Military Executions

[NHjohn]

If a regimental brass band or brigade brass band was present at the execution, the band played "The Dead March," usually, Handel's Dead March in Saul. There are a dozen "Dead March" tunes around, but Handel's was the most popular. The funeral procession, with the convicted marched to the spot of execution, and usually the regiment of the accused formed "the hollow square." Troops lined up forming three sides of a box, with the convicted on the open side, dug grave behind him, firing squad in front. The officer-in-charge reads the sentence and the firing squad shoots, and the procession marches off with the band playing a jaunty tune, usually, "The Girl I left Behind Me." If the convicted was a civilian and executed by military forces, hanging was the order of the day. Dr. Wright is the prime example. From the regimental history of the 13th New Hampshire Volunteers:
Oct. 22. Thurs. Pleasant. Reg. improving the defenses. One Dr. Wright of Portsmouth, Va., is to be hanged for killing Lieutenant Sanborn of the Union Army; deliberately shot the Lieutenant while he was drilling negro troops in front of this Doctor’s office.
Oct. 27. Tues. Very Cold. Reg. in camp. “At the funeral of Lieut. Sanborn, who was shot by Dr. Wright, all the negro troops in the department were in line. They could not get enough of the marching and the music, and our Thirteenth Band played the ‘Dead March in Saul’ through nineteen times consecutively. CHAS. W. WASHBURN, Band."
Bvt. Maj. Gen. John Hartranft was appointed "Special Provost Marshal," for the trial of the Lincoln assassination conspirators, where he was responsible for the custody of the prisoners and the execution of four of those convicted." However, I believe his duties encompassed more than being in charge of the prison facility and had a dozen (plus) regiments at his disposal in the area around the prison. In addition, Hartranft had been commander, 3rd Division, 9th Army Corps, with a brevet rank of Major General (two star). As such he had at least 4 brigades under his immediate command, and "special provost" only temporarily assigned him to duties other than field command. In my quick research, he had three official brigade bands in his division and at least one regimental band made from privates. I'm going to try to figure this out, I just thought, after reading the intricate detail you folks post on Lincoln somebody might know off the top of their head.