USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > The story of Camp Chase; a history of the prison and its cemetery, together with other cemeteries where Confederate prisoners are buried, etc > Part 18
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On May 4 of the same year six prisoners reached Sandusky and were immediately hurried over to the Island. One of them was sentenced to hang May 8, and the two others to be shot May 15. The two sentenced to be shot on the 15th were William F. Corbin and F. C. McGraw, and were charged with being Confederate spies. The Commander at Johnson's Island was ordered to see that the sentence be duly executed upon that date.
EXECUTION OF CORBIN AND MCGRAW ON JOHNSON'S ISLAND --- PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS-GOING TO THE PLACE OF EXECU- TION -- IMPRESSIVE SCENE PRECEDING THE LAST ACT-AD- MIRABLE PERFORMANCE OF THE PAINFUL DRAMA BY THE MILI- TARY!
The foregoing were the most prominent headlines in the San- dusky Register of Saturday morning, May 16, 1863. Nearly two columns were devoted to the narration of the sad scene, a portion of which is used :
Yesterday afternoon the sentence passed upon William Corbin and F. G. McGraw, convicted by court-martial assembled at Cin- cinnati on a charge of recruiting for the Confederate army with- in the lines of the United States forces, and of carrying mails and information to the Confederates, was executed on Johnson's Island depot of prisoners of war, near Sandusky. The execution was strictly military, none being allowed on the Island except the soldiers, officers of the government, and reporters for the press. In the morning the Island was picketed by Lieutenant Wells, and the prisoners in the yard restricted to close quarters about the buildings occupied by them.
At I P.M. the battalion formed, under command of Capt. T. H. Linnell, and marched by flank from the parade to the south side of the Island, fronting the bay, and formed in line of battle. At twenty minutes past one the prisoners were securely bound and, under guard of the execution party, accompanied by their escort and the chaplain, left the prison for the place of execution.
The prisoners rode in a two-horse wagon, seated upon one of the coffins, their spiritual adviser, Rev. R. McCune, chaplain of the Post, sitting between them, and the band playing the "Dead March." As soon as they reached the place of execution they were taken from the wagon and seated in their coffins in front of the battalion. The battalion immediately formed a hollow square,
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the execution party, under command of Lieutenant Hollenback, acting provost marshal, occupying a position immediately in front of the center, facing the prisoners, their escort and chaplain at- tending them, while Major Pierson and staff occupied a position to the right.
Adjutant Bailey then read the finding of the court-martial, when Rev. R. McCune stepped forward beside the condemned men and said :
"I am desired by these unfortunate men to return their thanks to the commander of this Post, and to all the officers and men with whom they have had intercourse, for the kindness and sym- pathy they have received since their arrival here. I am also charged by them to say to all in attendance that they die forgiving all their enemies and accusers and in love and charity with all men, believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that they have been thus far consoled and sustained by its truths, and that, trust- ing in the mercy of God, they have hope of eternal life."
The Chaplain then, in an earnest, impassioned, and fervent man- ner, invoked the Throne of Grace for the unfortunate men. The prisoners were blindfolded, the provost marshal gave the neces- sary commands to the execution party, and McGraw and Corbin paid the penalty of their acts.
The firing was instantaneous, so that the sixteen muskets seemed to make but one report. Both men fell back upon their coffins and died without a struggle. The bodies were taken to Kentucky for burial, General Burnside having given orders that they be turned over to a friend who had been devoted to them- Mr. Cal DeMoss, of Flag Spring, Ky.
All the proceedings attending this execution were peculiarly solemn and impressive. Both prisoners appeared perfectly com- posed and collected, and met their fate like men. For several days they had given up all hope of pardon or reprieve. They manifested a great deal of gratitude for the kindness shown them by the chaplain of the Post, who had been unremitting in his attentions.
The day before he was shot Corbin received a beautiful and pathetic letter from Rev. Robert Graham, a minister of the Disci- ples or Christian Church, of Eighth Street, Cincinnati, which is here given :
"CINCINNATI, May 13, 1863. "Mr. W. F. Corbin.
DEAR AND AFFLICTED BROTHER : At the request of your sorrow- ing sister, and moved by my interest in you, I will commune with you, in all probability for the last time on earth. It is with deep sympathy in your affliction and that of your dear mother and sis- ter that I endeavor to do this.
