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the Raiders through itone at a timeat the point of the bayonet； and
each as he entered was told what he already realized wellthat he must
run for his life。 They did this with all the energy that they possessed；
and as they ran blows rained on their heads； arms and backs。 If they
could succeed in breaking through the line at any place they were
generally let go without any further punishment。 Three of the number
were beaten to death。 I saw one of these killed。 I had no liking for
the gauntlet performance； and refused to have anything to do with it；
as did most； if not all； of my crowd。 While the gauntlet was in
operation； I was standing by my tent at the head of a little street；
about two hundred feet from the line； watching what was being done。
A sailor was let in。 He had a large bowie knife concealed about his
person somewhere； which he drew； and struck savagely with at his
tormentors on either side。 They fell back from before him； but closed in
behind and pounded him terribly。 He broke through the line； and ran up
the street towards me。 About midway of the distance stood a boy who had
helped carry a dead man out during the day； and while out had secured a
large pine rail which he had brought in with him。 He was holding this
straight up in the air； as if at a 〃present arms。〃 He seemed to have
known from the first that the Raider would run that way。 Just as he came
squarely under it； the boy dropped the rail like the bar of a toll gate。
It struck the Raider across the head； felled him as if by a shot； and his
pursuers then beat him to death。
CHAPTER XXXVII。
THE EXECUTIONBUILDING THE SCAFFOLDDOUBTS OF THE CAMP…CAPTAIN WIRZ
THINKS IT IS PROBABLY A RUSE TO FORCE THE STOCKADEHIS PREPARATIONS
AGAINST SUCH AN ATTEMPTENTRANCE OF THE DOOMED ONESTHEY REALIZE THEIR
FATEONE MAKES A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPEHIS RECAPTUREINTENSE
EXCITEMENTWIRZ ORDERS THE GUNS TO OPENFORTUNATELY THEY DO NOT…THE SIX
ARE HANGEDONE BREAKS HIS ROPESCENE WHEN THE RAIDERS ARE CUT DOWN。
It began to be pretty generally understood through the prison that six
men had been sentenced to be hanged； though no authoritative announcement
of the fact had been made。 There was much canvassing as to where they
should be executed； and whether an attempt to hang them inside of the
Stockade would not rouse their friends to make a desperate effort to
rescue them； which would precipitate a general engagement of even larger
proportions than that of the 3d。 Despite the result of the affairs of
that and the succeeding days； the camp was not yet convinced that the
Raiders were really conquered； and the Regulators themselves were not
thoroughly at ease on that score。 Some five thousand or six thousand new
prisoners had come in since the first of the month； and it was claimed
that the Raiders had received large reinforcements from those；a claim
rendered probable by most of the new…comers being from the Army of the
Potomac。
Key and those immediately about him kept their own counsel in the matter；
and suffered no secret of their intentions to leak out； until on the
morning of the 11th； when it became generally known that the sentences
were too be carried into effect that day； and inside the prison。
My first direct information as to this was by a messenger from Key with
an order to assemble my company and stand guard over the carpenters who
were to erect the scaffold。 He informed me that all the Regulators would
be held in readiness to come to our relief if we were attacked in force。
I had hoped that if the men were to be hanged I would be spared the
unpleasant duty of assisting； for； though I believed they richly deserved
that punishment； I had much rather some one else administered it upon
them。 There was no way out of it； however； that I could see； and so
〃Egypt〃 and I got the boys together； and marched down to the designated
place； which was an open space near the end of the street running from
the South Gate； and kept vacant for the purpose of issuing rations。
It was quite near the spot where the Raiders' Big Tent had stood； and
afforded as good a view to the rest of the camp as could be found。
Key had secured the loan of a few beams and rough planks； sufficient to
build a rude scaffold with。 Our first duty was to care for these as they
came in； for such was the need of wood； and plank for tent purposes； that
they would scarcely have fallen to the ground before they were spirited
away； had we not stood over them all the time with clubs。
The carpenters sent by Key came over and set to work。 The N'Yaarkers
gathered around in considerable numbers； sullen and abusive。 They cursed
us with all their rich vocabulary of foul epithets； vowed that we should
never carry out the execution； and swore that they had marked each one
for vengeance。 We returned the compliments in kind； and occasionally it
seemed as if a general collision was imminent； but we succeeded in
avoiding this； and by noon the scaffold was finished。 It was a very
simple affair。 A stout beam was fastened on the top of two posts； about
fifteen feet high。 At about the height of a man's head a couple of
boards stretched across the space between the posts； and met in the
center。 The ends at the posts laid on cleats； the ends in the center
rested upon a couple of boards； standing upright； and each having a piece
of rope fastened through a hole in it in such a manner； that a man could
snatch it from under the planks serving as the floor of the scaffold； and
let the whole thing drop。 A rude ladder to ascend by completed the
preparations。
As the arrangements neared completion the excitement in and around the
prison grew intense。 Key came over with the balance of the Regulators；
and we formed a hollow square around the scaffold； our company marking
the line on the East Side。 There were now thirty thousand in the prison。
Of these about one…third packed themselves as tightly about our square as
they could stand。 The remaining twenty thousand were wedged together in
a solid mass on the North Side。 Again I contemplated the wonderful；
startling； spectacle of a mosaic pavement of human faces covering the
whole broad hillside。
Outside； the Rebel； infantry was standing in the rifle pits； the
artillerymen were in place about their loaded and trained pieces； the No。
4 of each gun holding the lanyard cord in his hand； ready to fire the
piece at the instant of command。 The small squad of cavalry was drawn up
on the hill near the Star Fort； and near it were the masters of the
hounds； with their yelping packs。
All the hangers…on of the Rebel campclerks； teamsters； employer；
negros； hundreds of white and colored women； in all forming a motley
crowd of between one and two thousand； were gathered together in a group
between the end of the rifle pits and the Star Fort。 They had a good
view from there； but a still better one could be had； a little farther to
the right； and in front of the guns。 They kept edging up in that
direction； as crowds will； though they knew the danger they would incur
if the artillery opened。
The day was broiling hot。 The sun shot his perpendicular rays down with
blist