Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1827-07-20

THAT he could not look upon "blood and carnage
9th composure." Human life was regarded too
sacred to be sported with. The lives of his Toes
we're not wantony destroyed but the lives OF ms
own soldiers were as dear to HIM as his own. ne
1 was {; father to his men, not their execntoner.
4 But, cfthe accusation contained IN the ABOVE par
aeraph, we are fortunately, able to speak, IRON ur-
,nost;,n,be authority. and we hasten t. do so, as
duty to the memory of the great and good man VINO
is therein aspersed. .
4 In conversations few days since, with feyo-
ut,onary officer who, after serving his country Tor
"A considerable part of long and active HE III inc
field. i now useiully employed by the people as
dcleratc in the councils of the State, mentioned
the publication of the paragraph above quoted IRON
the jackson paper, respecting Ten. washington.
Inli,nation kildied in the countenance and spark
led from the eve of the old veteran in an instant.
tonched the character of the revolutionary army,
and If his beloved commander, and reused all the
solinr ,,,th,n him. Would that the author OF the
bl had been at that instant within the flash 81 his
countenance and the sound OF ms language, is ne
repeIled the base nsnuatioD against MN whom ne
know and loved 50 we'll al think it likely said
the GOOD old man, resunng, IN moment, me chr's
tian temper which ornaments his years, ms feeling
irving deeper tone and enrnestness to his impress
siye voice, as he added " think it likely that there
NAV be no man now living who knows more OF theI
circumstances upon which that tale is prcdcatcd,
than happen TO know. was not only in the army
A and npon the spot at that time, but was, myself,
at the elbow of Colonel Lee, when he issued the or
ders for shooting the desertcrs, and which excited
such feeling in the army and in the country ut the
Time remember il well as ii it had occurred
!, within the last hour.
Il The army was posted on the Hudson above
. West point it was Just before we stormed Soney
: Point Col. Lee was sitting at a table writing
= An officer came in and reported that more OF the
;. men had deserted across the line to the enemy Col
Lee tthe celebrated commander OF the Virginia Lee
gon.l without instants hesitation, or Withdraw
:, ing the pen from the paper, gave the orders = 10
" shoot every man that detected DESERVING to the
enemy, and send their heads TO head quarters.
:, The order was given TO Lieut.. Reed who was IT
!, command of the advance guard the same Cen
y Reed who commanded in the battle IN which S
~ Peter Parker was killed in the late war, and Is nov
:, Ilyinp ON the Eastern Shore of this StateThe or
" lder was issued but short time before three mer
we're detected in the act of DESERVING pursued, ia
ken close to the enemys line, and brought in Reef
observed that according to orders he ought to exc
cute all three of them, but that he would not do so
:. He would make an example of one OF them. | think
,r on examination. Il appeared that one OF them was
:, German. one Frenchman. and the other an Anne
!, iican. Reed inquired which OF the three shoul'
" ld,e ? Il was unanimously agreed that it should b
. the American In him the atrocity was the mos
VS. aggravated, because it was his native country h
y, vas dcserling--he was shot. His head was cut o
&c and sent to head quarters agreeable to orders. bu
% no man could be more mortified or provoked tina
~, Gen Washington was at the sight. So far fror
:" countenancng such a proceeding for one instant
Co.. Lee was Immediately arrested, and tried Ia
ri his conduct and il was with extreme difficulty, In
i; deed. popular as that officer deservedly stood wit
So the army. that he was preserved from being brok
ri; for the oiirmce.'
=, ..nnt gentlemen" continued the old veteran
IS mark the difference between the case of the dc
- ,scrtinn in This Instance and the deserters that Gen
-, jackson ordered to be shot. / know that it Away
~, was considered in the army, that soldier, whe
IN ON actual dntv A. guard. III face o! an enemy, des
t erng his post, or soldier detected in the act
-, deserving directly TO the enemy might be shot. Bu
M this instance have mentioned, and the feelings ey
cited in all ranks on lie occasion Of the death Of tina
- one mar. is an evidence Of the restraint which wa
~ felt in going even that far Regulars enlisted in tn
49, army for bounty, were seldom shot for desertior
however aggravated-but to deprive irregular mil
i; tamen of their lives for leaving the camp, not to de
sert to the enemy, but to 70 home to their families
g. never entered into the brain Of any man at that day
- even if his time of service had not expired and
liz much question, if the popularity OF Washinsto
>. himself could have been sustained in the army,
A; he had attempted such proceeding. Militlame
leaving Washngtou's camp during the Revolution
was of constant occurrence He never thought
treating them as military despot, dealing life an
death without regard to martial law even, much les
:. the laws Of humanity, that should at least hav
ne spared those who confident that they had pei
me formed their tour Of duty, and were entitled to
vac discharge"
zen have quoted the substance of the language use
ian 49, Ill., ,,norahe ali rontlan.n S,o.L;nr or ,l
70 (which he did know" Of the usages of the army
III and especially of the difference between militia
es' man leaving camp to go home to his family, and
ion soldier deserving from post in trontof enemy, an
Inc what is worse. to the ranks of an enemy, was ia