The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-04-06
Number 40.

| made you a corporal, sir from belief
that you were deserving man; and you
had before you every hope offurther promo
ton but you have committed such crime
that must, tho unwillngly, permit the sen"
tence Of the court which tried you to take
its effect. Then, turning to the SERGEANT
major, he ordered him tv cut off the corpo-
RAILS stripes from his jacket: this was done
and the prisoner then stripped, without the
slightest change in his stern but penitent
countenance
Every one Of the regiment felt for the
unfortunate corporals situation; for it was
believed that nothing but intoxication and
the persuasion Of the other prisoner who had
volunteered, could have induced him to SUBJ
jec: hmselfso the punishment he was about
to receive, by committing such breach of
military law as that Of which he was con.
victed. The colonel himself, though sppa-
rently rigorous and determined, could not,
by all his efforts, hide his regret that good
man should be thus punished : the affected
frown and the loud voice in command but
i'll concealed his real feelings; the struggle
between the head and the heErt was plainly
to be seen; and If the head had but the small
lest loophole 10 have escaped, the heart
would have gained victory. But no alter
| native WAS left; the man had been corpo-
raj, and, therefore, was the holder Of a GER
tain degree Of trus. from his supericrs; had
he been private only. the crime might
have been allowed to pass with impunity,
on account Of his former good character
but, as the cnse stood, the colonel could not
possibly pardon him, much as no wished
ts do 80. No officer was more averus TO
Gogging in any instance, than he was and
whenever he could avert that punirhment,
consistent with his judgement, which was
at all times regulated by humanity,he would
gladly do it. Flogging in his eye vas ar
odious punishment, but he found the total
abolition Of it was impossible; he therefore,
held the power over his men, but never used
it when it ceuld be avoided. His regiment
was composed of troublesome spirits, and
courts martial were frequent SO were sen-
tences to the punishment of the lash but
seldom, were those punishments carried in
to execution; for, if the colonel could find no
fair pretext, in the previous conduct of the
criminal, to remit his sentence, he would
privately request the captain Of the compa-
ny to intercede for him when about to be
tied up to the triangle; thus placing the
man under strong neral obligation to the
officer under whose immediate command he
was; and in general, this proved far more
than the punishment ever could have done.
The prisoner was now stripped, and rea-
dy TO be tied when the colonel asked him
why he did not volunteer for Africa, with
the other culprit.
No sir" replied the man; " I've been
long time in the regiment, and I'll not
give it up for three hundred lashes; not that
l care about going'to Africa. deserve my
punishment, and I'll bear it; but I'll not quit
the regiment yet colonel"
The sentiment, uttered in a subdued but
manly manner, was applauded by smile
Of satisfaction from both officers and men;
but most Of all by the old colonel, who took
great pains to show the contrary. His
eyes, although shaded by frown, beamsd
with pleasure. He bit his neither liP-he
shook his head-but all would not do; he
could not look disPleased, if he had pressed
his how down to the bridge of his nose;
for he felt fsttered that the prisoner thus
openly preferred Aogging to quitting him
and his regiment
The man now presented his hands to be
tied up to the top of the triangle, and his
legs below; the cords were passed round
them in silence, and all was ready. saw
the colonel at this moment beckon to the
surgeon, who approached and both whisper
ed moment.
Three drummers now stood beside the