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your despatch came, they owned up as being a rebel
Colonel and
Lieutenant in the rebel army.
Colonel Auton by name, but in fact
Williams, was once on
General Scott's staff, and belonged to the Second cavalry of the regular army.
Their ruse was nearly successful on me, as I did not know the handwriting of any commanding officer.
I am much indebted to
Colonel Watkins, Sixth Kentucky cavalry, for their detection, and to
Lieutenant Wharton, of
General Granger's staff, for the detection of the forgery of the papers.
As these men don't deny their guilt, what shall I do with them?
I communicate with you because I can get an answer sooner than by signal, but I will keep
General Granger posted.
I will telegraph you in a short time, as we are trying to find out, and believe there is an attack contemplated in the morning.
If
Watkins can get any thing out of
Auton I will let you know.
I am, General, your obedient servant,
Upon the receipt of this,
General Garfield sent an order to
Colonel Baird to take the confessions of the two men in writing and then to hang them forthwith.
No. 6.
Colonel Watkins says that
Colonel Williams is a first cousin of
General Robert Lee, and he has been
Chief of Artillery on
Bragg's staff.
We are consulting.
Must I hang him?
If you can direct me to send him to be hung somewhere else I would like it; but if not, or I do not hear from you, they will be executed.
This despatch is written at the request of
Colonel Watkins, who detained the prisoners.
We are prepared for a fight.
The confession of the men having placed their guilt beyond doubt, this delay appears to have somewhat fretted
General Rosecrans, who appears, from the date of his next despatch, to be losing sleep over the matter.
General Garfield having also retired, the next despatch is signed by
Major Bond, the senior Aid-de-Camp of
General Rosecrans, a most discreet and careful gentleman.
The despatch is as follows, and is an important one in the official history of this most important case.
Does it not sound like the style of one
Israel Putnam?
It is certainly positive enough, even for
Colonel Baird, who had no disposition to do the hanging:
No. 7.
The General Commanding directs that the two spies, if found guilty, be hung at once, thus placing it beyond the possibility of
Forrest's profiting by the information they have gained.
Upon being informed that they were to be hung, the two men protested against it, asserting that they were not spies in the ordinary sense of the term.
This was in despite of the fact that they were found in our lines, in our uniform, and bearing forged papers, purporting to be signed by
Assistant Adjutant-General E. D. Townsend and
Major-General Rosecrans.
They did not explain upon what grounds they made the plea of not being spies under these circumstances.
It is to be regretted that they did not, as it might have explained their reasons for coming into our lines.
No such unimportant matter as a proposed attack on
Franklin could have induced two officers of their rank and character to undertake so hazardous an enterprise.
Upon finding themselves about to be executed,
Williams or
Auton made the. following request, which was transmitted by telegraph to
General Rosecrans:
No. 8.
“Will you have any clemency for the son of
Captain Williams, who fell at
Monterey,
Mexico?
As my dying speech, I protest our innocence as spies.”
(What follows is rather inexplicable.
The document appears to be signed “
Lawrence W. Auton, formerly
L. Auton Williams.” )
1 Williams then adds: “I send this as a dying request.”
Colonel Baird concludes the despatch:
The men are condemned and we are preparing for their execution.
They prefer to be shot.
If you can answer before I get ready, do.
No. 9.
The men have been tried, found guilty, and executed, in compliance with your order.
The doings of the First Maryland cavalry.
cavalry camp, near Rappahannock Station, Va., June 10, 1863.
yesterday introduced and ended the most terrific and desperate cavalry fight that ever occurred on this continent — a fight which commenced at sunrise and closed at the setting of the same.
We had learned that
Stuart, with a heavy force of cavalry and artillery, was encamped at
Brandy Station.
It was determined to give him fight for two reasons: to find out the whereabouts of the enemy, and to disturb his plan of a contemplated raid into
Pennsylvania.
Our success was complete.
