Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-05-28
NO. p.

Command him, and 10 whom he Immediately cave
uD ms gun and surrendered | viii venture % as
,ert, that this officer, wheh he FIRST mustered
his guard for duty cautOncdeach and every one
IF them not 10 give zap their guas 20 any person u-
der any preteuce whatever ad vet ,his boy must
he shot 10 death for keeping hs and going 10 bis
officer when IT was dem ndedby another. There
is hardiy doubt but young Woods expected 90 Do
applauded by Lieut.. Barrett fol his conduct-and
probably would, if he had not Witnessed the fury
ofhis General. But It may be said, Woods vas
at his tent, and not at his proper place have
proved bv Mr. Hanna that he Ind obtained leave
ofqbsence from his officer andby Messrs Couch
Ferguson and Stewart, tina Wi0ls told Camp he
was ON guard. and had obtained cave of absence
] ,ekno1vledge, II Woods hld told he and was
NOT ON guard he ought 10 have been punished for
his conduct; bun as 1t was De might have receiv-
ed praise instead Of dsath without miuring tho
service.
1t is also stated in the defence that "the mis-
statements OF Doctor Armstrong; illnesses ore
TOO numerous to be noticed. gnd their testimony
altogether too vague and uushstantal 10 bee re-
garded." Very sagaclous and pQldent course me
deed, and for the SIMPLE reason because they c,n-
not be refutcd: like John q. Anderson of Nash,
vile" YOU consider it highly unnecessary 20 advert
10 facts" heated patlZm may consider tins
will not.
You charge poor Woods, in the General order
for his execution, with the crimes Of "mntiny and
desertion" at previous time. The order says,
YOU. John Woods "n violation of your engage
ment. of al the principles of honor, and Of tho
order of your commanding General, rose mmuuny
and deserted You Were arrested aud brought
back" and with your comrades the General
Thought proper 10 grant You all a PARDON a
man IN the command of an Army, may use what,
language he pleases 10 a poor, fallen, pfosl lie
icretcb, and that Jcrctct cannot resist 70. what
then must have been the feelings Of Tins uuiortu-
nate Young man. when kneelmg by the side of ms
coffin about 10 be launched into an awful eternity,
TO hear himself charged by his humane General
with crimes he never did commit and 90 hear IL
stated that these allegcd crimes constituted tho
burden of the order, why mercy could not be ex-
tended TO him. None of the illnesses with
whom have conyersed were nigh enough TO have
heard the general order read, and now express
great astonishment at lis contents, published M
the defence.
In proof Of my position and statements sub
NIT TO a candid public the following testimony.
The Honorable Mr. lsaacs IS acquaIntcd with Mr..
Brock. and the gentlemen who have given ms
character--to him | refer for their s.andmg and
the Hon. Mr. Polk is m some degree acquainted
with Messrs Couch Ferguson and Hanna, and
those gentlemen who have signed their character
TO him also refer Mr. Brock did not state with
certainty, that Colonel Williams was Judge Advo-
cate-and still less SO, as 10 the members ot Tho
Court. He says, II think Lieutenants Parrish and
Davis aud Ensign Holt were the Coun lille
name OF Hall was a ml, print
ShoUyo,uc, 2oh dpra ls23.
Being called upon 10 state what know of John
l.l. e.. ~. H. .H..H.
commanded by Bnsadier General Roberts was
ordered into the service, and the time for which
they we're received--do certify that ] commanded
the company of Volunteer Light lni,mtry 10 which
John Woods was attached, and had received or
ders from Giles Burnett, Colonel Of the 2Sth Re-
giment That the Volunteer Light Infantry rem
dczvoused at Fayetteville, Lincoln County, on The
! 18th inst. December, 1879 "ln order 90 be mus
tered into service against the Creek Indians that
I accordingly notified the men attached TO my
command of this order. and the Company did on
the l7th Of December 1913, rendezvous 40 Fay
ettye. 81 strong AT this time runOr was among
the soldiers that some difficulty or misunderstand
ing had occurred with those then n service is TO
the time for which they could be legally Detained
To proven; like occurrence with the soldiers of
my Company | called upon General Roberts 20
ascertain of him the time Of service 10 be required
| OF them aud after some conversation upon the sub
lect 10 forestall every difficulty, had dmwnu
no the handwriting Of the present Colonel William
Burnett Of this county roll OF list Of the n1mes
OF every man then present supcrscrlbod with the
following conditions upon which my Company
entered the service, 10 wit:--'We ihc undersigned
Volunteers Of the Light iniantry of the 18th Re
giment, do agree 10 serve q tour of duty oI Three
months against the Creek Indians, 10 n0' -Ooher
DISCHARGED and upon which john Woods
a. d Cd f
or roll and between Two column n nhch tho
names Of the men stood, General Roberts wrote
\ with his own hand ls follows: -" Received
Captain Harris Company agrelbly 10 the above
conditions-ISAAC ROBERTS. b G."
General Roberts assured the troops that they
should be received by General Jackson for fhc
term Of service for which they considered them
selves volunteering 10 wit,--thrce months AID
we in a short time took mp the line Of march md
the troops manifested great cheednncss and dis
position 10 enter The service and perform every
requlsition that could be legally required Of sol
der. When we bad arrived within few miles
Of the ten Islands, General Roberts halted his
troops and went 10 General Jackson camp 10
acquant him Of the arrival Of Tie iroOos, and 0fihe
terms upon which they bad entered ibe service.
The next morning Roberts, Brigade, or ne troops
taken out bv him. received communicating fom
General Jackson through Colonel Hiiler, lint they
could not or would moi be received by him for
less term than six months General Roberts then
told his troops they were discharged and liberty
10 20 home OF Join the commanding General NJ
thew pleased, 10 which, as well as | ucoHocf Co
lionel Suler said 10 the troops that fthey ATTEMPT
ed TO 90 home they would be- stopped. The sol
diers. or most Of those attached 10 NV Company,
did 20 home, myself with the rest. and with them
/ William Rager ~ whose place John Wood- did
afterwards upon the second return Of the Com
pany 10 Fayetteville, on their way 10 the Creek
Nation substitute, as / know Of my own know
ledge, and which Is further sho.gn BY the Company
roll made out AZ that place, atibe second rendez-