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Sarah
Jane Smith
After
two years as a successful saboteur and smuggler, 16 year old Sarah Jane
Smith, from Washington County, Arkansas, destroyed the telegraph line
between Rolla and Springfield, Missouri twice in 1864.
In
May 1864, at Cassville, Missouri, she met up with several of her cousins,
who were noted guerrillas. They camped outside of Springfield and
destroyed three to four miles of telegraph wire, and cut down several
telegraph poles. The group was captured and placed in prison for three
weeks. They were then sent to Rolla, Missouri and
paroled.
In
September of 1864, she met two Confederate men outside of Rolla who
propositioned her to destroy the telegraph wire in return for cash
payment. She traveled six miles outside of Rolla and destroyed the wire as
they agreed. Upon her return to Rolla, she was arrested by federal
authorities and was never paid.
On
October 20, 1864, Sarah was found guilty of violating Order No. 32, which
forbids civilian destruction of communication and transportation property,
an action that is punishable by death. In 1861, Union Gen. Henry Halleck
had issued an order that anyone involved in destroying railroads and in
cutting telegraph wires would be sentenced to death. The young,
illiterate, epileptic and mentally unstable Sarah Jane Smith, was caught
cutting telegraph wires and poles twice. The second time she was caught,
she was sentenced to death. Sarah was sentenced to “hang by the neck till
dead.”
She
was sent to Gratoit Prison in St. Louis. Before her sentence was carried
out, two physicians examined Sarah. Both physicians found her to be
unaware of her actions and mentally incapable of taking responsibility for
her actions. On November 10, 1864, Sarah’s sentence was commuted to
imprisonment at Alton Military Prison in Illinois for the duration of the
War, on the basis of the testimony of the two doctors.
Like
many other prisoners of that day and age, Sarah fell gravely ill during
her confinement. Sarah’s “extreme ill health” and the imminent end of the
War may have expedited her release, as she was paroled on April 13,
1865.
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Provost
Marshal Records Summaries
Smith,
Sarah J. Saint Louis St. Louis Notice that Smith, a prisoner, is
being sent under
guard. 11-07-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah J. Saint Louis St. Louis Request for Smith, a prisoner, to appear before the General Court Martial and Military Commission. 11-05-1864 F1263 , Smith, Sarah Jane Phelps Rolla Document from Capt. J. R. Bracher stating that Smith was captured in Texas Co, MO. Smith is charged with cutting telegraph wires which were being used by the U. S. government. Smith forwarded to St. Louis. 10-22-1864 F1263 , Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Charges and Specifications against Smith partially illegible. Smith, a resident of Washington Co, Arkansas, is charged with destroying telegraph lines between Rolla and Springfield. ??-??-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Charges and Specifications against Smith. Smith charged with willfully cutting 4 miles of wire, destroying telegraphic communication to aid and encourage enemies of the U. S. government. 11-05-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Document illegible 04-08-1865 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Duplicate copy of Special Order 319, commuting Smith's death sentence to imprisonment in Alton Military Prison. 11-17-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Letter from George Rex regarding the health of Mrs. Smith. Notes that Smith, who has a death sentence, has bouts of unconsciousness similar to epilepsy. Rex does not think Smith has the mental capacity to realize the offenses she committed. 11-15-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Letter from Joseph Darr noting that Smith's sentence to death by hanging was to be carried out in St. Louis on November 25, 1864. 11-10-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Letter from Major Lucien Eaton noting that Smith, resident of Washington Co, Arkansas, was sentenced to death by hanging. Smith charged with violating General Order 32. 11-18-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Petition from members of the Military Commission to Maj. Gen. Rosecrans asking that the sentence of death by hanging against Smith be mitigated. The petition writers believe she was an "ignorant country woman" who didn't realized seriousness of actions. 11-??-1864 F1262 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Special Order 292, noting that Smith is sentenced to be hung by the neck until death. The sentence is to be carried out by Lt. Col. Gustavus Heinrichs. 11-12-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Special Order 299, revoking Special Order 319, which had commuted her death sentence and sentenced her to imprisonment at Alton Military Prison. Two duplicate copies follow. 11-21-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Saint Louis St. Louis Special Order 319, noting that the death sentence of Smith had been commuted to imprisonment at Alton Military Prison. Duplicate copy follows later in film. 11-17-1864 F1263 . Smith, Sarah Jane Unknown Alton Special Order 76, releasing Smith from Alton Military Prison. 04-13-1865 F1263 |
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