| 8-9, Capture, trial and execution of Confederate spies at Franklin
FRANKLIN, June 8, 1863.
Brig.-Gen. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff:
Is there any such inspector-general as Lawrence Orton, colonel U. S. Army, and assistant, Maj. Dunlop? If so, please describe their personal appearance, and answer immediately.
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg. Post.
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, June 8, [1863]-10.15 p. m.
Col. J. P. BAIRD, Franklin:
There are no such men as Insp. Gen. Lawrence Orton, colonel U. S. Army, and assistant, Maj. Dunlop, in this army, nor in any army, so far as we know. Why do you ask?
J. A. GARFIELD, Brig.-Gen. and Chief of Staff.
FRANKLIN, June 8, 1863--11.30 p. m.
[Brig.-Gen. GARFIELD:]
Two men came in camp about dark, dressed in our uniform, with horses and equipments to correspond, saying that they were Col. Orton, Inspector-general, and Maj. Dunlap, assistant, having an order from Adjutant-Gen. Townsend and your order to inspect all posts, but their conduct was so singular that we have arrested them, and they insisted that it was important to go to Nashville to-night. The one representing himself as Col. Orton [W. Orton Williams] is probably a regular officer of old army, but Col. Watkins, commanding cavalry here, in whom I have the utmost confidence, is of opinion that they are spies, who have either forged or captured their orders. They can give no consistent account of their conduct.
I want you to answer immediately my last dispatch. I take so long to get an answer immediately my last dispatch. It takes so long to get and answer from Gen. [Gordon] Granger, at Triune, by signal, that I telegraphed Gen. [R. S.] Granger, at Nashville, for information. I also signaled Gen. Gordon Granger. If these men are spies, it seems to me that it is important that I should know it, because Forrest must be awaiting their progress.
I am, general, your obedient servant,
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg. Post.
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Murfreesborough, June 8, [1863]-12 p. m.
Col. J. P. BAIRD, Franklin:
The two men are no doubt spies. Call a drum-head court-martial to-night, and if they are found to be spies, hang them before morning, without fail. No such men have been accredited from these headquarters.
J. A. GARFIELD, Brig.-Gen. and Chief of Staff.
FRANKLIN, June 8, 1863.
Gen. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff:
I had just sent you an explanation of my first dispatch when I received your dispatch. When your dispatch came, they owned up as being a rebel colonel and lieutenant in rebel army. Col. Orton, by name, but in fact Williams, first on Gen. Scott's staff, of Second Cavalry, Regular Army. Their ruse was nearly successful on me, as I did not know the handwriting of my commanding officer, and am much indebted to Col. Watkins, sixth Kentucky Cavalry, for their detention, and Lieut. Wharton, of Granger's staff, for the detection of forgery of papers. As these men don't deny their guilt, what shall I do with them? My bile is stirred, and some hanging would do me good.
I communicate with you, because I can get an answer so much sooner than by signal, but I will keep Gen. Granger posted. I will telegraph you again in short time, as we are trying to find out, and believe there is an attack contemplated in the morning. If Watkins gets anything out of Orton, I will let you know.
I am, general, your obedient servant,
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 23, pt. II, pp. 397-398.
FRANKLIN, June 9, 1863.
Gen. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff:
Col. Watkins says Col. Williams is a first cousin of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and he says so. 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 hand somewhere else, I would like it; but, if not, or I do not hear from you, they will be executed. This dispatch is written at the request of Col. Watkins, who detained the prisoners. We are prepared for a fight.
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg.
FRANKLIN, June 9, 1863.
Gen. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff:
Will you not have any clemency for the son of Capt. Williams, who fell at Monterey, Mexico? As my dying speech, I protest our innocence as spies. Save also my friend.
LAWRENCE W. ORTON,
(Formerly W. Orton Williams.)
I send this as a dying request. The men are condemned, and we are preparing for execution. They also prefer to be shot. If you can answer before I get ready, do.
J. P. BAIRD.
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Murfreesborough, June 9, 1863--4.40 a. m.
Col. J. P. BAIRD, Franklin:
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.
FRANK S. BOND, Maj. and Aide-de-Camp.
FRANKLIN, June 9, 1863.
Gen. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff:
The men have been tried, found guilty, and executed, in compliance with your order. There is no appearance of the enemy yet.
I am, ever yours, &c.,
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg. Post.
FRANKLIN, June 9, 1863.
Brig.-Gen. GARFIELD:
Dispatch received of rebel account of fight. No truth in it. The officers I executed this morning, in my opinion, were not ordinary spies, and had some mission more important than finding out my situation. They came near dark, asked no questions about forces, and did not attempt to inspect works, and, after they confessed, insisted they were not spies in the ordinary sense, and that they wanted no information about this place. Said they were going to Canada and something about Europe; not clear. We found on them memorandum of commanding officers and their assistant adjutant-generals in Northern States. Though they admitted the justice of the sentence and died like soldiers, they would not disclose their true object. Their conduct was very singular, indeed; I can make nothing of it.
I am, general, &c.,
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 23, pt. II, p. 415-417.
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Murfreesborough, June 12, 1863.
Brig. Gen. LORENZO THOMAS, Adjutant-Gen. U. S. Army:
GEN.: I have the honor to forward herewith the record of the proceedings held at Franklin, Tenn., in the cases of the two Confederate officers taken as spies at that place on the 9th instant; also the forged orders and other papers found upon their persons. I transmit also copies of the telegraphic correspondence between Col. Baird and myself in reference to the matter.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. S. ROSECRANS, Maj.-Gen. Cmdg.
[Inclosure.]
RECORD OF THE MILITARY COMMISSION.
HDQRS. POST,
Franklin, June 9, 1863.
