Story about Susan Thompson Hull's attempt to help a rebel caught spying
Though this story is not signed by Susan Hull, the style of writing is very much her own.
Augusta: "John M'Cue, a Typical Southern Boy," by Unknown, 1912
Summary: Following the death of John McCue, this account was sent to the Confederate Veteran regarding McCue's involvement in the Civil War. The story tells of McCue's fervent desire to be a soldier, despite his tender age, his experience in combat, and trial for espionage while in Baltimore, Maryland.
[The following was in an unsigned letter from Baltimore.]
The death and burial at Staunton, Va., of John McCue, a well-known engineer and member of one of the first families of the Old Dominion, recall to many old residents of Baltimore an interesting trial by court-martial in this city in Civil War times. As a boy of fifteen and a Confederate soldier he was tried for his life as a spy.
When the war broke out, the spirit of the South of '61 beat high in the breast of young John McCue; but he was a mere boy -- twelve years old -- and his father, Capt. John McCue, Sr., who was in the Confederate army, forbade the boy enlisting. To "keep him out of trouble" young McCue was sent to the Virginia Military Institute, where it was thought the gray uniform and drilling would be sufficient to satisfy his military appetite.
The war dragged on, class after class of sturdy youngsters left the institute to join the Southern army, but still John McCue was too young. Then came the dark days of 1864, when the beautiful Valley of the Shenandoah was overrun with the blue troopers. In those days in Virginia boys became men in a day, and the Virginia Military Institute cadets were ordered to join the little army gathered to oppose the march of the invaders. They fought at New Market, and historian and poet have told how those boys charged up to the muzzles of the Federal cannon, bayoneted the gunners, and planted their little flag on the battery.
But the fame won by the cadets on the field of New Market was denied John McCue. When the cadets marched to meet the foe, they left at the institute a dozen weeping boys, including John McCue, too small even to march with them. That was the last straw. A few weeks later there rode into the camp of Mosby's Rangers -- Mosby, "the guerrilla" -- a mite of a boy on a pony almost as small. John McCue had run away from school. "I want to enlist" stammered the stranger.
A roar of laughter went up from the hardened veterans of many a fight, and the lad's face turned purple.
"Where're your arms?" asked a ranger, looking serious.
"I've got a pistol," said McCue, producing a toy such as boys used to burn powder on the Fourth of July.
There was another shout of laughter, and Judge Dorsey, of Howard County, one of the rangers, said "My boy, if you shot me with that, I'd think a mosquito had bitten me."
But the rangers knew a man when they saw one, no matter what his age and size, and John McCue was allowed to stay with the band to "show his mettle." He did not have long to wait. When the Rebel yell rang out on the valley air and the Colts began to pop, John McCue rode in the front rank of gray. In the melee he rode up to a Federal cavalryman, thrust his tiny pistol in the man's face, and shouted, "Surrender!" and five minutes later, mounted on a bay horse branded "U. S.," and with carbine slung over his shoulder and a big Colt in hand, John McCue joined in the chase.
CAPTURED IN MARYLAND.
Soon afterwards McCue and several comrades were scouting in Maryland, when they ran full tilt into a party of Federals. In the fight McCue was knocked from his horse, and after a struggle was helpless in the grasp of a big soldier in blue. He was brought to Baltimore and locked up in Fort McHenry to be tried for his life as a spy. At that time his father, Captain McCue, was a prisoner of war in Fort Delaware, and he wrote to Mrs. Robert Hull, of Baltimore, to try to save his boy. She went at once to Captain Wigel, provost marshal of Baltimore, and explained the case to him, asking permission to employ a lawyer to defend McCue. Captain Wigel gave her the permission, but advised her not to employ a "secesh lawyer." Frederick Bruen; a Southern sympathizer, offered his service to defend the boy; but Mrs. Hull finally secured the services of Milton Whitney, of Baltimore, famous as a criminal lawyer.
Mrs. Hull was permitted to summon witnesses for the boy, but the only one she could secure was his father, who was brought from Fort Delaware under guard. Believing that the boy would be executed, Mrs. Hull summoned his father, so he could say good-by to him.
On the stand in his defense young McCue exhibited superb courage, claiming that he was a Confederate soldier and not a spy. He old the court he would answer any question about himself, but none about his comrades.
When the last day of the .trial came, Mrs. Hull had given up hope. Addressing the court, Mr. Whitney began to make an appeal for mercy, and said that young McCue had been "conscripted."
Hardly had he uttered the obnoxious word when McCue jumped to his feet, stopped Mr. Whitney, and shouted: "I was not conscripted I ran away from school to join the army. Take me out and shoot me now, but don't tell my people I said I was conscripted."
That ended the trial, and Mr. Whitney turned away in despair. As the boy was taken back to prison to await sentence he said to Mrs. Hull: "Ask them not to shoot me in the face. My mother hasn't seen me for so long she would not know me."
By the stand of one member of the court-martial, Colonel Bowman, the boy's life was saved, but he was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor. Some time after the war young McCue's family and Colonel Bowman interested General Grant in the case, and John McCue was pardoned. While in prison McCue was set to work making nails. The knowledge he learned there stood him in good stead, for later he entered the nail business and was connected with a large nail manufacturing company at Iron Gate, Va. At the time of his death he was engaged in engineering work in Canada.
Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: "John M'Cue, a Typical Southern Boy," Confederate Veteran, Volume XX, 1912, pages 116-117.
