The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-10-20
THE REPUBLIC
IcommuNIoArEp.I

In the Baltimore SUN Of yesterday there Is let
ter signed Chrystal, attempting to draw parallel
between the action Of a Bntish and American
court martial, in what the writer alleges was a
similarity of offences drawn to the detriment Of
the latter. in that il states that soldiers are pro-
tected in Europe and abused with lmpunlty IN
America. The absurdity 10 aimosttoo apparent 10
require a contradiction, II common justice 10 the
officer in question did not require simple state
ment of the facts as they happened, and not the
garbled, sided affair, as he narrates- nap
pened TO be present in the fort at the Tune, and
therefore do not speak from hearsay, but from &C
tual knowledge; and not being an officer, or in any
way connected with the army, my testimony 10
certainly unbiased by any "brotherly feeling. ="
soldier, in the early part OF August, deserted
from Company g, second artillery; he was appre-
hended, and on his trial boastingly stated that he
enlisted with the determination OF so doing, his
only object being to obtain the bounty and outht-
clear case Of theft Of Government money, and
clothes, unblushingly avowed. Ho was sentenced
to the extreme penalty ofthe aw-hity lasheF, well
laid on. In most European countries II would have
been death. The battalion was paraded at six
o'clock in the morning to witness the execution oil
the sentence. The bass drummer was called out,
as il is always customary to detail one from the
band for that purpose to lay on the lash lie COM
menced by striking the man so lightly as to cause
laugh from one end of the line to the other II
was Captain simpsons duty, as hdJutani, TO see
the sentence properly carried out. Military pun
ishment is intended as an example TO deter the
men from committing similar crimes, and not to
serve them the purpose oil laughlng.stocks. The
drummer was ordered to lay II on harder and an
swered that he was doing 1t with all his strength
the falsehood Of which was palpable, as he was
stout, able bodied man. He was then told to take
off his coat and see if he could not do betterthat
he must do his duty. Still with perverslty that
showed he had made up his mind not to do 50, laid
on no harder than before-a clear disobedence of
orders. After he had proceeded thus lar, and the
whole affair becoming moekery, Captain
Simpson, taking the cowhde, struck him twice
across his shoulders, saying that that the way
he wanted il done Seeing that the captain
determined il should be done properly, the drum
mer at length went TO work, and showed how
much he Sinking previously by whipping the
man more etiectualy. AS Captain Simpson
marked afterwards, and all who know the man
will feel assured, there was no one On the ground
to whom the witnessing of whipping was more
unpleasant; still il his duty to the sentence
fully carried out. He would have been recreant
had he allowed il to go on in the manner that
il was. After ii was all over, it seems the
soldiers commenced laughing at the man for
being struck, and teased him TO such degree
that to rid himself Of the ridicule he went over to
Hampton, and a lawyer there made out the charges
against Captain Simpson for him, and forwarded
them TO Washington. They were sent to General
Bankhead commander at Fort Monroe, who inn
mediaely ordered court martial on the case, not
outstanding he was convinced that Captain 5.
had acted, not from ill-will against the man, but
merely through regard for the service. Captain
s. was honorably acquitted. Yet the story is bla-
zoned forth as another instance of the tyranny of
little brief authority The soldier thus maligned
enjoys the honor OF two breves gained on the bat
tie fields of Mexico within year after leaving the
Military Academy, and possesses the good will Of
all who have ever been associated with him.
WAsuiSGToN October 49,