GRAPHIC Rare view of the execution of Union soldier William Johnson during the Siege of Petersburg, 1864

chubachus

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I don't think I have seen an uncropped version of this before:

william johnson 1864.jpg


"On June 20, 1864, Private William Johnson, 23rd USCT, was hanged, although the execution is not included in the List of US Soldiers Executed by US Military Authorities during the Late War that was produced in 1885. According to a Harper's Weekly article, dated July 9, 1864, the facts known about Private Johnson were that he deserted and..."attempted to commit an outrage on a white woman at Cold Harbor. Considerable importance was given to the affair, in order that the example might be made more effective. Johnson confessed his guilt and was executed within the outer breastworks about Petersburg on an elevation, and in plain view of the enemy. A white flag covered the ceremony."

Civil War photo historian William Frassanito discovered that two different photographers took four photographs of Johnson's execution and sold the images to the public. While working for Alexander Gardner, Timothy O'Sullivan produced two stereoscopic images entitled "The execution of William Johnson, Jordan's Farm, Petersburg, June 20, 1864," and Mathew Brady's studio is credited with taking the other two known photographs of the hanging (Frassanito, pp. 216-222)."

Source.

On another tragic but interesting note, one of the Union soldiers witnessing the execution was killed by a Confederate shell.
 
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Addendum: Maybe someone who lives closer can verify, but the former farmland appears to now be an industrial park (or a developing one) near Puddledock Road and East Washington Street (comparing historic map to Google map).
 
Huh... I searched and can only find a study upon this "the List of U.S. Soldiers Executed by U.S. Military Authorities During the Late War" referenced. Can anyone direct me to where I may find a copy?
 
There is a another large plate picture of this execution from a different angle which appears in Vol 8 of Miller's "Photographic History of the civil War" "Soldier Life and Secret Service"
https://archive.org/details/photographichist08mill_0

That is actually of a different one from which much less is known about. There us more about the confusion surrounding it here. The author in Miller's claims that the photo shows a spy being executed in it, but two graves can clearly be seen, so I think that there is a possibility that it could be one of their made up stories. You can see that the gallows and the terrain around it are much different from the William Johnson photographs. Here is a link to the negative(s) of that at LoC: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/cwp2003000571/PP/
 
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I don't think I have seen an uncropped version of this before:

View attachment 95744

"On June 20, 1864, Private William Johnson, 23rd USCT, was hanged, although the execution is not included in the List of US Soldiers Executed by US Military Authorities during the Late War that was produced in 1885. According to a Harper's Weekly article, dated July 9, 1864, the facts known about Private Johnson were that he deserted and..."attempted to commit an outrage on a white woman at Cold Harbor. Considerable importance was given to the affair, in order that the example might be made more effective. Johnson confessed his guilt and was executed within the outer breastworks about Petersburg on an elevation, and in plain view of the enemy. A white flag covered the ceremony."

Civil War photo historian William Frassanito discovered that two different photographers took four photographs of Johnson's execution and sold the images to the public. While working for Alexander Gardner, Timothy O'Sullivan produced two stereoscopic images entitled "The execution of William Johnson, Jordan's Farm, Petersburg, June 20, 1864," and Mathew Brady's studio is credited with taking the other two known photographs of the hanging (Frassanito, pp. 216-222)."

Source.

On another tragic but interesting note, one of the Union soldiers witnessing the execution was killed by a Confederate shell.
Interesting. what is the source of this photo? Thanks.
 
From an article by Jonathan Lande, "Trials of Freedom: African American Deserters during the U.S. Civil War
Journal of Social History
Vol. 49, No. 3, (Spring 2016), pp. 693-709

1693010212602.png



Articles of War state deserters forfeit their lives... subject to the determinations of a court-martial.

1693010593142.png


A June 20, '64 dispatch of the Army of the Potomac evidently mentioned Private Johnson, of Company E. 23rd. USCT, as executed in full view of the enemy, "for an attempt to violate a person of a young lady at the Kent Courthouse."

From 1862:
1693011594629.png

1693011665794.png


From 1864, army wide:
1693011870680.png
 
There seems to be some variation in the accounts read of whether Pvte. Johnson was punished (in the official sense) for 'deserting his post' or for 'attempting to violate a white woman' – both offenses were punishable by death. (Thought at his court-martial by all white officers, he was convicted of desertion).

Apparently, Provost Marshal Patrick (who observed Johnson's execution) in his diarized entry for the day recorded, …'The Chaplain prayed with him ; he acknowledged that he was a deserter, that he had changed his name & committed the crime charged upon him – the rope was adjusted, the bandages placed over his eyes and the drop fell – He never knew anything after.'…

The added circumstances that the execution occurred at a location within the plain sight of the enemy and with a reported temporary white flag (a flag of truce) raised to cover the event, might suggest that racial undertones were present here.
 
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might suggest that racial undertones were present here
Most definitely: the Union forces deliberately made the execution visible to the Confederates so they would understand that, contrary to some rumors. the USCT troops were not molesting southern women without restraint or punishment. That's a racial undertone, a positive one.
 
I don't think I have seen an uncropped version of this before:

View attachment 95744

"On June 20, 1864, Private William Johnson, 23rd USCT, was hanged, although the execution is not included in the List of US Soldiers Executed by US Military Authorities during the Late War that was produced in 1885. According to a Harper's Weekly article, dated July 9, 1864, the facts known about Private Johnson were that he deserted and..."attempted to commit an outrage on a white woman at Cold Harbor. Considerable importance was given to the affair, in order that the example might be made more effective. Johnson confessed his guilt and was executed within the outer breastworks about Petersburg on an elevation, and in plain view of the enemy. A white flag covered the ceremony."

Civil War photo historian William Frassanito discovered that two different photographers took four photographs of Johnson's execution and sold the images to the public. While working for Alexander Gardner, Timothy O'Sullivan produced two stereoscopic images entitled "The execution of William Johnson, Jordan's Farm, Petersburg, June 20, 1864," and Mathew Brady's studio is credited with taking the other two known photographs of the hanging (Frassanito, pp. 216-222)."

Source.

On another tragic but interesting note, one of the Union soldiers witnessing the execution was killed by a Confederate shell.
I had no idea any specific USCT were executed. I have not read Frassanito's books. Do any of them have unpublished pictures (I collect CW photography books)?
 
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