Before a Court of Commission assembled by virtue of the following order:
HDQRS. POST OF FRANKLIN, June 9-3 a. m.
A Course of Commission is hereby called, in pursuance of order from Maj.-Gen. Rosecrans, to try Col. Williams and Lieut. Peter of rebel forces, on charge of being spies, the court to sit immediately, at headquarters of the post.
Detail for Court.-- Col. Jordan, Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, president; Lieut.-Col. Van Vleck, Seventy-eighth Illinois Infantry; Lieut.-Col. Hoblitzel, Fifth Kentucky Cavalry; Capt. Crawford, Eighty-fifth Indiana Infantry, and Lieut. Wharton, judge-advocate.
By order of J. P. Baird, colonel, commanding post.
The court and judge-advocate having been duly sworn according to military law, the prisoners were arraigned upon the following charges:
Charges and Specifications against Col. Lawrence Auton, alias Williams, and Lieut. Walter G. Peter, officers in rebel forces.
CHARGES.-- Being spies.
Specifications.-- In this, that said Col. Lawrence Auton, alias Williams, and Lieut. Walter G. Peter, officer in the so-called Confederate States of America, did, on the 8th day of June, 1863, come inside the lines of the Army of the United States, at Franklin, Tenn., wearing the uniform of Federal officers, with a pass purporting to be signed by Maj.-Gen. Rosecrans, commanding Department of the Cumberland, and represented to Col. J. P. Baird, commanding post of Franklin, that they were in the service of the United States; all this for the purpose of getting information of the strength of the United States forces and convening it to the enemies of the United States now in arms against the United States Government.
E. C. DAVIS, Capt. Company G, Eighth-fifth Indiana infantry.
Some evidence having been heard in support of the charge and specifications, the prisoners made the following statement:
That they came inside of the lines of the United States Army, at Franklin, Tenn., about dark on the June, 1863, wearing the uniform they then had on their persons, which was that of Federal officers; that they went to the headquarters of Col. J. P. Baird, commanding forces at Franklin, and represented to him that they were Col. Auton, inspector, just sent from Washington City to overlook the inspection of the several departments of the West, and Maj. Dunlop, his assistant, and exhibited to him an order from Adjutant-Gen. Townsend assigning him to that duty, an order from Maj.-Gen. Rosecrans, countersigned by Brig.-Gen. Garfield, chief of staff, asking him to inspect his outposts, and a pass through all lines from Gen. Rosecrans; that he hold Col. Baird he had missed the road from Murfreesborough to this point, got too near Eagleville, and run into rebel pickets, had his orderly shot, and lost his coat containing his money; that he wanted some money and a pass to Nashville; that, when arrested by Col. Watkins, Sixth Kentucky Cavalry, after examination they admitted that they were in the rebel army, and that his (the colonel's) true name was Lawrence Orton Williams; that he had been in the Second Regular Cavalry, Army of the United States, once on Gen. Scott's staff in Mexico, and was now a colonel in the rebel army, and Lieut. Peter was his adjutant; that he came in our lines knowing his fate, if taken, but asking mercy for his adjutant.
The court having maturely considered the case, after hearing all the evidence, together with the statements of the prisoners, do find them, viz, Col. Lawrence Auton Williams and Lieut. [Walter G.] Peter, officers of the Confederate Army, guilty of the charge of being spies found within the lines of the United States Army at Franklin, Ten., on the 8th day of June, 1863.
THOS. J. JORDAN, Col. Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, President of the Commission.
HENRY C. WHARTON, Lieut. of Engineers, Judge Advocate.
[Indorsement No. 1.]
The finding is approved, and, by order of Maj.-Gen. Rosecrans, the prisoners will be executed immediately by hanging by the neck till they are dead.
Capt. Alexander, provost-marshal, will carry the sentence into execution.
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg. Post.
[Indorsement No. 2.]
HDQRS. POST, Franklin, Tenn., June 9, 1863.
Capt. J. H. Alexander, Seventh Kentucky Regt. Cavalry, provost-marshal of Franklin, Tenn., by virtue of above proceedings and order, carried the sentence into execution by hanging prisoners by the neck until they were dead.
J. H. ALEXANDER, Capt. and Provost-Marshal.
His name in the United States service was William Orton Williams;[ but see p. 804.]
[Indorsement No. 3.]
The above report was made out by the provost-marshal, and returned to me as the report of his proceedings in executing the sentence of the court, and I order the same to be attached to the record of said court.
J. P. BAIRD, Col., Cmdg. Post.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 23, pt. II, pp. 424-426.
MURFREESBOROUGH, June 9, 1863.
Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS:
Last evening a dispatch from Col. J. P. Baird, commanding post at Franklin, Tenn., was received as follows:
Two men came in camp about dark dressed in our uniforms, with horse equipments to correspond, saying that they were Col. Auton, inspector-general, and Maj. Dunlap, assistant, having an order from Adjutant-Gen. Townsend and your order to inspect outposts, but their conduct was so singular that we arrested them, and they insisted that it was very important to go to Nashville to-night.
Col. Baird asked if there were any such persons in the army and if so their description. I replied at once that they were probably spies and directed him to order a court, and if they proved to be spies to execute them immediately, which was done, and they were tried, condemned to be hung and the sentence was carried into execution before 10 o'clock this morning. On being discovered they confessed that they were officers in the Confederate Army, one a colonel named Lawrence W. Orton, formerly W. Orton Williams. One claims [to be] first cousin to Robert E. Lee [and] to have been chief of artillery on Gen. Bragg's staff, and formerly to have been on Gen. Scott's staff, of Second Regular Cavalry. A full history of the case will be forwarded you by mail.
W. S. ROSECRANS, Maj.-Gen.
OR, Ser. II, Vol. 5, p. 763. |
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