An Execution

[19thOhio]

Recent threads about funeral music, bands, desertions and punishment prompts me to submit this story from Dixie Odyssey.

On June 26 at 8 o'clock in the morning an event occurred that would haunt the memories of the 19th Ohio. This was the execution of a Union solder for desertion and spying. The charges were that a solder, a member of Company A of the 9th Kentucky Volunteers, deserted the regiment in the summer of 1862 while the regiment was in Bowling Green Kentucky. It was said that he went to the Rebels, then came back as a spy. He was arrested before he could get back to the Confederates to give them any information.

Three brigades, including the 19th Ohio, marched to the site of the execution. There, they formed a hollow square, but with one side missing. Then a column of soldiers marched in, led by the 59th Ohio band, followed by the company he belonged to, and, finally, the convicted man himself. After this, came six men carrying his coffin followed by twelve men that were to shoot him. When they neared the execution site, the band struck up a dead march. The event brought many of the men observing the event to tears. He was then led into the hollow square where he stood for twenty minutes while his death warrant was read to him. After that, he was set down on the coffin and a white cloth tied around his head. All was quiet with barely a whisper heard among the men. Some of the bravest men trembled. The command was given: "ready," "aim," "fire!" When hit, he threw his hands up and fell into the coffin. After he was shot, the whole division was marched past him and then went into camp. Obviously, this was an effort to persuade men to stay loyal to their comrades in the Union Army.

Stark County Republican, July 2, 1863, p. 3. Submitted to the paper by J. B., a member of Co I, 19th Ohio.

 

[nc native]

Executing a solider from the regiment one belonged to was an odious task to say the least no matter what offense the solider who was facing the firing squad may have committed. On the way to Gettysburg, the 18th Virginia Infantry was ordered by Pickett to execute one of its men, a man with the surname Riley, for desertion in front of Garnett's brigade. As in the previous post, six men were selected for the task. Four of them were given loaded rifles and the deserter stood in front of a coffin while blindfolded. The firing squad was ordered to fire and the result was that the four shots that hit Riley could have fit inside a half sheet of note paper according to one witness.

 

[Gibbon]

Recent threads about funeral music, bands, desertions and punishment prompts me to submit this story from Dixie Odyssey.

On June 26 at 8 o'clock in the morning an event occurred that would haunt the memories of the 19th Ohio. This was the execution of a Union solder for desertion and spying. The charges were that a solder, a member of Company A of the 9th Kentucky Volunteers, deserted the regiment in the summer of 1862 while the regiment was in Bowling Green Kentucky. It was said that he went to the Rebels, then came back as a spy. He was arrested before he could get back to the Confederates to give them any information.

Three brigades, including the 19th Ohio, marched to the site of the execution. There, they formed a hollow square, but with one side missing. Then a column of soldiers marched in, led by the 59th Ohio band, followed by the company he belonged to, and, finally, the convicted man himself. After this, came six men carrying his coffin followed by twelve men that were to shoot him. When they neared the execution site, the band struck up a dead march. The event brought many of the men observing the event to tears. He was then led into the hollow square where he stood for twenty minutes while his death warrant was read to him. After that, he was set down on the coffin and a white cloth tied around his head. All was quiet with barely a whisper heard among the men. Some of the bravest men trembled. The command was given: "ready," "aim," "fire!" When hit, he threw his hands up and fell into the coffin. After he was shot, the whole division was marched past him and then went into camp. Obviously, this was an effort to persuade men to stay loyal to their comrades in the Union Army.

Stark County Republican, July 2, 1863, p. 3. Submitted to the paper by J. B., a member of Co I, 19th Ohio.

Desertion In the early days of the war would not get you executed very often but spying was another matter and almost universally ended with the firing squad or hanging if a civilian.

 

[bayonet]

What a difference 150 years make. These days Desertion, Treason, etc. gets the charges against you dropped, jail sentence reduced, pardoned, Parents get to visit the White House and see the President, they can run for political office, and get the Taxpayers to pay for your sex change. Makes me wish I was born 150 years ago!

 

[Elliot Crumblemuffin]

That's a fairly sobering description of the event, thank you for sharing. I bet you could hear a mosquito passing gas leading up to the actual deed.

 

[ErnieMac]

The author mistook or misremembered the date; it was June 16, 1863, and the man executed was named William Minix of Co. A. 9th Kentucky Infantry. (A chronological list of Federal soldiers shows no one executed on June 26.) An article in the Sidney (OH) Weekly Journal dated July 10, 1863, describes the event in pretty much the same way as the quote from the OP with the addition of a good bit of venom directed at Copperheads and Democrats for enticing Minix into desertion.

