My Sporadic Journal

         The clouds sat low and heavy beginning mid-morning, threatening to rid the heavens of copious quantities of rain in the afternoon and evening. It was also unseasonably cold in Texas on the eve of October 1, 1862. The Civil War had been raging for over a year. Texans were fighting for the Confederacy in the battles in Virginia as well as at Shiloh and along the Indian Territory border with Texas.
         Alexander, having served as a Lieutenant in the 11th Texas Calvary, was newly at home in Gainesville, Texas, having resigned his commission to return to defend and protect the border from marauding Indians as well as renegade Union troops such as the Kansas and Missouri Red Legs. That was not Alexander’s only service to his community. He also had served previously as the first sheriff of the county and was an active member of the Texas Rangers militia that patrolled the border with Indian Territory.
         With sentiment running high favoring the Confederacy, any opposition among neighbors was considered traitorous. Consequentially, any such action was severely dealt with. There had been troubling rumors circulating in North Central Texas, suggesting an imminent attack on Gainesville and Denison by Union sympathizers, claiming they would kill anyone standing in their way and hold the cities until Union troops could occupy them. The rumors persisted. The people were genuinely frightened and worried for the welfare of their families and children. And so, it was on October 1st of 1862 the situation reached its boiling point as vigilante action against Union supporters erupted across North Central Texas.
         Word of a pending Union sympathizer attack leaked to the Confederate authorities in Gainesville earlier in the day. Attempting to head off the attack, groups of men, patrollers, were assembled and sent to root out the Union conspirators. Alexander was among them. It’s important to note some describe these forces, moving in the rain and darkness, as being vigilantes. However, others point to the fact they were the officially appointed “patrollers” who were already formed for just such a situation.
         It began raining heavily in the afternoon, becoming torrential by midnight. The deluge of storm water swelled the creeks and rivers, making travel difficult as well as dangerous. Doors were kicked down, men were dragged from their beds in their bed clothes, some men were shot trying to escape, and a few drowned trying to forge the swollen rivers as they attempted to flee. In the morning of the next day, the storm relented, and the clouds disappeared to reveal bright sunlight and blue skies. However, in a room in the upper floor of the local grocery store, over sixty men were detained as traitors, saboteurs, conspirators, and terrorists.
         The sentiment in Gainesville was angry and caustic. Men who had long been faithful neighbors were then considered as being evil and dangerous. It didn’t take long to appoint a judge and jury to try those being held in that upper room. A couple of days later each man was taken from the upper room and given his day before the judge and jury. A few of the men were judged innocent, they most likely were just caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nevertheless, between October 4th and 18th, forty men were hanged for conspiracy against the Confederacy and two were shot trying to escape. Of these forty men, fourteen were hanged without a trial.

         Alexander acted as the executioner for the majority of the hangings. It is likely, since he had been a Ranger, held the position of sheriff at one time, and had served as an officer in the mounted militia, as well as an officer in the Confederacy, he was the most likely person to be drafted into such an awful position as executioner. It’s a sober thought when one considers he has been elected for such a task because he was the most qualified. Oh, Alexander Boutwell is my first- cousin, four times removed.