WARREN LETTER: TIGER EXECUTION

we had been beeved up at Florida for winterin in '61.

R'cellection is the Major Rob was  down to his uppers an stoved some 

from bein shot durin the great skeedaddle.  Dont believe he was thar 

at this time an place.  Livin was put lazy faire. We'uns had roosted 

quite grand an settled in. They was a gaggle of grubby types about that 

would peddle us needful things. A fellar could buy ev'rthing from

 chickens and baccy, to pies, to popskull and fine clothes. It twas

 some time afore Christmas, script money had been paid to the tribe 

and several of the fellars had been off to visit the peddlers.   Theyd come home 

with several kettles of busthead and one was wearin some finery and 

fooforaw. Theyd been nippin at the vile soup and was some bagged, all 

puttin on airs as if they was gents. They was in gay spirits an was 

quite handy at passin the kettle about. The fellar that had got him

 a set of snappy dud's an was now summarily broke .. Im thinkin his 

name was O'bryan says to his chums that they was a rascal down in 

amongst the 8th.. name  of jackson or joplin or the like .. what 

had owed him some coin from wagerin a week gone by. Says he, they'uns 

jes was paid same as us an this would be a right practical time to go 

an collect the debt.They was much opinion throwed up on the matter an 

some was thinkin it'd be best to wait till a bit later in the day. 

Obryan filled with spiritous licker was havin none of it ... along 

with his mess chum corkran an several other likely confederates  

set off'n  a crawl to enforce the debt.It was some time later when 

they was a major row down amongst the 8th with callin for the guard 

an White an Lt D headed off. Some of thems that had been down amongst 

the 8th came slinkin back out a breath sayin that the was a major squamp

 and that 2 of the fellars was gettin clink.as the waggle went... 

was that Obryan had gone down amongst the 8th with his chums in tow 

an made demand to jackson for the coin what was rightfully his'n. 

Jackson was said to  crawfish an sed they was no coin owed. Obryan 

some bagged proceeded to cuss him good and renew his demand. When 

this was naysaid then they was an exchange of fisticuffs an soon nuff 

Jacksons messmates was in the row with thems from our tribe.  Things got 

purt lively tell some officers come on hand and was fixin to break it up. 

Ol Hays reached in an grabt hold of a tiger an was prompt knocked reelin 

in a puddle. Ol Hayes took e'ception to bein knocked on his ass an soon 

nuff the jig was up an he was wavin his finger here an there demandin to 

know who twas that snaked him. Obryan in his snappy dudes was scooped up 

as the leader of this an soon nough his pard corkran was scooped for boot. 

It was figured corkran was the one thatd snaked ol Hayes.  The waggle was 

they was to stand trial. Seemed they was talk that these fellars might git

 shot for laying hands on an officer.This started some whisperin amongst 

the tribe .. this after more busthead .. that perhaps we out to go and swear 

them free. The big sergeant tolt us that ifn we tried we'd likely git ourself 

shot as well an in the end it wouldnt amount to mcuh good. They was waggle 

that ifn Major Rob was about this wouldnt be goin on, and so the waggle went. 

They was even fritter about doin ol jackson in fer his part in this awful

 mess. Word come down after some days that they was to be shot dead for snakin 

an officer and they was a request by thems that they not die at the hands 

of outsiders an that they was a oath for the Tiger Rifles to do em in. 

 They was a request put out for thems that would volunteer to shoot these 

fine fellars and noe would have it. They was a threat of makin somes do it 

an soon nuff it was decided that they would eb a drawin of sorts to see who'd 

git monikered with this rancid affair. Thems that was unlucky and got the short 

end was given instruction.They was an old lost field back amongst the trees 

up near the top of Florida and this was where these 2 fellars was to meet their end. 

 Co B was kinder boxed in. Formin a 3 side refusal we was then packed in many

 rank an file deep with fellars from the Battalion an the 8th. They was 

waggle that ifn they was any foolery or thems doin the shootin refused to 

do they duty they was to be shot as well.  We was purt riled but all held

 tongue as they was whipsperin that they was some wanted to shoot all of 

Co B an be done with us for the trouble some had caused. Obryan an corkran 

was marched out with drums rattlin an a Priest in tow. It were a cool but

 clear an sunny morninin and they was jaunty of step noddin here an there

 as they was brought in the front of the refusal. They was a readin of the

 charge an so forth .. They was offered up a blinder and both refused.

 They was then offered to give up they last words.  Im thinkin it was 

Obryan .. steps up, the sun shinin on him, he was a site in full costume 

of blue coat an pinchbecks and spat. His head bare, he had kept the fancy

 new shirt an sportin tie he'd jes bought afore this all come about. He's 

lookin us up and down, clear of eye an strong of carry he says -

Well fallars they got us good an looks like they aint no way out.

Im regrettin the wickedness of demon rum an the like and this wouldnt 

be comin about had we been of a more temperant breedin and clear of 

thinkin. Im thinkin that my pards had best heed this n stay clear of 

licker as it has kilt me an corky sure and will git you all as well. 

Remember what happens here today. So ends them that puts a divil in 

they mouth. Fellars we die as Tiger-Rifles shot by by our own. Fallars 

ya give me nothin in the past so I ask fer one thing ... aim true an 

let loose with a clear eye. God Bless you boys and hoorah the cause.

With this they was made to kneel .. though they didnt care to... an the 

Priest said his words till they was the command for the fellars to do 

their duty.  They was one long volley an both these fellars was blowed 

back a sprawl. Smoke hung in the refusal an they wasnt a dry eye amongst

 Co B and some t'others. We was marched off quick with much mutterin, 

oath an some threat.Those 2 fellars was buried war they fell ... ta'gether 

friends in life and tagether in death. Fine sould an they antics was some 

missed.They was a purty hushed wake about and after all was said an done 

was was much more tame an crawls ceased. They was some squabblin an the 

like was put much kept amongst the tribe an never out amongst the other fellars. 

We heard Major Rob upon comin back some time later were purt agitated over

 this whole thing though nothin ever come of it. We did git square with 

ol jackson an it was after a style to skeer him while on picket duty, 

fellars dressed in our finery would howl an moan in the moonlight. word had 

it he was some convinced them dead Tigers had come back to git the coin 

what was owed squarely to em.