Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-05-01

tSUruaIy, 1cOT, In the county aforesaid.
DAN'L l.. HYLTON.
-
(G)
The affidavit of Mann 6. Valentine, who
saith that he has been lately appointed en-
sign to the public guard, to wit, on the 29th
OF Jan. 1907, but has never qualified to his
commission, until this day, Feb. IL, 1907,
although he has slept at the barracks, and
has attended there generally once or twice
day, and has been twice to the Peniten-
tiary once TO rel eve the guard, and the
other time to see that the men were atten-
tive TO their duty. This affiant had never
received any orders from capt. Quarter
previous to the death Of Mr.. MCredie, and
was not informed of the nature of the or
ders given to the centinels, relative to their
conduct when any person should approach
them but, since the death of Mr.. Mere
die, this affant has heard the said Quar-
rier instruct cenrinel, that, in Case any
person should approach his post, he should
hail him three times, and bring him ut the
point ct the bayonet: it such person did not
give positive answer, and he thought he
was on any i'll design, he should discharge
his musket to give the alarm, but not at the,
object, except when BODY Of men should
be coming against him. This afFiant far
Their saith that he never, to his recollecti-
Otis Sdiu (lldC INC CGHllndl w llIlslm Nash
had done his duty in firing ~ NtCredie
but this aihant acknow lodges thar he may
have said that if the orders of the centinel
were such, he had done his duty in firing,
th 5 affant being altogether unacquainted
with what his orders had been And far
ther this afliant saith not.
MANN s. VALENTINE.
Henrico County, 10 7,iE:
The above affidavit was sworn to before
me in due form agreeable to law, this 11th
Feb 1907. DAN'L l.. HYLTON.
(H)
The affidavit of William Cooper, who
saith that he has been six years in the pub
lie guard, upwards of FIVE years of which
! time he has been a sergeant; that he was
a soldier in the revolutionary war, in diff
ferent regiments, first under Col. Gibson,
then under Coils. Buford, Green, Lee, Wash
ngton, and lastly under Col. Posey ; that
the practice in that part Of the American
army to which he was attached, was, tohave
the orders of the commandant, entered on
the book of the orderly sergeant; that
book Of that kind was formerly kept at the
station o. the public guard at Richmond,
as he has been informed, but not for some
time past that the orders given at that
station arc generally verbally Comnunica-
orders have been given or read 20 the men
by any of the comm ssioned officers; that
tne orders given to the cCntirels were 10
behave like soldiers, 70 hail three times
and bring to, and il white persons let them
pass, If slaves keep them ,Ill the arrival os
4 non-conm s. oned officer TO relieve
guard; that these are al the orders he has
ever known given ; that he should not, I'M
der such circumstances, as occurred at the
death of MIR. M'Crcdic, have fired his mus
ket, because he should not Ike TO commit
murder and because lac did not think the
orders justified it that even in time Of war
IN the face cf an enemy, he should lot
have fired under such circumstances IN
, less the person hailed attempted to mole 81
him or run away, in which case lie should
have taken MIN for an enemy, and should
. have fred.
That Nash, who fred on Mr.. M'CreGie
I served three years in the public guard, and
, was discharged lie was then out about
= eighteen mouths and re- nlistCd about the
. 18th or 18Th OF last month, that he had Of
i ten seen the said Nash in state Of intoxi
cation, and disorderly in his conduct bu
=. ON the day prcccG ug the death of MT
e MCrcdic he did hot observe that lac wa