The 'boy hero of the Confederacy', hanged at age 17, was born in Texas, to Andrew Marion Dodd and Lydia Echols Owen...

 Andrew Marion Dodd   born May 29, 1823 Alabama  died November 16, 1867 Mississippi
 Lydia Echols Owen    married April 27, 1843 in Collegeville, Saline County, Arkansas

 Children of Andrew Dodd and Lydia Owen:

 Sarah Senhora Dodd   born January 18, 1845 in Collegeville, Saline County, Arkansas
 David Owen Dodd      born November 10, 1846 in Lavaca County, Texas
 Leonora Dodd         born January 28, 1850 in Washington County, Texas
 Ann Eliza Dodd       born July 28, 1852

Andrew Dodd was a merchant, traveling town to town and state to state. The Dodd family had returned to Arkansas in 1856, lived in the area of Benton, Arkansas. One of the younger daughters had died by this time. Andrew had a brother, David Washington Dodd, living in Little Rock. Andrew and Lydia sent their daughter Senhora to attend school in Little Rock, she lived with David W. Dodd and his wife, Susan.

In October of 1860, Andrew and family moved to Little Rock, and were living there when the Civil War broke out. David O. Dodd was enrolled in St. John's Masonic College...ironically, he was hanged in front of that same institution just a couple of years later.

In August of 1862 Andrew Dodd and son David went to do business in Monroe, Louisiana. Mrs. Dodd and daughter Senora remained in Little Rock, stayed at the home of David W. Dodd. David Owen took a job in the telegraph office in Monroe, worked there for four months. In January of 1863 he went to Grenada, Mississippi where his father had opened a store. David worked at his father's store for nine months.

In September of 1863 Little Rock was taken over by Federal Troops. Andrew sent David to Arkansas to help his mother and sisters leave Little Rock. David devised a plan for them to leave Little Rock aboard a riverboat. When that plan failed, Lydia and children again went to stay at the home of David W. Dodd. David Owen Dodd got a job working at Alderman Henry's store, had worked there about three months before Andrew Dodd returned to Little Rock, gathered his family and belongings and relocated to Camden, Arkansas.

Andrew Dodd had came up with a plan to buy up tobacco and resale it for huge profit, but needed the financial backing of associates in Little Rock. He decided to send David back to Little Rock to deliver letters about his tobacco idea to the associates. Andrew and David went to Confederate General Fagan to get a pass, allowing David to pass Confederate pickets.

December 24, 1863, David Dodd returned to Little Rock and delivered the letters to his father's associates. David stayed with his Aunt Susan Dodd, attending several holiday parties before heading back to Camden.

December 28, 1863, David visited the Provost Marshal's office at St. John's Masonic College, to obtain a pass through Union lines to rejoin his family in Camden.

December 29, 1863, David left Little Rock, headed out the Benton Road, and showed his pass to Union Sentries at the city line and again at an outpost about ten miles out. This sentry told David that he would no longer need the pass, as he was entering Confederate territory. David left the Benton road and spent the night with a relative.

December 30, 1863, David took a switchback toward the Benton Road. Unknowingly, he crossed over the Confederate line and entered country controlled by the Union. The Federal Pickets took David to the guardhouse. When asked for identification, Dodd produced a notebook. The book had entries in Morse Code. The code was thought to be suspicious. David Dodd was arrested for actions of espionage and taken to Union headquarters at the arsenal in Little Rock, across from St. John's Masonic College.

December 31, 1863, Major General Frederick Steele appointed a Military Commission which met in Little Rock, with Brigadier General John M. Thayer presiding. Other Commission Members were Colonel John A. Garrett, Major Phineus Graves, Major H. D. Gibson, Captain George Rockwell. Captain B. F. Rice served as Judge Advocate. David O. Dodd was arraigned. Judge Advocate Captain B. F. Rice read the following charges:

In this, that said David O. Dodd, an inhabitant of the State of Arkansas, did as a Spy of the so called Confederate States of America, enter within the lines of the Army of the United States, stationed at Little Rock, Arkansas, and did there secretly possess himself of information regarding the number, the kind, and position of the troops of said Army of the United States, their commanders, and other military information valuable to the enemy now at war with the United States, and having thus obtained said information did obtain a pass from the Provost Marshal General's office, and endeavor to reach the lines of the enemy therewith; when he was arrested at the cavalry outposts of said Army and did otherwise lurk, and act as a spy of the Rebels now in arms against the United States. This at the Post of Little Rock, and the encampments of the Army of Arkansas, on or about the 29th and 30th of December, 1863.

Defendant Dodd pled not guilty to all charges.

January 1, 1864, prisoner Dodd offered to take the oath of allegiance, prescribed by the President of the United States, in his Proclamation accompanying his late message to Congress, and accept the Amnesty therein offered.

Judge Advocate Rice objected to the defense offer, stating the crime with which Dodd was accused did not fall under the Amnesty provision. The courtroom was cleared while the Commission deliberated the matter of amnesty. The commission ruled against the defense and court was adjourned.

January 2, 1864, witnesses testify:

Private Daniel Goldberg, of Company E, 1st Missouri Cavalry, was asked when, where and under what circumstances he may have seen the prisoner. Goldberg stated:

'I believe it was on the 28th of December, 1863. I was on picket on the Hot Spring road about eight miles from Little Rock. The prisoner came to where I was, and I halted him, and asked him for a pass. He gave his pass to me. It was from the Provost Marshal of Little Rock. I asked the prisoner where he wanted to go, and he said he wanted to go into the country fifteen miles to see some friends. I asked him which road he wanted to go, and he told me he wanted to go the Hot Springs road. I then told him he did not need a pass anymore, and I kept his pass; I tore up the pass on the post when I was relieved. I did not know he was arrested when I tore it up.'

