按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
found； and helped to give impetus to the hunt。 Even the Rebel
Quartermaster； with the characteristic keen scent of the Rebels for
spoils； smelled from the outside the opportunity for gaining plunder；
and came in with a squad of Rebels equipped with spades； to dig for
buried treasures。 How successful he was I know not； as I took no part m
any of the operations of that nature。
It was claimed that several skeletons of victims of the Raiders were
found buried beneath the tent。 I cannot speak with any certainty as to
this； though my impression is that at least one was found。
By evening Key had perhaps one hundred and twenty…five of the most noted
Raiders in his hands。 Wirz had allowed him the use of the small stockade
forming the entrance to the North Gate to confine them in。
The next thing was the judgment and punishment of the arrested ones。
For this purpose Key organized a court martial composed of thirteen
Sergeants； chosen from the； latest arrivals of prisoners； that they might
have no prejudice against the Raiders。 I believe that a man named Dick
McCullough； belonging to the Third Missouri Cavalry； was the President of
the Court。 The trial was carefully conducted； with all the formality of
a legal procedure that the Court and those managing the matter could
remember as applicable to the crimes with which the accused were charged。
Each of these confronted by the witnesses who testified against him； and
allowed to cross…examine them to any extent he desired。
The defense was managed by one of their crowd； the foul…tongued Tombs
shyster； Pete Bradley； of whom I have before spoken。 Such was the fear
of the vengeance of the Raiders and their friends that many who had been
badly abused dared not testify against them； dreading midnight
assassination if they did。 Others would not go before the Court except
at night。 But for all this there was no lack of evidence； there were
thousands who had been robbed and maltreated； or who had seen these
outrages committed on others； and the boldness of the leaders in their
bight of power rendered their identification a matter of no difficulty
whatever。
The trial lasted several days； and concluded with sentencing quite a
large number to run the gauntlet； a smaller number to wear balls and
chains； and the following six to be hanged：
John Sarsfield； One Hundred and Forty…Fourth New York。
William Collins； alias 〃Mosby；〃 Company D； Eighty…Eighth Pennsylvania；
Charles Curtis； Company A； Fifth Rhode Island Artillery。
Patrick Delaney； Company E； Eighty…Third Pennsylvania。
A。 Muir； United States Navy。
Terence Sullivan； Seventy…Second New York。
These names and regiments are of little consequence； however； as I
believe all the rascals were professional bounty…jumpers； and did not
belong to any regiment longer than they could find an opportunity to
desert and join another。
Those sentenced to ball…and…chain were brought in immediately； and had
the irons fitted to them that had been worn by some of our men as a
punishment for trying to escape。
It was not yet determined how punishment should be meted out to the
remainder； but circumstances themselves decided the matter。 Wirz became
tired of guarding so large a number as Key had arrested； and he informed
Key that he should turn them back into the Stockade immediately。 Key
begged for little farther time to consider the disposition of the cases；
but Wirz refused it； and ordered the Officer of the Guard to return all
arrested； save those sentenced to death； to the Stockade。 In the
meantime the news had spread through the prison that the Raiders were to
be sent in again unpunished； and an angry mob； numbering some thousands；
and mostly composed of men who had suffered injuries at the hands of the
marauders； gathered at the South Gate； clubs in hand； to get such
satisfaction as they could out of the rascals。 They formed in two long；
parallel lines； facing inward； and grimly awaited the incoming of the
objects of their vengeance。
The Officer of the Guard opened the wicket in the gate； and began forcing
the Raiders through itone at a timeat the point of the bayonet； and
each as he entered was told what he already realized wellthat he must
run for his life。 They did this with all the energy that they possessed；
and as they ran blows rained on their heads； arms and backs。 If they
could succeed in breaking through the line at any place they were
generally let go without any further punishment。 Three of the number
were beaten to death。 I saw one of these killed。 I had no liking for
