▁deser ters ▁will ▁be ▁l ashed ▁and ▁brand ed , ▁and ▁forced ▁to ▁watch ▁those ▁condem ned ▁as ▁tra itors ▁h anged , ▁whose ▁heads ▁will ▁be ▁for ci b ly ▁faced ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Chap ul te pec ▁to ▁watch ▁the ▁taking ▁of ▁that ▁strong hold ▁and ▁the ▁sight ▁of ▁the ▁lower ing ▁of ▁the ▁Mexican ▁flag ▁and ▁the ▁raising ▁of ▁the ▁Stars ▁and ▁St ri pes , ▁so ▁that ▁this ▁will ▁be ▁their ▁last ▁sight — they ▁will ▁be ▁h anged ▁at ▁that ▁instant . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁their ▁execution , ▁in ▁sight ▁of ▁the ▁men ▁on ▁the ▁sc aff old , ▁R iley ▁is ▁l ashed ▁with ▁a ▁cat - o - n ine - t ails : ▁ 5 0 ▁stro kes . ▁He ▁is ▁then ▁brand ed ▁on ▁his ▁right ▁che ek ▁with ▁a ▁large ▁letter ▁D ▁" just ▁below ▁the ▁eye , ▁so ▁not ▁to ▁imp air ▁his ▁vision ." ▁The ▁soldier ▁ordered ▁to ▁w ield ▁the ▁red - hot ▁brand ▁is ▁told ▁to ▁do ▁it ▁quickly , ▁as ▁" R iley ▁must ▁be ▁conscious ▁when ▁it ▁is ▁done ! ". ▁Vis ibly ▁sh aken , ▁the ▁soldier ▁se ars ▁the ▁brand ▁into ▁R iley ' s ▁face ▁ups ide ▁down ▁( back ward ). ▁He ▁is ▁har sh ly ▁repr im and ed , ▁then ▁told ▁to ▁" do ▁it ▁right ! ", ▁but ▁he ▁vom its ▁and ▁f ain ts , ▁and ▁R iley ▁is ▁brand ed ▁on ▁his ▁left ▁che ek