This is Jocco Podcast number 103 with Echo Charles and me, Jocco Willink.

Good evening, Echo. Good evening.

Whilst lying at Winchester, young as I was in the profession, I was picked out amongst others to perform a piece of duty that for many years afterwards,

remained deeply impressed upon my mind and gave me the first impression of the stern duties of a soldier's life.

A private of the Seventieth Regiment had deserted from that corps, and afterwards enlisted into several other regiments.

Indeed, I was told at the time that sixteen different times he had received the bounty and then stolen off.

Being, however, caught at last, he was brought to trial at Port Smith and sentenced by General Court Marshall to be shot.

As the execution would be a good hint to us youngins, there were four lads picked out of our corps to assist in this piece of duty, myself being one of the number chosen.

Besides these men, four soldiers from three other regiments were ordered on the firing party, making sixteen at all.

The place of execution was Port's down hill, and the different regiments assembled must have composed a force of about 15,000 men having been assembled from the Isle of White, from Chisester, Ghostsport and other places.

The site was very imposing and appeared to make a deep impression on all there.

As for myself, I felt that I would have given a good round sum had I possessed it to have been in any other situation rather than one, rather than the one which I now found myself.

And when I looked into the faces of my companions, I saw by the pallor and anxiety depicted in each countenance the reflection of my own feelings.

When all was ready, we were moved to the front and the culprit was brought out.

He made a short speech to the parade, acknowledging the justice of his sentence, and that drinking an evil company had brought the punishment upon him.

He behaved himself firmly and well and did not seem to flinch at all.

After being blindfolded, he was desired to kneel down behind a coffin, which was placed on the ground, and the drum major of the depot giving us an expressive glance, we immediately commenced to loading.

This was done in the deepest silence, and the next moment we were primed and ready.

There was then a dreadful pause for a few moments, and the drum major, again looking towards us, gave us the signal agreed upon before a flourish of his cane, and we leveled and fired.

We had been previously strictly enjoying to be steady and take good aim, and the poor fellow pierced by several balls fell heavily upon his back.

As he lay with his arms, pinion to his sides, I observed that his hands waved for a few moments, like the fins on a fish, when in the agonies of death.

The drum major also observed the movement, and making another signal, four of our party immediately stepped up to the post-straight body, and placing the mussels of their pieces to the head, fired, and put him out of his misery.

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