POSTSCRIPT

POSTSCRIPT

In a small book recently published, entitled "Nineteen Months a Prisoner of War: by Lieutenant G. E. Sabre, Second Rhode Island Cavalry," I find the following interesting account by an eyewitness of that most remarkable and significant affair, -- the trial and execution within the stockade of the six base creatures on whose graves is the record, "Hung July 11, 1864": --

"A preliminary examination drew from the arrested man an acknowledgment of his crime; and at the same time the names of a number of others implicated in the same acts were elicited. The entire party was arrested, and a trial called.

On the next morning the sergeants of the different messes were assembled, and out of this number twelve were chosen to act as a jury. Several officers were brought down from Macon to witness the trial. Those of the sufferers by the depredations of the `raiders,' who were able to attend, were summoned to appear as witnesses, and the accused were permitted to choose their own counsel and witnesses.

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The trial of the `raiders' was conducted with the strictest impartiality. After hearing all the evidence, the respective cases were argued with considerable ability. The verdict given was for the leading `raiders' to be hanged by the neck until dead, and the remainder to suffer such other punishments as the extent of their crimes deserved.

The following were the names of the men condemned to death: --

William Collins, 88th Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Patrick Delany, 83d Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Andrew Meever, United States Navy.

Terrence Sullivan, 72d New York Volunteers.

John Sarsfield, 140th New York Volunteers.

Charles Curtis, 5th Rhode Island Artillery.

On Monday, July 11th, 1864, a rude gallows was erected by our own men on a rising ground at the southwestern portion of the stockade. The gallows was a rude piece of workmanship, built out of material which the Rebel officials, but too willingly in this case, provided. It was composed of two heavy, forked logs, which were fixed perpendicularly in the earth, with a strong cross-beam resting in the forks at the top. A platform, about six feet from the ground, was built and supported upon props, which, at the final moment, were to be cut away, and the unfortunate men launched between heaven and earth. Six men from the camp were designated to adjust the ropes about the necks of the condemned, and a seventh was detailed to execute the dropping of the platform.

At five o'clock in the afternoon the southwestern gate was thrown open, and the prisoners were marched in under guard of Rebel soldiers, commanded by Captain Wirz, accompanied by the colonel commanding the post. The solemn procession moved in front of the gallows and halted. By this time several thousand prisoners had assembled to witness the execution.

When the culprits were formed in line, the Rebel captain stepped forward, and, as near as I could note them after the affair was over, made the following remarks to those in charge: --

`Prisoners, -- I now hand over to you, in the same manner I received them, the men whom you have condemned to death on the gallows.'

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Then turning to the culprits he said: --

`You have been arrested and condemned by your own comrades; I now turn you over to them, and leave them to carry out the sentence or do as they may see fit.'

After this, the colonel, captain, and guards immediately left the enclosure.

The condemned now received the consolations of religion, administered by a Catholic priest, who was permitted by the Rebel authorities to visit the stockade on different occasions. The priest accompanied the culprits to the foot of the gallows, and engaged in prayer. In the midst of these holy offices, Curtis took occasion to make an attempt at escape. He succeeded in breaking through the crowd, but was immediately pursued and returned.

The prayer being finished, the six criminals, each accompanied by the persons appointed to execute the sentence, stepped upon the platform. The criminals each said a few words, which were scarcely audible, proclaiming their innocence and begging for mercy.

When they had concluded what they had to say, the ropes having been previously adjusted, a sack was drawn over their heads, and the six men who accompanied them descended.

At a given signal the platform was cut away, and five of the unfortunate men were struggling in mid-air. The rope, however, of the sixth broke, and the culprit fell to the earth. He begged piteously to be released, but his comrades were inexorable. Another rope was secured, and, when the five bodies were removed, he was hanged alone.

The bodies of the six men were removed from the stockade, and buried in a separate part of the graveyard, distinct from those who died in camp.

During the execution, I observed outside of the enclosure the whole of the Rebel troops on duty at Camp Sumter drawn up facing the gallows. This was, as I understood afterwards, a precautionary measure, supposing some treachery on the part of the prisoners."