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. "To contemplate death at any time is solemn and well calcu- lated to awe the human soul; but in a case like this we feel all our pity awakened and our sympathy called forth. I would I had the power to describe the feelings of your family and friends, in view of your approaching end. I am charged by your sister to assure you that neither she nor your mother can attach ignominy to your memory. Though you die a violent death, and are so re- quired by the laws of the country, they can make allowance for the influence under which you acted, which others who know you not cannot make. Your sister and Mr. DeMoss got here the day you were removed from this city. I told your sister the substance of what you said to me during our interview. It was a cordial to her wounded spirit to be assured that you would meet your end prepared for the solemn change through the mercy of God in Christ, and that you will attain the crown of eternal life.
"Mr. Patterson, Brother Bishop ( formerly mayor of this city, afterwards governor of Ohio), Mr. DeMoss, your devoted friend, and myself had an interview with General Burnside and presented a petition in your behalf signed by some of the most influential citizens of your country. The General treated us very kindly and
heard all we had to say. He assured us it would be one of the happiest acts of his life to recommend you and Brother McGraw to the clemency of the President, if he could do so consistently with his views of duty in the responsible position he now fills. We were all deeply impressed with General Burnside's goodness of heart and his sincerity. He kindly offered to send the petition to the President. We had a certified copy taken and gave the original to the General to send to Washington. Mr. DeMoss and your sister went immediately to Washington and used every power and influence possible with the President to get your sen- tence commuted. They returned day before yesterday. Before this reaches you some of your friends will have seen you and told you all. I will only add, while on this point, that all praise is due your devoted friend, Mr. DeMoss, for his untiring labors for your pardon. Had you been his own brother, he could not have done more.
"I need not say that your sister has been most devoted to you. Let these reflections cheer you in this dark hour.
"Your grave shall be wet with tears, and fervent prayers shall go up to our God that your faith fail not.
"Read this letter to Brother McGraw. Though written to you. it is for him also. Farewell, brethren. May the God of all mercy and grace, who aione can know our hearts, and before whom we shall shortly appear, comfort, console, and support you, and at last receive both of you into his everlasting rest !
"Again farewell: in tears, but in hope and love. farewell !
ROBERT GRAHAM."
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On the 15th of June, 1863, a private of the Sixtieth Indiana Infantry, named Reuben Stout, was taken to Johnson's Island. He was heavily ironed and a death sentence hung over him for desertion and murder. He was to be shot on the 26th instant, but before that date arrived orders came to defer the execution - thirty days. Finally, the day was fixed upon when he should expiate his crime-October 23, 1863. Before he was shot he told the story of his disgrace and wrongdoing ; and as it was of more than ordinary interest, it will be briefly narrated:
Stout had been induced to enlist by an enrolling officer in what he supposed was a cavalry company; at least, the promise had been made that he should go in cavalry. He was made a mem- ber of Company E, Sixtieth Indiana Infantry, however, and with this change he was much dissatisfied. After some months he was given a furlough, and while home took sick, and while ill he was urged not to go back at all. Not only did his relatives urge this, but a number of disloyal Democrats promised to aid him if he would join the "Knights of the Golden Circle." It was at Delphi, Ind., while hiding at the home of his father-in-law, that he joined this disloyal organization.
He attended many meetings, he said, and took an oath not to support the government, but to resist the draft, if one was made, and to do all in his power to aid the South.
Afther staying four months with his father-in-law, he found it necessary for his safety to go to the home of his brother, some distance from Delphi. Stout was married, and his wife accom- panied him on his visit to his brother. It was then that the trag- edy occurred that led to his execution. On the evening in ques- tion Stout was upstairs, while his wife and his brother's family were sitting talking in the family room, when a sharp rap came which startled all of them. The brother of Stout went to the door, and as soon as it was open two men quickly entered. After a brief conversation upon general subjects, one of the men, who gave his name as Huffman, asked if Simon Stout were there. The brother said he knew no such man. Huffman, pointing at the deserter's wife, said that he was, and that it was his wife sitting there.
"You are the wife of that cowardly, Copperhead deserter, aren't you ?" he asked.
"No," replied the wife timidly; but her looks belied her words.
