Trivia 2-6-20 Execution

[Mike Serpa]

John Cole, ?, Murder

 

[sarladaise]

1. Private Joseph W. Cole, 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment
2. Missouri
3. Murder. He stabbed Michael E. Stein to death. Cole was executed by firing squad on July 14, 1861.

https://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow404h.html

 

[JOHN42768]

John W. Cole , 1st Kansas Infantry, executed July 14, 1861 for murder in Missouri.

 

[Ole Miss]

1) John W Cole, 1st Kansas Infantry
2) Missouri
3) Murder
Regards
David

Civil War Union Soldiers Executed

Civil War Soldiers Executed

genealogytrails.com

 

[connecticut yankee]

First Union Soldier Executed: Pvt. William Henry Johnson
Place of execution: Virginia
Convicted of: Desertion

The Story:

"On December 13, 1861, the first execution of a deserter in the Army of the Potomac was carried out in a field just outside Alexandria Virginia near the Fairfax Seminary, now known as the Virginia Theological Seminary. The drumhead court-martial and execution of Private William H. Johnson, of the First New York Cavalry ("Lincoln Cavalry"), received widespread press coverage and served as a stern warning to the potential, though relatively rare, fate that awaited deserters."

Source:

The 13 December 1861 Execution of Pvt. William Henry Johnson at Fairfax Seminary

On December 13, 1861, the first execution of a deserter in the Army of the Potomac was carried out in a field just outside Alexandria near t...

civilwarwashingtondc1861-1865.blogspot.com

Edit - Your source indicates that Johnson's was the first execution of a deserter in the Army of the Potomac, but the question was not limited to soldiers from the Army of the Potomac or to those who were found guilty of desertion.

hoosier

 

[lelliott19]

Hmmm. Who was the first "Union volunteer/soldier" that was "executed." No guidance is provided as to whether the desired answer is the earliest instance of a man executed by the opposing side OR if the response should include men who were sentenced and executed by their own side. Since the earliest confirmed execution of a Union soldier/volunteer I was able to locate occurred at the hands of his own side, I'll include both and let hoosier sort out the details. Maybe there are earlier instances I have missed?

FIRST UNION SOLDIER/VOLUNTEER EXECUTED (by the Union Army)
December 13, 1861
William Henry Johnson. Virginia. Desertion.
William Henry Johnson, 1st New York Cavalry is the earliest instance I found of a Union solider being executed. His execution took place on December 13, 1861. Source According to Harper's Weekly of Dec 28, 1861, Johnson was convicted of desertion and the execution was carried out in "a spacious field near the Fairfax Seminary, a short distance from the camp ground of the division" -- so he was executed in the state of Virginia. Source

FIRST UNION SOLDIER/VOLUNTEER EXECUTED (by Confederates)
April 29, 1862
Timothy Webster. Virginia. Espionage. Webster was convicted by court martial of espionage and sentenced to be hung; the execution took place on April 29, 1862 at Richmond, VA. Webster was reportedly a "double agent" working for both Pinkerton and the US Secret Service and for Confederate authorities. Source

 

[warbird43]

1. Who was the first Union volunteer/soldier that was executed ? Private Joseph W. Cole, Company G, 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry. Cole enlisted May 29, 1861. Note: One source lists his name as John W. Cole, which is incorrect; the roster of Company G lists him as Joseph W. Cole.

2. What state was he in when he was executed ? Missouri

3. What was he convicted of ? The murder of Private Michael Stein, also of Company G, on July 8, 1861. Stein had enlisted on June 11, 1861. Cole was executed by firing squad on July 14, 1861 by order of General Nathaniel Lyon. Justice was swift in those days !

Source: Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kansas, Vol. 1. - 1861-1865. Leavenworth, Kansas: Bulletin Co-operative Printing Company, Chicago. 1867. http://www.ksgenweb.org/archives/statewide/military/civilwar/adjutant/1/g.html

 

[hoosier]

Thus far, my search skills have utterly failed me on this one, so I will take a flight of whimsy.

His name was Pvt. Sylvester Aloysius Dewey (S. A. D.) Sack. He was in a state of depression. He was convicted of mashing Gen. Winfield Scott's potatoes.

 

[Michigander]

I went down the rabbit hole of the internet for this one. I found list after list but was looking for corroboration for sources with a story because I wasn't trusting these websites but I finally found a credible source! I even found myself looking at micro film.

1. Joesph W. Cole (I found so many other first names for the man who was first executed. There was a John, a David but I settled with Joesph).
2. Missouri (Wilson's Creek)
3. Murder of Michael Stein after a dispute at breakfast they decided to have a fist fight. But Joesph brought a knife to a fist fight and stabbed Michael to death. He was tried and put to death in front of a firing squad on July 14th 1861.
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4

 

[Soldier Boy]

1) John W. Cole aka Pvt. Joseph W. Cole
2) Missouri
3) Murder of Pvt. Michael Stein

Source: http://genealogytrails.com/main/military/cwexecutions_union.html
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121864861/joseph-w-cole

 

[Eleanor Rose]

I am perplexed by this question. According to Genealogy Trails, John W. Cole is listed as the first Union soldier executed. He was killed by a firing squad for desertion on July 14, 1861. It does not state where the execution took place.

However, on June 20, 1864, Private William Johnson, 23rd USCT, was hanged and 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, VA on an elevation, and in plain view of the enemy."

Per this source, he was the first Union soldier/volunteer executed for desertion.

I'm sure I'm making this much harder than it is. I look forward to seeing the answer.

 

[ami]

Answer - John Cole, Missouri, Murder
http://genealogytrails.com/ken/unionsoldier_executions.html
https://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow404h.htm

Edit - Various sources give Cole's first name as John, Joseph, or David, so I accepted any of those three.

A number of players answered with the name of William Henry Johnson, executed for desertion in Virginia in December 1861. The source presented in post # 25 indicates that Johnson was the first member of the Army of the Potomac to be executed for desertion, but the question was not limited to the Army of the Potomac or to the offense of desertion.

hoosier