaplain), to write to my wife and tell her that I died like a and a soldier.” He then asked for a drink of water, and his captain, leaving the company to go to him, handed him a canteen. After drinking and returning the canteen, he requested the officer in charge of the details

not to tie him or bandage his eyes; he wanted to look in the guns and die without flinching. Thus he died without a quiver; the bravest man those soldiers ever saw die, and he was shot to death for cowardice! At one of the battles in Tzee's Gettysburg campaigns he had forged a surgeon's certificate, and kept out of the fight on the score of sickness. He had -been a gallant soldier all before this, and wore honorable scars on his person. But in a moment when that dread so fatal to the soldier came over him, he had faltered and his life and disgrace paid the penalty. Officers and men all felt sorry for him; they knew he was brave, but military laws are inexorable.

REQUESTED THEM NOT TO TIE HIM.