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about it. As I wished to make an example, I gave all the publicity possible to the deed.
My letter to Sheridan speaks of another one of my men who was hung, shortly after the hanging at Front Royal, by a Colonel Powell.
Powell says in his report, October 13th: ‘Having learned of the wilful and cold-blooded murder of a United States soldier by two men (Chancellor and Myers, members of Mosby's gang of cutthroats and robbers) some two miles from my camp a few days previous, I ordered the execution of one of Mosby's gang whom I had captured the day previous at Gaines Cross Roads, and placing the placard on his breast with the following inscription: “A. C. Willis, member of Company C, Mosby's command, hanged by the neck in retaliation for the murder of a United States soldier by Messrs. Chancellor and Myers.”
I also sent a detachment, under command of Captain Howe, 1st West Virginia cavalry, with orders to destroy the residence, barn, and all buildings and forage on the premises of Mr. Chancellor, and to drive off all stock of every description, which orders were promptly carried out.’
As my men had been hung at Front Royal three weeks before and there had been no sign of retaliation, no doubt Powell thought the work could go on with impunity.
But he never dared to hang any more.
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Richmond, VA. 1899.
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