The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-05-18


lille his wife, Who claims Erins Green lsle the
homo Of her fathers, aids my untutored Spanish
with just enough Of the brogvs to be interesting
companion in conversation. His only daughter,
Senorita Flora, 10 iadeed the fosoes Of the moun.
tains, and her swest face. which IL . mirror Of In
nocence and purity, lighted up With hue more
lovely than the budding rose when kissed BY the
morning sun, ~ she Arst gased on the staiwart
form of your humble servant
In few days we start upon our homeward-
bound tour, and hope to safely arrive, when tne
warm greetings of old friends will repay u: Tor
our absence. e w ~
Mr. MAY NV colleague and myself hrst gained
information OF thes, letters by the puoilGauoh =.
portion of one of them In the New orleans Com
nssrcial Bul!etin We then Immediately, oy teie-
graph, summoned Colonel Seymour to come here;
but If he did not come to send the letters ma &c
this statement for the purpose OF snowrng 'nat !.
was not voluntary act OF Colonel seymour. ne
VA. either TO come or end the letters, portion OF
one of which, ~ l have said before, ne had pup
lished at the request Of his correspondent, In his
newspaper. $40
am not asbamei Of 1t at all.
Mr.. CAnLisLx then read from the newspaper the
portion of the letter which had been published. and
the comments of the editor thereon.
Mr. MAY. will now interrogate the witness
about his enlistment -..
The Couar The question whether he was en-.
listed il matter, which, If objected to, must be
ruled out.
Mr.. BaApLrT. We have summoned the Judge
advocate general of the United States to produce
the record of the court IT there be any
such thing in existence. If the counsel on the
other side will allow US to interrupt their cross
examination we will examine Major Lee now.
Mr. MAY want to examine the witness now
on the stand as far | Am allowed to do 20 with
out objection / said nothing about the RECORD OF
the court martial whatever The witness referred
10 that himself asked him whether he had been
an enlisted soldier in the army of the United
States. He replied he had then asked MIN
whether he had enlisted in Baltimore city; and
that question being objected to by the counsel for
the defence, be said he saw what was orlVing AZ
that it was TO get an account of a court. martial
held upon him in Florida. | said there was
record In the War Office that had seen, and nigh
produce. said nothing whatever about the record
of a court-martial
MIR. BaApLEY Then, / misunderstood the gen
man. / understood him to say that be had copy
of the sentence of the and that We re-
piled that we must have the whole record
Mr.. MAY. ! said that would not give you The
abstract of the records in the war Department
which have because | considered you had no
right to have it until saw fit to use IT. have the
original here to-day of the records of the War
Department to which have alluded.
The CoURr. What do you propose to der
Mr. MAY. / propose to ask the witness whether
he was at Fort Shannon, in Florida
Mr. CAaLlsLE. desire to have the Judge advo-
cate general on the stand to say whether there is
any rec ord in his office touching the trial OF Colonel
Abbot or not.
Mr.. MAY. | have not referred TO any such
thing.
Mr.. BRADLEY / object to the examination of
the witness with reference to the subject OF hs en-
istment 1t 10 wholly collateral to this matter.
The Cousr. thought it bad been agreed that
the mat should be inquired into.
Mr. MAY. The record of the court martial is at
San Antonio. the headquarters OF his regiment,
and too far off TO get it herein time
Mr.. BRADLEY. We understand that there Is no
record of any court martial on Colonel Abbot any
where on the face of the earth
Mr. MAY | understood the witness to say that
there was. We understand that there is record
of the court martial held on Colonel Abbot in ex-
istence.
Uitnsss have requested that this matter shall
be investigated. | am anxious to have 1t invesu
gated for there have been reports made whic b
false, whether they come from the prosecution
not.
Mr. MAY. We will see how true they when
we come to look at the records of the war De-
partment. propose to ask the witness II II please
the court, whether, at Fort Shannon, Florida, he
not raised to be corporal, then a sergeant,
and whether ne not reduced back to the ranks
on the 18th of April, lS4l.
U,tnfss I hope there will be no objection to this
matter coming out. When first heard of it ! de
sired the counsel for the defence to make no OBJ
lection.
The Couar. The witness must be silent.
Mr.. BRADLEY. I hope the witness will be in
duged / maintain that where a mans cbarac-
else, he hasa right to be hear in defence.
The CoURr. Traits right enough as a matter of
principle but still the rules must be observed.
Mr. BRADLEY. | desire that this matter shall be
inv estigated at the proper time and place; and as
do not think this is the proper time and place. as
at present advised, wish q few moments reiec-
ton. | will answer your honor az to whether we
object or not az soon az can be prepared to do
MIR. MAY The counsel the other side put
an infinite number of questions Of a similar char
acter to witnesses when they were on the
stand.
There a consultation took place between the
counsel for the defence.
Mr. BRADLEY. We agree that the United States
may go on with the examination.
Mr.. MAY. Ito the witness l ask you, then,
whether you we're not private In company n, oil
the I'd regiment Of dra goons and enlisted at Bati
more on the 10Th of May, 1889. for i've years; whe
Their you got to be corporal in March. 1910, and
a sergeant in -, 1870; and whether at Fort
Shannon, on the 18th of April, ls4l, you were not
reduced to the ranks from your position as ser
geanR
to state all the facts and circumstances connected
with your enlistment, and your being reduced In
rank
dns did enlist in Baltimore az a private of the
| secoud drago From there went to Fort Co.
| lumbus, in New York, and thence to Florida
! shortly after leaving there, was made corporal
| and few days after that a sergeant acted a.
| quartermaster sergeant of company II. 1 bad th
| forage of that company under my charge, and has
a special guard to take care Of it every night
! Two members Of that guard, owing to some mis-
| conduct their part, were placed by me In tn
| guard-house. They were very severely punished
| by Colonel Twggs, on the complaint l mad
| against them. On the night Of the day when on
| of them was relieved from the guard-house, b.
| was placed on guard in the forage-house. Tha
day a negro, who had formerly been guide 70
| the troops ia seeking our the Indians. came dowI
| to camp from the town, two miles above, riding
| poor haf-starved Indian pony which ha beer
| taken from the Indians. The negro was knows
| to all the nom commissioned officers OF the regi
ment. We had often listened to his stories abou
| hunting the Indians. told him that he ought 4
| be ashamed to ride such pony asked hin
| why Captain Bryant did not give MIN some forag
for It. He replied that he was too stngy. thsl
| told him to take up part of bag OF forage an
| carry IL off to feed hs pony with. He took
| away before the whole camp, and carried it Oh Of
his saddle up to the town. That night he cam
bottle of brandy, which he banded to me. 1t wa
the guard-house being on guard, and appearin
| TO be sick, | got up myself, took the bottle
brandy, and gave him drink oft He went nez
morning and complained to Sibey, who was i
command of the company, that bad sold forag
| to a negro for bottle of brandy. Your brother
| (spea king to counsel,) Charles May, (referring
Colonel May.) was president of the court MARTA
which think was very unfair one. Both &C
were mere matters OF humanity on my part an
in like Giro umsta nces | should probably DO Il
same thing again. The counsel for the prosecl
ton bad better go back six or seven years be for
L..