Augusta: "John M'Cue, a Typical Southern Boy," by Unknown, 1912
Summary: Following the death of John McCue, this account was sent to the Confederate Veteran regarding McCue's involvement in the Civil War. The story tells of McCue's fervent desire to be a soldier, despite his tender age, his experience in combat, and trial for espionage while in Baltimore, Maryland.
[The following was in an unsigned letter from Baltimore.]
The death and burial at Staunton, Va., of John McCue, a well-known engineer and member of one of the first families of the Old Dominion, recall to many old residents of Baltimore an interesting trial by court-martial in this city in Civil War times. As a boy of fifteen and a Confederate soldier he was tried for his life as a spy.
When the war broke out, the spirit of the South of '61 beat high in the breast of young John McCue; but he was a mere boy -- twelve years old -- and his father, Capt. John McCue, Sr., who was in the Confederate army, forbade the boy enlisting. To "keep him out of trouble" young McCue was sent to the Virginia Military Institute, where it was thought the gray uniform and drilling would be sufficient to satisfy his military appetite.
The war dragged on, class after class of sturdy youngsters left the institute to join the Southern army, but still John McCue was too young. Then came the dark days of 1864, when the beautiful Valley of the Shenandoah was overrun with the blue troopers. In those days in Virginia boys became men in a day, and the Virginia Military Institute cadets were ordered to join the little army gathered to oppose the march of the invaders. They fought at New Market, and historian and poet have told how those boys charged up to the muzzles of the Federal cannon, bayoneted the gunners, and planted their little flag on the battery.
But the fame won by the cadets on the field of New Market was denied John McCue. When the cadets marched to meet the foe, they left at the institute a dozen weeping boys, including John McCue, too small even to march with them. That was the last straw. A few weeks later there rode into the camp of Mosby's Rangers -- Mosby, "the guerrilla" -- a mite of a boy on a pony almost as small. John McCue had run away from school. "I want to enlist" stammered the stranger.
A roar of laughter went up from the hardened veterans of many a fight, and the lad's face turned purple.
"Where're your arms?" asked a ranger, looking serious.
"I've got a pistol," said McCue, producing a toy such as boys used to burn powder on the Fourth of July.
There was another shout of laughter, and Judge Dorsey, of Howard County, one of the rangers, said "My boy, if you shot me with that, I'd think a mosquito had bitten me."
But the rangers knew a man when they saw one, no matter what his age and size, and John McCue was allowed to stay with the band to "show his mettle." He did not have long to wait. When the Rebel yell rang out on the valley air and the Colts began to pop, John McCue rode in the front rank of gray. In the melee he rode up to a Federal cavalryman, thrust his tiny pistol in the man's face, and shouted, "Surrender!" and five minutes later, mounted on a bay horse branded "U. S.," and with carbine slung over his shoulder and a big Colt in hand, John McCue joined in the chase.
CAPTURED IN MARYLAND.
Soon afterwards McCue and several comrades were scouting in Maryland, when they ran full tilt into a party of Federals. In the fight McCue was knocked from his horse, and after a struggle was helpless in the grasp of a big soldier in blue. He was brought to Baltimore and locked up in Fort McHenry to be tried for his life as a spy. At that time his father, Captain McCue, was a prisoner of war in Fort Delaware, and he wrote to Mrs. Robert Hull, of Baltimore, to try to save his boy. She went at once to Captain Wigel, provost marshal of Baltimore, and explained the case to him, asking permission to employ a lawyer to defend McCue. Captain Wigel gave her the permission, but advised her not to employ a "secesh lawyer." Frederick Bruen; a Southern sympathizer, offered his service to defend the boy; but Mrs. Hull finally secured the services of Milton Whitney, of Baltimore, famous as a criminal lawyer.
Mrs. Hull was permitted to summon witnesses for the boy, but the only one she could secure was his father, who was brought from Fort Delaware under guard. Believing that the boy would be executed, Mrs. Hull summoned his father, so he could say good-by to him.
On the stand in his defense young McCue exhibited superb courage, claiming that he was a Confederate soldier and not a spy. He old the court he would answer any question about himself, but none about his comrades.
When the last day of the .trial came, Mrs. Hull had given up hope. Addressing the court, Mr. Whitney began to make an appeal for mercy, and said that young McCue had been "conscripted."
Hardly had he uttered the obnoxious word when McCue jumped to his feet, stopped Mr. Whitney, and shouted: "I was not conscripted I ran away from school to join the army. Take me out and shoot me now, but don't tell my people I said I was conscripted."
That ended the trial, and Mr. Whitney turned away in despair. As the boy was taken back to prison to await sentence he said to Mrs. Hull: "Ask them not to shoot me in the face. My mother hasn't seen me for so long she would not know me."
By the stand of one member of the court-martial, Colonel Bowman, the boy's life was saved, but he was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor. Some time after the war young McCue's family and Colonel Bowman interested General Grant in the case, and John McCue was pardoned. While in prison McCue was set to work making nails. The knowledge he learned there stood him in good stead, for later he entered the nail business and was connected with a large nail manufacturing company at Iron Gate, Va. At the time of his death he was engaged in engineering work in Canada.
Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: "John M'Cue, a Typical Southern Boy," Confederate Veteran, Volume XX, 1912, pages 116-117.
Labels: Thompson Family
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