Show I STORES OF SPIES I II I By Br Albert Pay Payson son T eThane Terhune- I SAM DAVIS THE NATHAN HALE OF THE CONFEDERACY The time was was 1863 The state of Tennessee was one one huge battlefield The Union armies were at tho the climax of their mighty effort to drive the I Confederates out of the state It was ev fight thus far A shade of weight either way seemed enough to turn the tide of the campaign If the could get a correct idea of the Union armies' armies movements numbers and fortifications the tables might easily be turned against the government troops General Br Bragg gg the Confederate leader sent for a year old boy Sam boy Sam Davis by name name name-a a trooper in the Second Second Second Sec Sec- ond Kentucky cavalry Davis was a gentleman by birth highly educated I strikingly handsome and was clever cleverand cleverand I and resourceful beyond his years j I Bragg gave the lad instructions as asto asto S to what to do and also gave him the name of a traitor in the Union camp who would turn over a set of vitally important papers to him Then Davis set out with several companions on his life or death mission The young spy easily made his way inside the Union lines He got all the information documents etc he had been sent for After many hairbreadth hairbreadth hair hair- hairbreadth breadth escapes he turned back again toward his own army To guar guard d his papers against discovery in cas case e of capture he sewed them inside his saddle It is one thing to ride into a tra trap p and quite another thing to ride safely safely safe sate ly out of it as Davis soon found out As he lie and his companions were Jogging jogging Jog jog- ging Bing across country under cover o of f darkness they were attacked attached b by a troop of Union Davis was wa s captured and was taken before General General Gen Gen- eral oral Dodge the fife local Union comman common der del The papers hidden In his ills saddle saddle sad sad- saddie dle die were also discovered and were laid before the general A single glance at the documents document s told Dodge that the boy had lied gotten hold of secrets which would have e caused a wholesale Union disaster disaster ter If ever they had reached the Con Con- federates Dodge after atter studying the papers realized also that Davis could no not t possibly have secured some of them without the help of ot some accomplice in tit the Union arm army It was clear that a traitor had furnished furnished fur fur- the fife spy with his most valuable documents By the tho capture General Dodge hoped not only to keep the precious army seer secrets ets from the fife Confederates Con Con- Confederates federates but also to arrest the Union I I scoundrel who wh was in communication with the enemy He cross questioned the prisoner Davis would say nothing Threats tricks wheedling promises all all were tried on him in vain by I his captors Davis merely folded his I arms smiled and would make no reply re re- ply You are very young said Dodge I on whom the youths youth's manner and appearance appearance appearance ap ap- apI I had made a strong Impression impression Impression I I sion and you do not seem to realize I the gravity of your position It you will reveal the name of of General quietly inker interposed DavisI Davis I I know the danger of ot my position and andI I I stand ready to take all conse conse- consequences Dodge again entreated him to tell his accomplices accomplice's name assuring the boy that this was the one way In n which he could hope to save his ow own n life Davis replied I know that I must die But I will not tell you where I got my tion There is no power on earth that can make me tell You are doing doing do do- doing ing your duty as a soldier General Genera 1 I Dodge and I am doing mine I shall die knowing I am doing my duty to toI I God and to my country and to my flag As all efforts failed to shake his resolve he was as aspy a aspy aspy spy and was sentenced to be hanged at Pulaski Tenn on November 27 1863 Sentence of death did not change the lads lad's attitude He made ready to die and turned deaf ears to all bribes of safety General Dodge offered him lull full pardon if he would tell Davis remained steadfastly silent I I He was led at last to the scaffold j i The rope was placed about his neck The fhe drop was about to fall V Captain I Chickasaw of Dodges Dodge's staff rushed up the scaffold steps and made a final offer from the general to set Davis free and give him a safe conduct to the Confederate lines it if he lie would tell I The boy smiled into the captains captain's worried face and made sturdy answer I If If I had a thousand lives I would lose them all aU here before I would betray betray be be- J tray a friend The drop fell And the gallant boy hay hayI carried his close guarded secret Into I eternity with him i Davis has been boen called tho the Nathan I I Hale of the Confederacy A colossal statue ue has been erected to his mem memo ory I Copyright 1918 b by Uie he Press Publish Publishing in r Co the tho New York Evening World |