“Continuing, James Whitcomb said: 'This, gentlemen of the Court, is my excuse, no more, no less. I hope that John Martin may be called to verify my statement.'
“When the boy sat down the whole Court were in tears.
“John Martin was called, and he did verify everything that had been stated by James Whitcomb. This closed the evidence in the case. The Court adjourned until the next day at 12 o'clock. When they met they began the consideration of the verdict. The Judge-Advocate charged the Court that the evidence was clear and conclusive; that the law fixed the penalty; that there was no way out of it; they must find the fact that he did sleep on his post, and that fact being found, the verdict must be death.
“The Court was two days coming to a conclusion. When they did, my God, it was enough to make a man's blood run cold in his veins. They found him guilty on all the charges and specifications, and sentenced him to be shot to death, with only ten days' respite. The sentence was approved, and orders given to manacle the boy and double his guard. Gen. Sleeman raved like a madman, and came near resigning; said if the boy was shot he would at once resign. As soon as the judgment of the Court was known, Jackson took a leave of absence for ten days and left on the train that evening for home. He came, and on his arrival was looking like a ghost. All ran to him to welcome him.
“He soon assumed his wonted calmness, and talked with his mother, Mary Anderson and Jennie, as well as the little girls, telling them all about the army. His mother was still sick in bed over the murder of our son Stephen; but we all enjoyed seeing Jackson, and were glad to know that Peter and Gen. Anderson were well. Our family, you will observe, was not very large at this time. Jackson made Aunt Martha happy by telling her that Ham was well, and was behaving splendidly.
“'Thank de good Laud for dat. I always 'spects to hear he killed. But I knows Ham; he am awful coward. He allers runs off when dere is any danger. I have to look out for dat.'
“Jackson had a full report of the proceedings of the Court-Martial so far as the testimony and the boy's statement was concerned. He read the whole statement over to Jennie (David's widow), Mary Anderson and myself. As he read the boy's statement the two ladies burst into tears. Mary Anderson arose and walked the floor, looking like a Queen, and seemingly much excited. Finally she said—I shall ever remember her words:
“'My God, what does all this mean? Has the great Father forsaken this family? Four have already lost their lives, and one now suffering in some loathsome prison if alive; my husband and Peter nearly at death's door on more than one occasion; Seraine Whitcomb, a lovely girl, with her only brother in the army (he a mere boy), she leaves her old father and mother to take the chances of her life through the lines searching for one of our family, and now her only brother under sentence of death for what he could not help doing. Capt. Jackson, what do you propose?'
“Jackson replied that some one must proceed to Washington at once, and that he thought it was not best to let the boy's parents in Detroit know the facts, they being old people and alone (according to the statement of the boy), and as the young lady is doubtless searching for Henry, as we all surmise from her letter to our father, it is certainly our duty to look after this boy's case ourselves. I have only ten days' leave from my duty, and therefore brought these papers, thinking that father might perhaps go to see the President.
“Mary Anderson spoke up at once and said: