Shadrack was profane and reckless, but good-hearted and merry. Now, turning to us with a voice, the forced calmness of which was more affecting than a wail of agony, he said: "Boys, I am not prepared to meet Jesus." When asked by some of us in tears to think of heaven, he answered, still in tones of thrilling calmness, "I'll try! I'll try! But I _know_ I am _not_ prepared." Slavens, who was a man of immense strength and iron resolution, turned to his friend Buffum, and could only articulate, "Wife--children--tell"--when utterance failed. Scott was married only three days before he came to the army, and the thought of his young and sorrowing wife nearly drove him to despair. He could only clasp his hands in silent agony. Ross was the firmest of all. His eyes beamed with unnatural light, and there was not a tremor in his voice as he said, "Tell them at home, if any of you escape, that I died for my country, and did not regret it." All this transpired in a moment, and even then the Marshal and other officers standing by him in the door, exclaimed: "Hurry up there! come on! we can't wait!" In this manner my poor comrades were hurried off. Robinson, who was too sick to walk, was dragged away with them. They asked leave to bid farewell to our other boys, who were confined in the adjoining room, but it was sternly refused! Thus we parted. We saw the death cart containing our comrades drive off, surrounded by cavalry. In about an hour it came back _empty_. The tragedy was complete! Later in the evening, the Provost-Marshal came to the prison, and, in reply to our questions, informed us that our friends "Had met their fate as brave men should die everywhere." The next day we obtained from the guards, who were always willing to talk with us in the absence of the officers, full particulars of the seven-fold murder. When our companions were mounted on the scaffold, Wilson asked permission to say a few words, which was granted--probably in the hope of hearing some confession which would justify them in the murder they were about to commit. But this was not his intention. It was a strange stand--a dying speech to a desperate audience, and under the most terrible circumstances.