Spies are one of
the more difficult subjects to research and write about. Several times over the
years we have attempted to tell this story, whether it be Nettie Slater (read
about here), Lottie and Ginnie Moon (here), or Rose Greenhow (here). At times,
were spies really spies, or where they people who just got labeled as spies? Were
William Corbin and Thomas Jefferson McGraw spies, or just at the wrong place
and wrong time?
William Francis Corbin was born near Carthage, Kentucky, Cambell County, in 1833. One of his neighbors, John C. DeMoss, chose to raise a company in Campbell County, and Corbin was elected first lieutenant. This was prior to the war. When the Federals invaded Kentucky, DeMoss, Corbin, and about twenty-five others returned their state arms, made their way through the lines, and, in September 1862, enlisted in Captain Thomas Moore’s Company, 4th Kentucky Cavalry. Corbin returned to Campbell County in the winter months of 1863, working on raising his own company. He had with him Jefferson McGraw, who was also working on recruiting men in Campbell County.
 |
| William F. Corbin (Findagrave) |
According to
DeMoss, “the arrangement between Corbin and McGraw was, that they should meet at
Daniel’s house on the night of the capture, and that Corbin and his recruits
arrived on time. After waiting some little while for McGraw, and fearing that
something had happened to him, he started his men on, in the direction of
Paris, preferring to wait alone. Simultaneous with McGraw’s arrival, the
[Federal] soldiers appeared, and surrounding the house, made the capture.”
Found on Corbin were a commission from Brig. Gen. Humphrey Marshall, a blank
book with forms and an oath to administer to new recruits. Corbin’s name
appeared in the book as a “Recruiting Sergeant.” Corbin was armed with a Colt
pistol and knife. Another member of the 118th Ohio recalled Corbin
burning some papers the following morning.[1]
A Northern
newspaper editor noted that “those captured near Morris’ Mills, are Wm. F. Corbin,
T.J. McGraw and Samuel T. Reardon.”[2]
Another newspaper noted that “Lieutenant Rickison, of the 118th Ohio
Regiment, with a squad of thirteen men, captured Jefferson McGraw and another
man, in the neighborhood of Rouse’s Mill, on Wednesday evening [April 8, 1863].
These men were sent under guard to DeMossville.”[3]
The newspapers imply that Corbin and McGraw were a part of “the notorious Capt.
Jim Caldwell’s band.” Not long after Corbin and McGraw were captured, the 118th
Ohio ran into Caldwell and a chase began. In the vicinity of Germantown, Mason
County, Caldwell was “surprised and completely routed… Caldwell escaped on a
very fleet horse. Most of his men jumped from their horses and took to the woods…
A carpet bag containing a large number of letters from the neighborhood of
Demossville and Mullins’s Station, addressed to persons in the rebel army, was captured;
also a pair of saddle-bags, containing a lot of cakes…horse shoe nails, yard,
socks, undershirts, suspenders, &c.”[4]
Corbin and McGraw
were taken to Kemper Barracks, Cincinnati, Ohio, where they were imprisoned on
April 18, 1863.[5]
Following the loss at Fredericksburg, Maj.
