Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-11-12

required him to use some severity of repri-
mand, he held every mans attention, evident
ly gaining their affection and esteem, and at
the close shout, an involuntary shout of ap-
probation through the line, attested the good
effect. The discipline of that Regiment is
good, and the Conmandant is beloved and re-
spected. mention this opening speech only
as an instance where Col. Paine showed his
entire want of attention TO those little things
which serve to bind the soldier to his officer.
do not intend to crminate Col Paine. but |
do intend to show what of the blame of pro-
ducing the disagreement belongs to him In
the first place in not conciliating his men or
his officers is only small matter, on which !
do not propose to touch.
To the Captain of Company, who is We
ry polite man addressing his men on parade by
the title of gentlemen, Col. p with an oath
said" Capt. --, never use that word a.
gain" {" There are no gentlemen an my Re
giment"' Well, this might be right, and Capt
----- committed very unmiltary blunder
in calling his men gentlemen, although many
of them maintained as high standing at home
as Robert Treat Paine himself In another
instance Col. P. gave the order to farm column
of Companies on Capt, IS Company
No markers were put out, and as matter of
course Capt ----- (who, by the way, is an
old soldier, and a better drilled officer than the
Colonel,) stood on the ground he occupied
when the order was given. AS might have
been foreseen, the Regiment was soon in con-
fusion. The Colonel, rearing and swearing,
instead of correcting his own error, calls out
to Capt. g Move up that Company,
God damn You ~ Now that an officer should
occasionally lose his temper, and even use
profane language when 4 drill does not go to
suit him, is nothing very remarkable, but it is
something reo~y remarkable in our army for q
commanding officer to pass an insult on parade
TO a worthy officer--in fact it is unofficer-like
and ungentlemanly, and Capt - took
occasion TO convince Col p that it was So
Again, Lieut. was the officer of a
picket guard on the lines Of the camp. Col
p was officer Of the day About shutdown
Lieut. -- saw Col 7. gallopng down to.
wards his picket, and ordered out the guard to
receive him with etiquette. The Colonel rode
up to the post of the sentinel who challenger
"Who goes thcre?' No answer. Again the
challenge "who goes there ;" Lieut.
heard the reply" Field Officer of the dav." and
| witnessed that some other words passed be-
tween the Col and the sentinel. The Colone
then put his horse to gallop, and rode over
the lines, some 300 yards, when he wheeled
his horse and rode rapidly up TO the guart
tent where the picket was under arms, Lieut.
- at their head The first salutatior
was--'tLleut. ---d deliver lip your sword!'
Go to your quarters under arrest" Lieut.
- handed him his sword, raised his Cal
with a low bow, ana started for his quarters
not a word said, but obeving the order as
soldier should do. On his walk he was pom
dering deeply on the cause of his arrest anC
| on reaching the camp instead of going into hi:
own tent or rather his own Captains tent, he
stopped at the tent OF Capt. -, his next
neighbor, 90 feet from his tent, where hi
Captain and some other officers were Sitting
outside the tent. Lieut. ---- told the gen
lemen-I beg Col. P.'s pardon--the officers 0
that place he was under arrest, and he hat
been taxing his imagination to the utmost Il
suggest cause. The officers, to whom HI
related what had taken place, were as mucl
at loss as the Lieut.. himself Just at tina
juncture the Col. rode up, and in an angry ant
very excited tone called out-Lieut -
go to your tent; you have broken your arrest
! ordered you to your tent.'' q beg the Col
onel's pardon, but [ was ordered to my quar-
ters, and consider myself as oheying the or
der" &C did not sir; | ordered you in clos
confinement in your tent, and you have DISC
beyed the order.'' Col. Paine; will YOU b,
kind enough to explain to me why am un
der arrest Because, sir, rode past you
post and out of the lines, and was never or
dered to halt" 90 But, sir, distinctly heart
the sentinel challenge; heard your answe
and saw you pass words with the sentinel
supposed you gave the countersign." 9TH
sentinel never ordered me to halt I passe
your whole party without being ordered #
hdH'
The uninitated reader will learn with sur
prise that the offence for which one of tn
most accomplished officers Of the Regiment
and general favorite was thus rudely treat
ed, was a technical informally OF the sentinel
He should have said "HoH! who come
there p And the consequences was the clos
confinement of the officer for fire days; whe
TO charges having been preferred against him
he was ordered to return TO his duty. Hi
confinement would have been shorter. but h
demanded trial by court martial, before h
was willing to receive his sword
1t is not my wish TO criminate Col. Paine
but mention onl few OF the petty annoy
ances to which the officers and men have bee
subjected, that their cause may not be pre-
JUDGED
The newspapers say that the Regiment ha
been ordered to the rear in disgrace" | hop
the people of North Carolina will he slow t
believe it. That they may have been goade
on TO commit acts imprudent and rash, and ne
in accordance with military discipline, may
possible. But that the conduct of those ger
tIemen has been disgroccfW, is impossible
Those who know them will never believe it.
Mr. Editor, the above. statement may
doubted because anonymous, but if necessary
can give names, time, and place. My onI
object is to beg Of my country a fair and ju:
regard for a boly OF men whom love all
admire. 4 VOLUNTEER.
F. s. Since writing the above, have
letter from an Officer in the N. c. Regimen
who states that he intends leaving the Reg
, ment, and among other reasons the mo-
/ weighy are these:
The manner in which the officers OF tn
Regiment have been used, and the very cru
j, manner in which the roIuntecr soldiers hay
been treated by their Colonel, shall not a
tempt to explain. IS presume it has alread
been done in North Carolina ere this, by mo
able pens than mine | cannot bear to sta
, Tin Regiment where | cannot speak well
the Commander and treat him with the respe
, due to his station. The ,fanr pas-of appoin
ing such a man Zone totally destitute OF dl
creton, and might mention many other fault
but ] forhear for the presently will fall upc
official heads like TIE crash of mighty thu
: der, if these volunteers live to return to Nor
Carolina Yours, &c, '.