This is a well known story and the hanging of a soldier simply doing his duty to the last was murder, needless to say.
One reckless Confederate soldier from Texas was in the rear guard; he fired on a Yankee soldier, so close were the pursuers to the pursued. After firing he turned and put spurs to his horse, but unfortunately his horse stumbled, and he was captured. The next morning under a guard of soldiers, he was carried by our home, (I looked on with anguished heart) to the grove back of your Grandfather’s, and hung to the limb of a huge tree, under which your uncles and aunts had played in childhood.”
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North Carolina War Between the States Sesquicentennial
www.ncwbts150.com
"The Official Website of the North Carolina WBTS Sesquicentennial Commission"
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(Mary Norcott Bryan (1841-1919) was born in Pitt County, the daughter of John Norcott and Sarah Frances Bryan. She was the wife of New Bern attorney Henry Ravenscroft Bryan)
“Dear Children – One warm day in April [1865], a great many ladies and children assembled in the public square in Raleigh, near the Capitol, all anxious to hear the news…some one said “It is reported that Lee has surrendered” -- such consternation on the faces of the people, then as the news became more general, such weeping and wringing of hands, such heavy hearts – privation, sorrow, death, defeat and poverty.
Raleigh was now filled with wounded and disabled soldiers; the churches and every available space turned into hospitals. I did what I could, but it seemed nothing. The Episcopal church being nearer to me, I went there mostly; many poor men were on the benches, some in high delirium, some in the agony of death. A young soldier passed away, none knew his name or home; as the coffin lid was being screwed down, a dear lady pressed her lips to his brow, and said: “Let me kiss him for his Mother.” Every heart responded and all eyes filled with tears. Volumes of heartrending and pathetic incidents could be written of our four years’ cruel war. Although we were becoming less hopeful, yet the Fall of the Confederacy was unexpected to the last.
Soon our troops began to pass through [Raleigh, April 1865], weary, dirty fellows, and hungry also, every one that could, fed them; they could not stop but in passing, we stood at the gate and handed them bread and ham; they were marching to the tune of Dixie, the war song that we vainly thought was going to lead them to victory. Our soldiers retreated towards Hillsboro, the Federal soldiers pursuing.
One reckless Confederate soldier from Texas was in the rear guard; he fired on a Yankee soldier, so close were the pursuers to the pursued. After firing he turned and put spurs to his horse, but unfortunately his horse stumbled, and he was captured. The next morning under a guard of soldiers, he was carried by our home, (I looked on with anguished heart) to the grove back of your Grandfather’s, and hung to the limb of a huge tree, under which your uncles and aunts had played in childhood.”
(A Grandmother’s Recollection of Dixie, Mary Norcott Bryan, (1912), Dodo Press, 2010, pp. 28-29)
From Free North Carolina
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