The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Extract of a Letter from Plymouth, Sept. 16.

A marine soldier was ordered to be shot at Plymouth-Dock for desertion, on Monday the 15th instant, which was yesterday. The marine companies, and the 4th regiment, were ordered to attend the execution. About nine in the morning the prisoner was brought out of the barracks, after having received the sacrament, and escorted by an Officer's guard, and the Clergyman; his coffin was carried before his face, which made the procession appear more dreadful and solemn. About ten he got to the field of execution: the distance he walked is about a quarter of a mile: but as he frequently kneeled and prayed most fervently on the way, made him so long going. About eleven the commanding Officer ordered he should march round the troops, to admonish them, &c. The Clergyman dictated what he said to the soldiers; after which he returned to the place. He fell a victim to an over-act of ceremony. There were nine men, who were formerly deserters, ordered to shoot him; he kneeled, and was bid by the Officer to pull his cap over his face, which he did; and whilst the Officer turned round (I suppose to pull a reprieve out of his pocket) the poor man dropped a handkerchief out of his hand, which was understood by the men that were to shoot him as a signal to fire; and indeed three of them did fire through his body before the Officer could turn round to stop them. Oh! think of this unhappy affair, as the Officer had a reprieve in his pocket, which came express on Saturday night. In short, the Officer was endeavouring to heighten the scene of horror as much as possible, and then to produce the pardon; but 'tis plain he over-acted his part; and by some unaccountable fatality the poor man lost his life. You may easier conceive, than it can be expressed, the horrible confusion of the Officer, who is as innocent as you, as to design; but a melancholy absence happened somewhere.