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A Confederate Spy Is Hung At Little Rock in 1864.

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A good war-date Union officer's letter, written by Michigan native 1st Lt. Hiland H. Weaver, 3rd Iowa Battery, 3p. quarto, ink, Camp of 3rd Iowa Battery, Little Rock, Arkansas, January 10, 1864, and reads in part: "...There was a fleet started for here some time ago to come up the Arkansas River and it is over due but the ice I presume has kept it back. I hope it will get here soon if it does not we will lose the most of our horses, they are dying almost daily for want of proper food...think of a horse going five months with only one feed of hay and a good deal of the time but very little grain...I wrote to you about the catching of a spy at this place, he was tried and sentenced to be hanged until he was dead and sentence was executed on Friday...there was a large [?] of soldiers and citizens present, I among the rest, he was hung at three o.c. p.m. in front of the St. John's College. He was about twenty years of age, smart and good looking, he had some relatives living here at this place, he had been raised here and had attended college several terms in the building in front of which he was executed. Little did he think when attending school that he would be hung on that beautiful ground where he had seen so many pleasant hours but such is the fate of spies when caught. He seemed to be perfectly reconciled to his fate, he died like a man should and for which I respect him. Hattie I can see in an enemy his good qualities as well as in a friend, although sometimes it is rather hard to acknowledge it...I will give you his name it is David O. Dodd...I think I wrote in my last that there was a rumor in camp that Old Price was coming to make us a visit. If it were true I think this cold had whipped him and saved us the trouble and as far as I am concerned I would as soon cold weather would whip him as to have to use powder and lead, and as far as his coming here if I do not see another battle until the rebs come here to fight I do not think I shall ever see another..." VG.

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