The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

Hold the Presses!

Olwyn, I just found the following newspaper article, which confirms the date of March 18, 1864. It seems obvious that the researcher who sent me the synopsis of Captain Earnest's trial and execution made a transcription error. This is from the "National Democrat" (a Unionist newspaper published at Little Rock), of date March 26, 1864 --

"We are furnished, by the author, with a printed copy of the particulars of the execution last week, which we failed to notice in our last issue for want of time:

Retribution.

On Friday last, the 18th inst., Jeremiah Earnest, of Montgomery county, and Thomas Jefferson Miller, of Hempstead county, suffered the penalty of death, for causelessly hanging Union men down in Dixie, during the past summer. They were hung in front of the penitentiary, where they have been imprisoned since they were captured by the Federal army, some time last fall. A fair and impartial trial was allowed them, and every opportunity afforded them to establish their innocence of murder; but their guilt of participating in the hanging of the two Ogburns and Childers, on the Antoine in Clark county, in July last, was beyond controversy, and now a just retribution has overtaken them, and this is but the prelude to hundreds of cases equally guilty, whose hour of punishment will certainly come sooner or later. Hundreds of good and loyal citizens of the United States have been murdered in cold blood, by mobs and bands of rebels acting under no shadow of authority but their own base passions. And these cruel murders, we are told are still being committed within the rebel lines. They may think themselves safe, and therefore continue these outrages, but a moment's reflection ought to convince any reasonable man, that the majority of the United States Government cannot thus be set at naught. Just as certain as any man engages, or participates by his presence in aiding to hang and murder Union citizens, just so certain will a just retribution overtake him.—They need not think to commit their crimes surreptitiously, for "There is a chief among them taking notes," and all their black deeds will be hauled to light when they least expect it.
J."

Messages In This Thread

Earnest’s Company, Local Defense
Re: Earnest’s Company, Local Defense
Re: Jeremiah Earnest - executed 18 March 1864
Re: Jeremiah Earnest - executed 18 March 1864
Hold the Presses!
Re: Hold the Presses! - Thomas J. Miller, Benton
Re: Hold the Presses! - Thomas J. Miller, Benton
Thomas J. Miller, Benton-more questions
Re: Thomas J. Miller, Benton-more questions
Re: Thomas J. Miller, Benton-more questions