David O. Dodd

David O. Dodd, son of Andrew and Lydia Owen Dodd, was born in Texas, but was reared in Little Rock, Arkansas, and educated in St. John's Masonic College in Little Rock. At the time of his execution he was not yet eighteen years old and rather small for his age, but was an unusually handsome and manly, though extremely modest, little fellow.
In September, 1863, Federal troops, about thirty thousand strong, under General Steele, occupied Little Rock, all the male citizens capable of serving in the army withdrawing under General Fagan to the vicinity of Camden and leaving the city occupied only by the old men, women and children. Among the refugees were all the members of David O. Dodd's family, he and his father joining General Fagan, his mother and sisters going farther south. David was sent back into Little Rock on some private business for his family and with instructions to find out what he could about the Yankees, their location, etc., and remained there several weeks.
Having possessed himself with information concerning the enemy's strength and movements, he started south again, and safely passed all the pickets, but was overtaken by a party of Federals, scouts perhaps, who searched him and found secreted on his person documents in telegraphic code, maps of the fortifications, etc. He was imprisoned but was offered his liberty if he would disclose the names of the parties from which he had received his messages. This he steadfastly refused to do, declaring that he had assumed a man's duties and would abide the consequences.
Every possible effort in his behalf was made by the citizens of Little Rock, but in vain, and on January 8, 1864, he was executed. He asked that he might be shot to death, but this request was refused and he was hanged on one of the trees of the campus of St. John's College, where he had gone to school. The execution took place in the presence of a full regiment of Federal soldiers, on of whom fainted dead away at the sight, and another, in speaking of it afterwards to my father, wept and declared that he would have refused to be present had he known that a mere boy and not a man was to be hanged.

Military Prison, Little Rock
January 8, 10 o'clock A,M., 1864

My Dear Parents and Sisters:
I was arrested as a spy and tried and was sentenced to be hung today at 3 0'clock. The time is fast approaching, but, thank God! I am prepared to die. I expect to meet you all in Heaven, I will soon be out of this world of sorrow and trouble. I would like to see you all before I die, but let it be God's will be done, not ours. I pray to God to give you strength to bear your troubles while in this world. I hope God will receive you in Heaven, there I will meet you.
Mother, I know it will be hard for you to give up your only son, but you must remember it is God's will. Goodbye! God will give you strength to bear your troubles. I pray that we may meet in heaven. Goodbye! God will bless you all.
Your son and brother,
David O. Dodd

Grave of David O. Dodd
Texans in the Civil War
The General Store