"He visited us again about midnight, but finding his company was not
acceptable, he soon left us to our melancholy reflections.
"Before sunrise we heard the drums beat, and soon after heard the
direful noise of the door grating on its iron hinges. We were all
taken out, our irons taken off, and we conducted by a strong guard of
soldiers to the parade, surrounded by a circle of armed men, and led
into the midst of them, where three white officers were placed by our
side;--silence was then commanded, and the adjutant taking a paper out
of his pocket read our sentence;--and now I cannot describe my
feelings upon this occasion, nor can it be felt by any one but those
who have experienced some remarkable deliverance from the grim hand of
death, when surrounded on all sides, and nothing but death expected
from every quarter, and by Divine Providence there is some way found
out for escape--so it seemed to me when the adjutant pulled out
another paper from his pocket and read: 'That the Governor and
Council, in consideration of the youth of Randall and myself,
supposing us to be led on by Folgier, who was the oldest, thought
proper to pardon us from death, and that instead we were to receive
800 lashes each.'
"Although this last sentence seemed terrible to me, yet in comparison
with death, it seemed to be light. Poor Folgier was shot in our
presence,--previous to which we were told we might go and converse
with him.
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