en they began to strike him, he rose to his feet, and asked to be permitted to fight any one of them.
He challenged them to pit him against their best man — he would fight for his life; but not one of the cowards dared thus to give the prisoners a chance.
Then he volunteered to fight two, and then three; but it was in vain. . . . These men, or rather demons, rushed around Brown, and literally hacked him to death with their hatchets.
One of the rangers, a large, coarse-looking wretch named Gibson, inflicted the fatal blow — a large hatchet gash in the side of the head, which penetrated the skull and brain mans inches.
The gallant Brown fell, and his remorseless enemies jumped on him, while thus prostrate, or kicked him. Desperately wounded though he was, he still lived; and, as they kicked him, he said, Don't abuse me; it is useless; i am dying.
It was a vain appeal.
One of the wretches [since a United States Deputy Marshal] stooped over the prostrate man, and, with a refinement
N. Marshall, A. P. Meadows, L. T. Meador, John Sheppard, Micajah Stone, J. A. Walder, Wm. H. Wicks.
Company H.
John Bradford, Captain.
Thomas J. Moncure, First Lieutenant.
R. W. Peatross, Second Lieutenant.
Sergeants—James W. Holt, R. M. DuBose.
Privates—William Wright, W. H. Haynes, J. B. W. Hall, A. K. Jenkins, Lloyd P, Weeks, A. Y. Carroll, Thomas A. Blakey, Joshua Lindsay.
Company I
S. Howell Brown, First Lieutenant.
P. Gay Scott, Second Lieutenant.
Sergeants—John Thomas Gibson, D. Averett, William deLacy, J. C. Harris, W. C. Powell.
Corporals-S. P. Dalton, B. H. Brightwell.
Privates—William M. Arnold, H. H. Bentley, Jacob Boone, M. L. Brightwell, I. X. Gauntt, J. W. N. Johnston, William Knight, J. H. Lecroy, J. W. Messer, William Perry, J. E. Wilkins.
Company K.
Corporal—A. B. Ellis.
Privates—Edward Owens, Levi Watts, W. T. Armistead.
Second Regiment. Company G.
B. M. Harrod, Captain.
J. E. Roller, First Lieutenant.
F. Harris, S