the gauntlet performance； and refused to have anything to do with it；
as did most； if not all； of my crowd。 While the gauntlet was in
operation； I was standing by my tent at the head of a little street；
about two hundred feet from the line； watching what was being done。
A sailor was let in。 He had a large bowie knife concealed about his
person somewhere； which he drew； and struck savagely with at his
tormentors on either side。 They fell back from before him； but closed in
behind and pounded him terribly。 He broke through the line； and ran up
the street towards me。 About midway of the distance stood a boy who had
helped carry a dead man out during the day； and while out had secured a
large pine rail which he had brought in with him。 He was holding this
straight up in the air； as if at a 〃present arms。〃 He seemed to have
known from the first that the Raider would run that way。 Just as he came
squarely under it； the boy dropped the rail like the bar of a toll gate。
It struck the Raider across the head； felled him as if by a shot； and his
pursuers then beat him to death。
CHAPTER XXXVII。
THE EXECUTIONBUILDING THE SCAFFOLDDOUBTS OF THE CAMP…CAPTAIN WIRZ
THINKS IT IS PROBABLY A RUSE TO FORCE THE STOCKADEHIS PREPARATIONS
AGAINST SUCH AN ATTEMPTENTRANCE OF THE DOOMED ONESTHEY REALIZE THEIR
FATEONE MAKES A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPEHIS RECAPTUREINTENSE
EXCITEMENTWIRZ ORDERS THE GUNS TO OPENFORTUNATELY THEY DO NOT…THE SIX
ARE HANGEDONE BREAKS HIS ROPESCENE WHEN THE RAIDERS ARE CUT DOWN。
It began to be pretty generally understood through the prison that six
men had been sentenced to be hanged； though no authoritative announcement
of the fact had been made。 There was much canvassing as to where they
should be executed； and whether an attempt to hang them inside of the
Stockade would not rouse their friends to make a desperate effort to
rescue them； which would precipitate a general engagement of even larger
proportions than that of the 3d。 Despite the result of the affairs of
that and the succeeding days； the camp was not yet convinced that the
Raiders were really conquered； and the Regulators themselves were not
thoroughly at ease on that score。 Some five thousand or six thousand new
prisoners had come in since the first of the month； and it was claimed
that the Raiders had received large reinforcements from those；a claim
rendered probable by most of the new…comers being from the Army of the
Potomac。
Key and those immediately about him kept their own counsel in the matter；
and suffered no secret of their intentions to leak out； until on the
morning of the 11th； when it became generally known that the sentences
were too be carried into effect that day； and inside the prison。
My first direct information as to this was by a messenger from Key with
an order to assemble my company and stand guard over the carpenters who
were to erect the scaffold。 He informed me that all the Regulators would
be held in readiness to come to our relief if we were attacked in force。
I had hoped that if the men were to be hanged I would be spared the
unpleasant duty of assisting； for； though I believed they richly deserved
that punishment； I had much rather some one else administered it upon
them。 There was no way out of it； however； that I could see； and so
〃Egypt〃 and I got the boys together； and marched down to the designated
place； which was an open space near the end of the street running from
the South Gate； and kept vacant for the purpose of issuing rations。
It was quite near the spot where the Raiders' Big Tent had stood； and
afforded as good a view to the rest of the camp as could be found。
Key had secured the loan of a few beams and rough planks； sufficient to
build a rude scaffold with。 Our first duty was to care for these as they
came in； for such was the need of wood； and plank for tent purposes； that
they would scarcely have fallen to the ground before they were spirited
away； had we not stood over them all the time with clubs。
The carpenters sent by Key came over and set to work。 The N'Yaarkers
gathered around in considerable numbers； sullen and abusive。 They cursed
us with all their rich vocabulary of foul epithets； vowed that we should
never carry out the execution； and swore that they had marked each one
for vengeance。 We returned the compliments in kind； and occasionally it
seemed as if a general collision was imminent； but we succeeded in
avoiding this； and by noon the scaffold was finished。 It was a very
simple affair。 A stout beam was fastened on the top of two posts； about
fifteen feet high。 At about the height o