Georgia Division SCV Confederate History Month Committee<br />
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"If I had a thousand lives, I would given them all here before I would betray a friend"--Sam Davis.<br />
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April is Confederate History Month and this is a History Month minute.<br />
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Like the American soldier doing his duty, today, in Iraq and around the world, so did the legendary Tennessean--Sam Davis. Davis was born in Smyrna, Tennessee in 1845. He is called the Boy Hero of the Confederacy. Sam Davis served as a private in the 1st Tennessee Infantry under Captain Coleman. Coleman's scouts gathered information about Union Forces moving from middle Tennessee toward Chattanooga.<br />
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Davis was captured by Union troops in Middle Tennessee. He was wearing his Confederate uniform but was arrested as a spy for carrying a secret message. He would not reveal the name of who had given him the information. For this reason, he was arrested as a spy, and sentenced to die by hanging unless he was willing to give the name of his contact. It is written that he answered by saying, "I would rather die a thousand deaths than to betray a friend."<br />
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Sam Davis, Not even 19 years of age, was hanged by Union forces in Pulaski, Tennessee on November 27, 1863. It is said that the officer in charge of the execution had trouble in carrying out the orders as Davis was calm, It is also written that Davis said, "Officer, I did my duty. Now you do yours."<br />
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Davis' story is said to parallel that of Nathan Hale during the American Revolution. His boyhood home has been preserved in Smyrna, Tennessee as well as the spot marked where he was hanged. He was an American Hero who should not be forgotten.<br />
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Find out more about Confederate History Month at: http://confederateheritagemonth.com
