Butte record., 1856-01-12


need money had made no provision
for the unexpected contingency of large
demands upon their own pockets to en-
able them to do justice to their men
But there was patriotism outside Of
the camp as well as within. The mer-
chants Of Natchez put their stores al
our dispositions; take what we needed
pay when convenient, at Nashville.
will name one among these petiot
merchants-name him because he be-
longs to class now struck at, and be-
cause | do not ignore a friend when
he is struck. Washington jackson
was the one | mean-Irish by birth
American by choice, by law, and feel
ing, and conduct. | took some hun
dred pairs Of shoes from him for my
regiment, and other articles; and | pro
claim it here, that patriotic men of for
elgn birth may see that there are
plenty of Americans to recognise their
merlt-to name them with honor in
high places, and to give them the right
hand of friendship when they are
struck at.
We all returned, were discharged,
dispersed among our homes, and the
fine chance on which we had so much
counted was all gone. And now came
a blow upon Jackson himself, the fruit
Of the moneyed responsibility which he
had assumed. His transportation
drafts were all protested; returned
upon him for payment, which was i'm
possible, and with directions to bring
suit. This was the month of May. I
was coming on to Washington on my
own account, and cordially took charge
Of Jackson's case. Suits were delayed
until the result of his application for
relief could be heard. | arrived in
this city; Congress was in session
the extra session of the spring and
summer of 1913. | applied to the
members of Congress from Tennessee;
they could do nothing. l applied to
the Secretary at War; he did nothing.
Weeks had passed away, and the time
for delay was expiring at Nashville
Ruin seemed to be lowering over the
the head of jackson, and | felt the ne
cessity Of some decisive movement. |
was young then, and had some mate
rial in me, perhaps some boldness, and
the occasion brought it out. | resolved
to take a step characterized in the let
ter which | wrote to the General as
can appeal from the justice to the
fears of the Administration" | re-
member the words; though | have
never seen the letter since. | drew
up memoir addressed to the Secreta-
ry at War, representing to him that
these volunteers were drawn from the
bosoms of almost every substantial
family in Tennessee that the whole
state stood by Jackson in bringing
them home, and that the State would
be lost to the Administration if he was
left to suffer. 1t was upon this last
argument that | relied, all those foun-
ded in justice having failed. 1t was
of a Saturday morning, 18th Of June,
that carried this memoir to the War
Office and delivered it. Monday
morning | came back early to learn
the result of my argument. The Sec
retary was not in. spoke to the
chief clerk, (then the afterwards Ad-
iutant General Parker and inquired if
the Secretary had left any answer for
me before he left the office on Satur-
day. He said no; but that he had
put the memoir in his side-pocket-
the breast-pocket-and carried it home
with him, saying he would take it for
his Sundays consideration. That en-
couraged me-gave CLEAN Of hope
and feeling Of satisfaction. Pres
emily he arrived. I stepped in before
anybody to his office. He told me
quickly and kindly that there was
much reason in what have said, but
that there was no way for him to do
it; that Congress would have to give
the relief. | answered him that |
thought there was way for him to do
it; it was to give an order to General
Wilkinson's quartermaster general In
the Southern department to pay for so
much transportation as General Jack
sons command would have been en-
titled to if it had returned under reg
ular orders. Upon the instant he took
up pen, wrote down the very words
| had spoken, directed clerk to put
it in form; and the work was DONE
The order went off Immediately, and
Jackson was relieved from imminent
impending ruin, aud Tennessee re-
NAMED firm to the Administration.
Thus this case of responsibility was
over, but the original cause of our
concern was in full force. jackson
was again on his farm, unemployed
and the fine chance gone which had
fattered US so much. But the chapter
of accidents soon presented another
) not so brilliant as New Orleans hao
/ promised, and afterwards realized, bu
) sufficient for the purpose. The mas