Sergeant Frederick Miehr of Company B, 1st Missouri Cavalry, was the next witness and after being asked the same question he stated:

'Either the 28th or 29th of last month I was on picket on the Benton road about twelve miles from Little Rock. I had been on picket only a short time when my inside vidette halted a man, and I looked up and saw the prisoner, that is I think it was him, coming into the main road. I went then to where the vidette was. I asked the prisoner if he had a pass, and he said he had not. He said he had a pass for two days, and the picket on the Hot Spring road took it from him. I asked him where he lived, and he said at Little Rock. I asked him where he was going and he said he was going to a man's by the name of Davis. I asked him where Davis lived and he said he did not know whether it was the first or second house. I asked him where he was going from there, and he said he was going down on some creek to get him a horse. I forget the place. I then arrested him and sent one of the men into headquarters with him.'

1st Lieutenant C. F. Stopral, Acting Adjutant of the 1st Missouri Cavalry, is called to testify and states:

'On the evening of the 29th of last month I was in my office. The prisoner was brought before me by one of our pickets. I asked the prisoner if he had any pass, and he said not. I asked him if he had any papers whatever to be identified, and he said not. I told him he certainly must have something with him either books or papers, and he then produced a memoranda book, the one here shown me, marked on the first page, is the one he showed me. Upon having the book examined I sent him to the guard house.'

Stopral goes on to say: 'I translated some of the telegraphic writing at the time. That which I translated read, 'the 3rd Ohio Battery has four guns. Brass. 11th Ohio Battery has six guns'. The rest of it I could not make out, but I think it is eighteen pounder. The other telegraphic writing I did not translate for want of time.'

Captain George Hanna, Regiment Commander of the 1st Missouri Cavalry, was called to testify. He stated:

'On the evening of the 29th of December last about a half hour after dark he was brought to my headquarters. I was not in at the time, but came in soon after. When I came in the prisoner was standing by the table. Lieutenant Stopral had this memoranda book in his hand, and said he had taken it from the prisoner. I took the book and looked at it, and saw the characters there, and remarked that looked suspicious, and commenced questioning the prisoner. I asked him his name. He said it was David O. Dodd.I asked him what he was doing out there. He said he was going out to see some man in that neighborhood. I forget the man's name. I said you had no pass when you were taken and he said 'I had a pass when I came into your lines, and the pickets took it from me. I asked him if he should know the man that got his pass if he should see him again. He said he would. I sent him under guard out there, but the pickets had been relieved and the man was not here, but had come into camp. The prisoner wanted to go to a brick house nearby to get his supper and said he was acquainted there. I then sent for the sergeant of the guard and he took him down to my company and gave him his supper. I instructed the sergeant of the guard after he gave him his supper to take him to the guard house and not allow him to have any communication with any of the soldiers. I then asked Lieut. Stopral if he had searched the prisoner. He said he had got nothing from him but this book. I had the memoranda book examined and then went and searched the prisoner, and found one pocketbook the one here shown me in court, one postal currency holder, the same here shown, one Derringer pistol, loaded, the one here shown, and a package between his shirts. When I went down, he denied having anything of the kind, but in examining him I felt it and asked him about it, and he acknowledged having letters in them. He took them out and handed them to me, and these before the court, in pencil mark are the same he gave me. In the pocket book there was Louisiana money, Confederate money, ten dollars in green backs, and some Confederate postage stamps. How much I do not know. I did not examine the pocket book and minutely, but rolled them all up in one package sent them and the prisoner by Captain Baird, next morning into Little Rock to General Davidson or the Provost Marshal. The prisoner said the pickets had taken up his pass in the morning.'

Captain John Baird, Company E, 1st Missouri Cavalry, is called before the commission. He testifies:

'Captain Hanna placed him in my charge and directed me to turn him over to General Davidson. He also gave me a package of papers to turn over to General Davidson with the prisoner. The memoranda book and other books here shown me are the same Captain Hanna sent by me; I had examined them since; before he sent them and after I delivered them to General Davidson. I saw him examine them, and saw him take a pass out of the memoranda book before spoken of. The General read the pass, the one here shown me dated December 22nd, 1863, at headquarters near Princeton and signed by W. A. Crawford, Lt. Col. Comdg. out post; looks like the same and the contents is the same. There was in the pocket book before spoken of a certificate signed by A. M. Dodd in regard to the age of David 0. Dodd, and also that he was not connected with the army. The certificate here shown me is the one that was taken out of the prisoner's pocket book. I delivered to General Davidson precisely the same papers that Captain Hanna delivered to me, and General Davidson proceeded immediately in my presence to examine them.'

Captain Robert C. Clowery, Assistant Superintendent of the United States Military Telegraph, is next sworn before the commission to interpret the telegraphic code found in the memoranda book.

'3rd Ohio Battery has 4 guns brass. 11th Ohio Battery has 6 guns brass.' That on the second page reads as follows: 'Three brigades of cavalry in a division. Three regiments in a brigade, commanded by Davidson. Infantry: 1st Brigade has 3 regiments. 2nd Brigade has 3 regiments, one on detached service 1 battery 4 pieces Parrott guns. Brig. Genl. Soloman commands a division, two brigades in a division; three regiments in one brigade, two in the other. Two batteries in the division.'

First Lieutenant George O. Sokalski, Assistant Adjutant General of General Steele, testifies about the actual Union troop strength and weaponry. It's a twin match to the coded message.

David O. Dodd was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.

Major General Frederick Steele offered Dodd a full pardon if he would tell who gave him the incriminating evidence. Dodd replied 'I can die, but I cannot betray a friend.'

January 8, 1864, David O. Dodd died by hanging.

At The Pulaski County section, read David O. Dodd Letters, including one that he wrote on the day of his death.