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The other man, named McAffee, asked for a candle, as they proposed to search the house. McAffee had made his request politely, when Huffman angrily said: "Don't ask any favors of these miserable Copperheads. The deserter is here, and we will get him if we have to shoot him."
Stout, who was at the head of the stairs, listening to the con- versation, had his pistol in hand. Huffman secured a light and was about to go upstairs, when Stout, who was concealed by the darkness, ordered him to leave the house.
"We have come for you and will take you, dead or alive!" an- swered Huffman, as he held the candle up that he might see the man he was hunting. Stout fired, and Huffman fell, exclaiming : "O God, I'm killed !"
Stout then rushed from the building as McAffee was bending over the body of the dying man. The deserter ran to the house of a neighbor, who was one of the "Knights of the Golden Circle," and he was expected to warn other members of the order and unite in saving him-by force, if necessary. The man was either afraid or did not act promptly enough, for Stout was captured . by a posse before morning.
Sometime during the month of August, 1863, eighty-one Con- federate officers were sent from Alton, Ill., to Johnson's Island. and were in charge of a number of men from the Thirty-First Iowa, known as the "Gray-Beard Brigade." A Sandusky paper. in speaking of the arrival of the prisoners, said :
This regiment is one of the curiosities of the war, as it is com- posed entirely of old or middle-aged men. The average age of the entire regiment is fifty-seven years. One man is eighty-one years of age and has twenty-one children-fifteen sons in the Union army. This is a world-beater-a father and fifteen sons in the ariny at the same time! We learn that most of these men are in good circumstances, some of them being wealthy. Many of thm wore long, gray beards, making their name, "Gray-Beard Brigade." most appropriate.
In the issue of the Sandusky Register of April 29, 1863, the announcement was made that Thomas A. Campbell, of the Con- federate Army, had been captured within the Union lines, and that a military court had found him guilty of being a spy and sentenced him to be hanged by the neck until dead. General
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Burnside ordered him brought to Johnson's Island, and that the commander of the Post see that the sentence be duly executed at noon of the Ist day of May. On April 30 the announcement was made that the execution would be deferred until May 8, between the hours of 12 M. and 3 P.M. On May 4 the paper said that `Campbell had sgnified his willingness to inform on other spies, and would not, therefore, meet the penalty of death.
May 7 the following appeared :
According to the programme, the spy, Campbell, has only one day between him and the gallows. We understand that no word has been received from Washington setting aside the death pen- alty.
Two days later the same paper said that the execution was postponed until the 22d of the month. May 21, 1862, the an- nouncement was made that Campbell would die Friday, May 29.
On May 26 the execution of Campbell was indefinitely post- poned. and no further mention was made in the papers about the case; and it is therefore presumed that he remained a prisoner until the close of the war.
On the night of January 5, 1864, two men dressed in Federal overcoats stopped at the home of a man by the name of Lilas, who lived near the Seven-Mile House, seven miles from Sandusky. They asked to stay all night, and were accorded permission to stay. They were careful not to remove their overcoats, even though urged to do so. They said they were from Chicago and had busi- ness in that part of the country. They spoke about having trav- eled quite a distance that day in the cold, and early begged to be permitted to retire.
A son of Mr. Lilas was at home at that time, he being a member of the Eighth Ohio Regiment, and the young man conceived the idea that the men were not what they pretended, and went to the Seven-Mile House and reported his suspicions. This was on the morning of the 6th, and at the time young Lilas left, the men were at the home of his father. Three men-Isaac McKisson, H. A. Lyman, and James McKisson-decided to accompany Lilas and take the men into custody until it was determined who they were. The strangers had left in the meantime; but the pursuing party soon overtook them, they being in sleighs and the travelers afoot. When invited to ride they made no protest, and ere long faced the provost marshal at Sandusky. To this official they re-
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iterated their former statement about being from Chicago, where they had lived for some time. When asked about the army overcoats, they said they purchased them in Chicago. They were required to unbutton their overcoats, when beneath the blue the gray appeared. They said they had purchased these gray suits at Chicago also. The provost marshal was inclined to doubt these statements, and placed the men in the hands of the sheriff of Sandusky.
They had not long been in jail until the provost official received a note, saying :
I am desirous of being sent to Johnson's Island and confined there again as a prisoner of war. My name is J. Crawford John- son, and my rank is that of lieutenant colonel, C. S. A. Also, Capt. D. Burton Coulter, C. S. A., wishes to be sent to that place. We were sent here this day by your order, under the names of J. Crawford and David Barton.
