Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-05-28
FROM THE KENTUCKY REPORTER.
A TENNESSEEAN, NO. 5.
STATE OF TENNESSEE,
Bedford Couniu, ABrL ~, 1898.
TO GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON

Woods has at length reached the public eve, M the
columns ofthe Nashville Republican of the Hin
inst. and what Is itl poor, barren, and meagre In
deed, did think, from the frequent closet
ngs and conversation, | heard had taken place
between your talented friend Mr. Lee, from Nir-
GINA (Qtsieldg haJuS) and Colonel Parish, that
might probably have some trouble TO reply; in
that, however was mistaken. 1t is true, your
defenders have said something against the charac-
ter ofthe writer but even ifthat was correct, would
il be IN answerto a statement of facts IN the case
Of Woods! Surely not.
Before proceeding to answer your defence a.
gain reierate That am the sole author ofthe sew
eral numbers which have lately appeared in the
"heutucky Reporter over the signature of a
Tennesseean, nd therefore the assumption no the
United States telegraph that Andrew Erwin,
any other persoa, Is the writer, Is entirely graft
uitious and talSe. lneyer consulted with Colonel
Erwin, either dlrectlyor indirectly, touching these
communications, until Eler the ID No. was printed
and had come 10 hand, rOr until after | had sent
the Sd No TO the press. After / had seen the
publication of "John q. Anderson of NQSkrilie,
addressed Gel. Erwin a latter dated 18th March
1928. requesting the loan acknowledgements and
title papers, to establish the allegations Of my ID
No.-and this did because | dsliktd the trouble
aud expense Of procuring copies OF the records
from Clerks Offices Twas moved d make those
publications by the cogitations and reflections of
NV own mind. unaided and unasslsted ly the con-
sci or advice of any other person, with the design
to help my contrymen TO form a propel estimate
of your pretensions; and now fearlcssly challenge
a reiutaton. by the united aid ofdU your followers
Let the public not be deceived-there are many
thousands of the citizens of Tennessee, WaO have
never vet consented to make "a military cotQueror
their President, who has scarcely any othe attr-
butte TO recommend him. and many thousand more
would think the same way if they had lortitide to
stem the torrent
The first thing worthy of notice IN the defence is
the nStluatlOR against the veracIty ofmy witness
es where 1t IS asserted, that so color this charge
he adduces the certificates offour persons, puport
INC to state the Impressions Of their Memories. as
to the transaction, at the distance of II years
shall not enlarge on the fthlessness ola long mem
DRY, or the looseness Of exparte testimony, &c
Let me ask every man Of reflection IN my country.
If he had q friend, or Comrade torn from his side
bv modern RliSD.oTl, and sh0l tO death before
his eyes; would he soon forget the transactionl
Or would Hnot vays be engraved in ing char
acters on the tablets Of ms memory AS long as rea-
son held lis empre,-or until death shook the fab
rio into mnl And in the case of Brock it was To-
duced to writing at the time.
Again, it Is said that "John Woods having been
once pardoned for the crime of mltiRg and dcscr-
taon, was found guilty on the 18th March, l-l4
of the charges Ofdisobedcnce Oforders dsrespeci
of hls commanding officers, and mutlny. VIII,
was the word "agan' or ga second time -lei
out in your defenccl They stand conspicuous in
the statements of Samuel II. Miller, 10 which We
are not referred nor have the editors Of the Nash
vile Republican given 1t a place ia their pa
per. Now do charge, and positively state, thai
there is not one word Ofrlth in the first member
of this quotation. John Woods never did deser
from the Army, either by implication or otherwise
He was not with the detachment that turned back
from near Fort Srother under General Roberts
and to whom the eplthets of"mutny and deser
ton" have been so Literally applied. The boz
Joined the company at Fayetteville where thos,
troops recognized; and was indeed but "a few
weeks in CAM" before lac was arrested and shot
See the annexed proof
But perhaps it will be said, you did not know
this fact and are therefore eycusablc. Good God
and is the life of an ignorant boy 10 be taken be-
cause he did not know how 10 make his defence
Yea, if be had been ever 50 WISE how could b,
have anticipated that you his General would, o
your own accord, and IN the absence of all proof
have brought this charge against hn0; or why dl,
voun0t assign the prisoner COUNSEL Ensign Holt
one ofthe members Of the Court Martial has lu
formed me that no person appeared for Woods
and he does not rocOllect that any questions Werl
asked, or any thing said in his behalf except b.,
himself Mr. Holt also informed me, that be sign
ed the petition for Woods pardon; and was un
der the impression that all the members Of DO,
Court had done the same, although not certain
But we are referred 10 the Testimony Of It. Bar
rett, Ensign Holt, and private Westmorelnd
Where is this testimony cannot see IL; and d,
YOU expect the public viii take assertions wiihou
proof as a reiutation ofthe body feyidcnce hay,
adducedl Vain presumption and / venture 10 af
firm that not one Of those witnesses referred Z,
have said one word about the previous desertior
Of this boy; nor can any record be produced, shew
ing that at any former time he had been guilty o
these crimes.
Here let me stop for moment to analyze DE
offence, for which the unfortunate youth slfiere,
death. First, "disobedIence oforder5 '-becaus,
he refused 10 do fatigue duty when be was OF
guard. Could any order 10 Woods have been le
gal or such he ought to have obeyed, unless giy
en- through the officer Of his guard? 1 think even
military man IN the Union will say not. Tber
was Woods shot for disobeying an order, which
if obeyed, would have subjected him 10 BE- shot be
cause 10 o5eying their order, he would necessarily
have been missing ifom his post and this would
have been a serious crime The next charge
Is 'disrespect Of his commanding officer To
what officer docs this alluded To Barrett The off,
Ger ofhis g1ardl Itdoes not 50 appear, for Woods
gave up his gun and surrendered as soon as this Of
hcer told hun. To General Jacksonl presume
not, unless because he did not iall down dead
when his General commanded 10 balls 70 be blown
through the I'D rascal Then l slpPose 10
must have bent TO Adjuiani Camp. Truly, If ev-
err man among a rae MALTA Just mustered INTO
service was 10 be shot because tbey did not know
when, how. where or whom 10 obey, among their
equally rae officers, there might soon b BOT few
left. Shot 10 death for 'disTespcct 10 a man VINO
al that time had no legal night % command ban,
Farewell liberty, If such IS tic slender tenure upon
which We hold our lives. The thlFd charge IS "nu-