Gen. Ambrose Burnside was assigned to be
commander of the Department of Ohio. On April 13, 1863, Burnside issued General
order No. 38. Stating that “all persons found within our lines who commit acts
for the benefit of enemies of our country, will be tried as spies or traitors,
and if convicted will suffer death.” This included people who were “Carriers of
secret mails; Writers of letters sent by secret mails; Secret recruiting
officers within our lines; Persons who have entered into an agreement to pass
our lines for the purpose of joining the enemy.”[6]
Corbin and McGraw were
hauled before a military court martial in Cincinnati on April 22. Corbin was
charged with recruiting within Union lines and carrying of the mail. Corbin pled
“Not guilty.” McGraw was charged with recruiting within Union lines, to which
he pled not guilty. Both men were found guilty of the charges against them and
ordered “to be shot unto death, at such time and place as the Commanding
General shall direct.” Corbin and McGraw were sent to Johnson’s Island, where, “subject
to the approval of the President of the United States [Abraham Lincoln], to see
that their sentences are duly executed at that post, between the hours of twelve
o’clock noon and three o’clock P.M., Friday, May 15, 1863.”[7]
There were attempts
to intervene and stay the execution. Corbin’s sister Melissa went to
Cincinnati, where she met with former mayor R.M. Bishop. Bishop confessed that
he had already attempted to intervene, “so far without avail.” Together they
went to see Nicholas Patterson, president of the local Union League. He
promised to try and help. Melissa decided to appeal directly to Burnside. She
was accompanied by Bishop and Patterson, and a local pastor, along with a
petition addressed to Lincoln and signed by local Unionists.[8]
According to one of
the party, Burnside’s “only reply was that he had determined to make an example
of these men and that the matter was out of his hands, and only the President
had the power to give the relief asked for.” They asked if Burnside would
forward the petition and request with his recommendation, but he would only
forward the petition, and would give no recommendation. Melissa received
letters of support from local Union men, and with an escort, made her way to
Washington, D.C. Lincoln refused to meet with Melissa, and refused to read a
letter she wrote to the President, commenting “that these men were
bridge-burners and bad men and should be punished, and that he could not
interfere with General Burnside’s order.” Melissa then returned to Cincinnati,
relating her sad tale to Bishop, and the others, including General Burnside.
John C. DeMoss, who knew the family and had accompanied Melissa to Cincinnati
and Washington, D.C., received permission from Burnside to go to Johnson’s
Island. DeMoss found Corbin and McGraw in “a common soldiers’ canvas tent; the
furnishing consisted of straw and blankets for a bed, and camp stools to sit
on. The men were chained to a ball which would weigh about twenty pounds, the
chain being riveted around one ankle.” DeMoss explained to the pair about
Melissa’s attempts with Burnside and Lincoln. Corbin and McGraw had won the
admiration of the guards and prison officials.[9]
The next morning, Corbin
and McGraw were allowed to attend church, with Corbin speaking. DeMoss met with
them in the afternoon, and they passed letters to him to deliver to those back
at home. “Two hours after our interview,” DeMoss continued, the pair was
marched out of their cell, “bearing their own ball and chains, each surrounded
by a squad of twelve soldiers, to the shore of the island, where the waters of
Sandusky Bay washed the green sward on the shore.” “The men were blindfolded,
hands tied behind them, and seated on their coffins, facing the firing party
standing twelve paces away… Standing about one hundred feet from them, I could distinctly
hear the command, ‘one, two, three, fire!’ and the deed was done.” The
execution took place May 15, 1863. “Afterward the bodies were properly cared
for by the soldiers detailed for that purpose, placed in coffins, and forwarded
by express, to their homes in Kentucky, the government furnishing transportation.”[10]
Corbin was buried
in his family cemetery in Carthage, Cambell County, Kentucky. McGraw was
interred in the Flagg Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.
How did Burnside get
past ex post facto? Both the U. S. Constitution in 1788 (Article I, Sections
9 and 10) and the Supreme Court when it ruled in 1798 in Calder v. Bull
prohibit passing a law after the fact that adds or increases penalties for acts
people have already committed. Kentucky was not under martial law until July
1864. Since many in the North believed that Southern States could not leave the
Union, how could Burnside get away with this?
[1] DeMoss,
A Short History of the Soldier-Life, Capture, and Death of William Francis
Corbin, n.p.
[2] The
Cincinnati Enquirer, April 15, 1863.
[3] Cincinnati
Commercial, April 13, 1863.
[4] Weekly-Courier-Journal,
April 21, 1863.
[5] Corbin,
CMSR, NA
[6] DeMoss,
A Short History of the Soldier-Life, Capture, and Death of William Francis
Corbin, n.p.
[7] The
Cincinnato Enquirer, April 30, 1863.
[8] DeMoss,
A Short History of the Soldier-Life, Capture, and Death of William Francis
Corbin, n.p.
[9] DeMoss,
A Short History of the Soldier-Life, Capture, and Death of William Francis
Corbin, n.p.
[10] DeMoss,
A Short History of the Soldier-Life, Capture, and Death of William Francis
Corbin, n.p.
No comments:
Post a Comment