I am your obedient servant,
J. C. JOHNSON, Licut. Col., C. S. A.
It is needless to say their request was granted. They did not, however, give any information in regard to their escape, or how they came by the United States overcoats.
On the evening of January 2, 1864, Captain Gubbins made an unsuccessful attempt to leave Johnson's Island. He made a dash for liberty; had a day of freedom-cold, unsatisfactory freedom. It seems he had provided himself with a board having cleats upon it, a board of sufficient length to reach to the top of the stockade. He waited until the guards patrolling near the point from which he wished to escape were receding from each other, made a dash, and cleared the inclosure. After getting outside, he encountered one of the outer line of pickets and apparently surrendered. Watching his opportunity, however, he knocked the guard down and broke for the ice. It was quite a severe blow, and when the guard gathered himself together the Confederate captain was ·swiftly hurrying over the frozen lake. During his flight he lost his cap, but he did not attempt to secure it; he was bent on get- ting to the peninsula, which he reached in safety. Where lie spent the night is not known; but he called at the home of Mr. Henry Miller, about four miles from Port Clinton, early Sunday morning. He told Mr. Miller who he was, and inquired the way to Sandusky, and also as to the likelihood of being arrested if he
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reached there. Mr. Miller made no effort to arrest him, being alone ; but later managed to get a message to his sons, living near, and when they appeared demanded the surrender of the Confed- erate officer. The Captain surrendered gracefully, and was re- turned to the Island.
One of the rare tragedies of Johnson's Island occurred about I o'clock A.M. December 14, 1864. During those days prison fare was less abundant and prison courtesies fewer than in 1862- 63, and men took more desperate chances to get away. The fol- lowing were the headlines to an article of considerable length in the.Sandusky Register on the morning of December 14, 1864:
ESCAPE OF PRISONERS FROM JOHNSON'S ISLAND-THEY IM- PROVISE SCALING LADDERS-TWENTY-FIVE OF THEM MAKE A RUSH' UPON THE GUARD LINE-FOUR OF THE PRISONERS SCALE THE FENCE-THE GUARDS FIRE PROMPTLY-BRING DOWN ONE . AND KILL LIEUT. JOHN B. BOWLES, SON OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK OF LOUISVILLE, KY .- SIXTEEN OF THEM RETURN- BEATING THE LONG ROLL-DILIGENT SEARCH MADE FOR THE FUGUTIVES-THEY ARE RECAPTURED-CITIZENS ON THE ISLAND AND PENINSULA ON THE ALERT.
About one o'clock yesterday morning, by a preconceived ar- rangement, a rush was made by twenty-four prisoners upon the center of the guard line, on the northwest side of the prison. The prisoners had improvised eight scaling ladders by attaching cleats to boards. These boards were light and easily carried and just the thing for scaling the high prison fence. The rush occasioned the cry, "Turn Out the Guard!" accompanied by a rattling fire from the guard line; but the rush was so impetuous, and by so many different prisoners, that, in spite of the guard, four men out of the twenty-four scaled the fence, passed the guard, escaped from the Island, crossed the north channel, and went over upon the peninsula. Of the others who did not get through, one re- ceived a shot, cutting away his coat at the waist, narrowly escap- ing a death wound, was knocked down and captured. An- other, Lieut. John B. Bowles, son of the president of the Louis- ville Bank, was shot twice through the body and killed. The other eighteen found the work too hot, and retreated to their bar- racks. The rush upon the guard was followed by the signal gun and long roll sounded. The long roll had sounded but once be- fore, and that was when, in September, 1864, a tornado swept one-third of the fence away. At that time, when the tornado raged, the prisoners were content to remain in their quarters. where they could only pray or wish that the howling storm might not destroy their shelter.
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It was impossible to tell how many had escaped or what had be- come of all of them. To make sure of any who might be lurking on the Island, awaiting better opportunities to elude observation, three companies of the Sixth Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps, were ordered out to patrol the Island and make a thorough search.
At the same time detachments of the One Hundred and Twenty- Eighth Regiment were ordered off in pursuit of the escaped pris- oners who had passed the picket on the northwest side of the Island, receiving a fire from them at long range. The fleeing prisoners made the best time possible. The morning roll call showed that but four had left the prison.
