REVOLUTIONARY ANECDOTE.
{"newspaper_name": "The Washingtonian.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
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ATTEMPTED EXECUTION OF A DESERTER.


While at Purysburg, on the Savannah river,
a soldier, named Tickling, who had several
times attempted to desert, was ordered to be
hanged by Gen. Lincoln. The rope broke. A
second was procured, and that also broke. The
General was applied to for directions. "Oh,
WE'LL" said the General, 'let him go; thought
he looked like 'scape-gallows."


II happened that as Fickling was led to exc.
cuion, the surgeon general Of the army passed
accidentally on his way to his quarters which
we're at some distance off. On being tied up
to the fatal tree, the removal of the ladde
caused The rope to break, and the culprt fell to
the ground This circumstance, to man Of
better character, might have proved of advan
tage; but being universally considered as a
miscreant, from whom no good could be ex-
pected, new rope was sought for, which Lieut..
Hamilton, the adjutant Of the first regiment, a
stout and heavy man, essayed by every means,
but without effect, to break. Ficking was
then haltered, and again turned of, when, to
the astonishment of the by.standers, the rope
untwisted, and he fell second time, uninjured,
to the ground. A cry for mercy was now gen
eral throughout the ranks, which occasioned
Major Ladson, abide. camp to General Lincoln.
to gallop to headquarters, to make represent
tation of facts, which were no sooner stated
than an immediate pardon was granted, accom-
panied with an order that he should, instanta-
neously, be drummed, with every mark of in
fanny, out of camp, and threatened with instant
death if ever he should, at any future period,
be found attempting to approach it.


In the interim the surgeon-general had es-
tablished himself at his quarters, in distant
barn, little doubling but that the catastrophe
was at an end, and Fickling quietly resting in
his grave. Midnight was at hand, and he was
busily engaged in writing, when hearing the
approach Of footstep, he raised his eyes, and
saw with astonishment the figure of man who
had, in his opinion, been executed, slowly, and
with haggard countenance, approaching towards
him. :" How how is this - exclaimed the doc.
tor. Whence came you? What do you want
with me! Were you not hanged this morning!"
"Yes, sir" replied the resuscitated man, 81 am
the wretch you saw going to the gallows, and
who aoas hanged" "Keep your distance"
said the doctor, "approach me not till you say
why you came here.' "Simply, sir" said the
supposed spectre, g to solicit food. am no
ghost, doctor. The rope broke twice while the
executioner was doing his office, and the gen.
eral thought proper to pardon me-" !" II that
be the case" rejoined the doctor, "eat and vel.
come; but beg of you, in future, to have a
little more consideration, and not in,rude SO un-
tremendously into the apartment of one who
had every right to suppose you an lnhabitant
of the tomb"