Thanks, Bryan. Believe it or not, I actually have a copy of that book at home, but have never gotten around to reading it. You have now given me some motivation! I'm also going to order a copy for our collection.

Here's another quote about the Dodd execution...."On Friday the 8th inst I witnessed the hanging of a rebel spy--David O. Dodd. He was arrested about the 30th Dec. When taken he had plans and statistics showing the number and position of our forces. He was about eighteen years of age. He met his doom calmly, showing no emotion whatever at the scaffold. Some arrests of suspicious persons supposed to have been connected with Dodd have been made. One of them is a methodist minister, and there has been a report that he will be hung."--Prentice Barrows, 29th Iowa Infantry

It's interesting how Barrows' account leaves out a lot of detail. Of course, he was writing his sister and perhaps wanted to spare her some of the more gruesome details.