The citizen, at his own request, was then shown to the room of another United States Officer in the same house. There another visitor, General ----, had preceded him. He was evidently under the influence of potations from a bottle of strong drink that stood on the table near him, and soon the new comer’s refusal to partake of his spirituous devotions was resented by him with maudlin freedom and profanity. By and by came a knock at the door, and who should enter but the veritable General, who just before had been announced as too ill to receive a visitor. Not long before, Gen. Foster had sent copies of a Proclamation by President Lincoln, to be distributed among the soldiers of Gen. Longstreet. The latter thereupon had forwarded a sharp letter to Foster, rebuking him for discourtesy, and inviting him to transmit such documents directly to the commander, instead of seeking to circulate them privily among the soldiers of his command. To that letter Gen. Foster had prepared an answer, and he proceeded to read it to the owner of the room, not probably without expectation of the high encomium which that gentleman gave it. When a suitable opportunity occurred, the citizen sought to fulfill his mission, first by repeating to Gen. Foster the statement of the committee of Free Masons, and conveying their petition for a short reprieve to the young Kentuckian. “No!” was the General’s reply, with knit brows and emphatic tone, “he must die.” And die he did the next day, on the gallows. Afterwards it was said that the execution might not or would not have taken place, had not Longstreet’s army, early in its retreat, hung a Union man, and left on a tree by the wayside his lifeless body, placarded with offensive words. Information of the young Kentuckian’s death, and of the Christian faith and hope with which he met it, was sent to Richmond, Ky., by a clergyman who was with him in his last days.[52] Although it was conveyed to his aged father and mother by their friend,[53] with all possible discretion, the sorrowful news almost broke their hearts. “But,” the ruthless politician may ask, “must not war as well as law, have both its just and unjust verdicts? Must it not have its revenges as well as its wrath?” If so, then let it stop altogether its destroying marches and strife, and cease from breaking hundreds and thousands of good old loving hearts by the untimely death of their sons? Why not? Concerning the second subject of intercession with Gen. Foster, the imprisonment of Majors Moody and Smith, he was so far lenient as to consent that they should not go to the common prison, but be confined in comfortable quarters. Meanwhile, however, Provost Marshal General S. P. Carter, in consideration of their physical condition, placed them again on parole.