 

[DBF]

When they neared the execution site, the band struck up a dead march.

This one?

 

[19thOhio]

Two items:

First the date of June 16 is the correct date and what I have in my sources. I guess I just hit the 2 when I typed the post. Thank you ErnieMack for pointing that out.

Second I'm not sure what tune was used for the Dead March. Many wiki sources mention the Dead march from Saul, an oratorio by Handel in 1738. (Wiki), so the post by DBF might be the tune.

However, a search also brings up a YouTube video "American civil war music - Dead March" posted by Kim Sanguine June 23, 2022. I can find it and hear it and it sounds like a different tune. Perhaps someone can find and post it here for us to compare.

A quick search on the Music Forum finds no mention of the "Dead march." Perhaps Chris Troiano or Claude Bauer could help us out on this question.

 

[bayonet]

This one?

That's a "dead march"? Sounds like a very nice tune to hear before being shot wouldn't ya say?

 

[Elliot Crumblemuffin]

That's a "dead march"? Sounds like a very nice tune to hear before being shot wouldn't ya say?

I had the same exact thoughts

 

[observator]

Short Checkered career of a desterer Hughey.B. Bloom married in Iowa in 1860 under an alias of Smith; served 3 years in CS Army; deserted enlisted US Army in Chicago and deserted again after receivng $300 enlistment bounty; captured and then executed

Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, November 02, 1864, Image 2

Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, November 02, 1864, Image 2, brought to you by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA, and the National Digital Newspaper Program.

chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

 

[ErnieMac]

Executing a solider from the regiment one belonged to was an odious task to say the least no matter what offense the solider who was facing the firing squad may have committed. On the way to Gettysburg, the 18th Virginia Infantry was ordered by Pickett to execute one of its men, a man with the surname Riley, for desertion in front of Garnett's brigade. As in the previous post, six men were selected for the task. Four of them were given loaded rifles and the deserter stood in front of a coffin while blindfolded. The firing squad was ordered to fire and the result was that the four shots that hit Riley could have fit inside a half sheet of note paper according to one witness.

Private John Riley, Co. E 18th Virginia Infantry.

 

[observator]

Sometimes the deserters would pay the ultimate price
Charity Chapel Virginia 1863

Deserters killed at "Charity Chapel" 1864/1865

 

[Bentonville]

That's a "dead march"? Sounds like a very nice tune to hear before being shot wouldn't ya say?

If I had to stand around for 20 minutes I'd at least want something that would have a some sort of climactic moment to it. Make it interesting.

 

[observator]

execution for attempted deseration 1861

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

[Private William H. Johnson of Co. B, 1st New York Cavalry Regiment lying next to his coffin after being executed for desertion]

1 photograph : albumen print on card mount ; mount 10 x 6 cm (carte de visite format) | Photograph shows identified soldier who was shot for desertion on December 13, 1861, the first execution of a deserter in the Army of the Potomac. The Union cavalry soldiers pass before the coffin.

www.loc.gov

execution for shooting a superior officer 1862

First military execution in Washington; hanging of a private for shooting his superior officer

1 drawing on tan paper : pencil ; 17.6 x 24.2 cm. (sheet)

www.loc.gov

Civil War Execution

This Harper's Weekly Civil War Newspaper has a story and picture of a Civil War Execution

www.sonofthesouth.net

Map of the Civil War in Mississippi

This Harper's Weekly newspaper contains a Civil War Map of Mississippi

www.sonofthesouth.net

related link

Executions Of Deserters Franklin Co Va | Soldier's Tales

please see links http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/vacwmb/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=9165 speaking of executions in Va http://www.petersburgproject.org/executions.html One puzzelment is a picture supposeding showing the 1864 execution of William JOhnson...

civilwartalk.com

https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5853&context=etd

 

[observator]

Note there is a question of which Johnson was executed 1861 or Alex Johnson in 1863!

The Execution of Alex J. Johnson | Civil War Potpourri

And speaking of the Alabama cavalry unit that was union, wasn't that the very same that Sherman used as an escort leaving Atlanta for his march to the sea ?? Think I read that somewhere.

civilwartalk.com

Now the drawing of William Johnson 1861 execution show the majority of soldiers wearing greatcoats

However Alex Johnson 1863 shows soldiers wearing regular fatigue uniforms