The four men who escaped crossed over the ice to the peninsula, hoping to hide there successfully until they could get away to Canada.
There is a large vineyard near the point on the peninsula, owned by a Mr. Wright, who, when he heard the cannon-firing and the rattle of musketry, arose, dressed hurriedly, grasped his gun, and started for the fray. Presently he saw three men approaching him-men who were winded, but who were making violent efforts to make good time on the ice. He saw by their dress they were Confederates, and called to them : "Stop, or I'll put holes through you!" The prisoners halted and were returned to the stockade. The fourth prisoner was recaptured sometime during the follow- ing day. There was considerable excitement at Sandusky on ac- count of the cannon-firing. It was afterwards learned that it was done to break the ice and prevent further attempts at escape.
The body of Lieutenant Bowles, at the request of his father, was prepared for burial and forwarded to Louisville.
On the afternoon of September 2, 1864, there occurred an oc- casion of no little moment, even in wartime. A young man. not yet twenty, handsome and manly, a soldier who did not flinch or cringe or beg for life, when told that a military commission said that he must die, and by hanging, received the intelligence with great calmness and prepared for the end.
This young man was John G. Nickell, of Kentucky, who had enlisted in the Confederate army at the age of eighteen. Later he became a partisan ranger and killed one or two men.
At a quarter before one the troops. under the command of Col. Charles W. Hill, were formed into column and marched to the field west of the prison, where the gallows was erected. The prisoner, accompanied by the chaplain, rode in a wagon guarded by twelve men and accompanied by the burial party, preceded by martial music playing the "Dead March." On the arrival of the
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condemned the regiment was formed into a hollow square around the scaffold and he was seated on the coffin. The proceed- - ings of the military court were read by Adjutant Hayes, after which the chaplain read a paper signed by the prisoner a few . moments before leaving for the place of execution, stating that he was born in Kentucky September 26, 1843. In twenty-four days he would have been twenty-one years of age. He had en- listed in the Confederate service at the age of eighteen years. The prisoner expressed thanks for the kindly treatment by officers and men during the short time he was on the Island. He also made a statement in regard to the crime with which he was charged, and asked that it be not printed, which request was observed by the representatives of the Sandusky papers present at the execution. Prayer was offered by the chaplain, and then the prisoner was told to arise.
He stood up promptly, with head erect, but without bravado. His quiet, brave demeanor impressed his enemies-enemies with- out enmity at that solemn moment. The rope was speedily ad- justed, the cap drawn over his eyes, the spring touched, and the tragedy was at an end. Brave and handsome was this young Kentuckian at noon of that September day. Soon afterwards the stalwart form was lifeless.
There were six specifications against him, all of which the com- mission found him guilty of; and to all he pleaded "not guilty," except the first. They charged: "The unlawful taking up of arms as a guerrilla and military insurgent; the unlawful killing of Logan Wilson, in Morgan County, Ky., February 3, 1863 ; the killing of John D. Nichols and Preston Pettit, of Kentucky."
A grave was prepared on the Island, and he was interred there- in; but his name does not appear in the list of dead on Johnson's Island published in this book.
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CHAPTER XVI.
THE GREAT CONSPIRACY.
Plan to Liberate the Prisoners on Johnson's Island-Beall Captures the Philo Parsons and the Island Queen-Capt. Cole Fails to Capture the Gunboat Michigan, Guarding Sandusky Bay-The Conspirators to Spike the Guns of the Land Batteries-In Face of Danger They Weakened-Capture of Cole-How Beall Got Away with the Philo Parsons-The Effort to Get Canada Involved in War with the United States -- Great Excitement at Sandusky-Warning of the Toronto (Canada) Globe-The Trials of Beall and Burleigh-Southern Version of the Plot.
THE most important episode in the history of Johnson's Island was the plot to free the prisoners, capture Sandusky, destroy it and such other lake cities as could be reached, and escape either through Canada, or, if reenforced by Southern sympathizers in sufficient numbers, march through Ohio and reach the South by way of Kentucky. The plot came near involving this country in a controversy with England-possibly the primary object of the conspirators; but, fortunately for the North, and Canada as well, the plot failed.
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