Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-07-17
The Case of Lieut.. Stratton and Eight
Priyates of Company L.

HEAD QUARTERS, OHIO MILITIA.
ApJrrAxT GENERALS OFFICE,
Columbus. July IL, 1861.
GENERAL ORDER No. 90.
Lieutenant H. G. Stratton, of the 18th
Regiment Ohio Volunteers (now in the
State of Virginia, defending the flag of
their country from dishonOr and their State
from invasion,) having been arrested and
sent under guard to General Head Quar-
tiers at Columbus, charged by a Court of
Inquiry with conduct in the highest degree
.ursoldierly and disorderly, in having per-
mitted and aided his men to enter and
plumber the house of q peaceable citizen of
Virginia, is ordered to repair to his resi-
denee, and conhne himself within his coun-
ty under arrest, without pay. until his reg
iment is mustered ont of the service.
Sergeant James W. McCleery and Pri-
Yates Elisha Humason, Edward S. Palfree-
men. Job D. Bell, John A. Brock, Horace
Baily, and Elmore H. Andrews, having
been likewise sent to Head Quarters at
Columbus under guard. charged by the
same Court with participating in the dis
graceful act already mentioned, are expell-
ed from the service of the State, as men to
whose courage and conduct the honor Of
the State is not to be entrusted.
The Commander Chief fully approves
the action OF Maj. Gen. Mcclellan in ref
renee to those persons.
In publishing this order, the Command
cr-in-Chief cannot suppress the expression
Of his profound modification, that men of
Ohio. occupying the high position of vol
unteer soldiers, and having committed to
them the honor of the State. should have
been found SO unworthy of the trust, and
he is not willing to find an excuse for 50
fragrant a violation of duty in the vicious
example set by rebels and traitors to their
country. No violation Of law. nor the
rules Of propriety or courtesy, viii be tOl.
Grated among the soldiers Of Ohio.
This order will be read on parade to
each regiment of Ohio troops.
By order of the COMMANDMENT Chief
y. I. BCOhlNOhAM N,
Adj't Gen. o.
It will DO observed that this order OF
the Adjutant General, dismissing these
men in disgrace, states that Lieut.. STRAIT
ton has been charged by a Court Of Inqui.
~, &c. He and his companions have been
charged With plundering, &c, but in this
land Of ours. it has been the boast Of it:
citizens, that something more than charging
crime upon a man was necessary to subject
him to punishment, and to warrant the
infection of a disgrace, compared with
which-to a soldier-death would have
been a mercy.
We are well aware that much allowance
should be made for the circumstances IN
der which the officers commanding in
Western Virginia are placed, being at the
time when this affair occurred, in the i'm
mediate neighhorhood of a hostile army,
and as events have since proved. just on
the eve Of a battles but if they had not
the time to fully investigate the charges
against these men, then they should have
retaiced them in custody until they could
give them a fair trial. Even if the men
haG been proven guilty. it was an outrage
Gus act Of tyranny to discharge and at.
tempt to disgrace the whole Company.
This is by no means the first instance
in which the troops from the Western Re.
serve hare been made to understand that
it was enough to know that they hailed
from this section, to ensure to them any
amount of a~nnoyances and ~indiguities from
some quarters
Lieut. Stratton and the other disgraced
men arrived here on Saturday evening. and
were met at the depot by crowd of friends,
each one anxious to show to them that
whatever might have been the action Of
the military powers that be. that here at
their homes, confidence in their integrity
was mistaken.
We have never on any occasion heard,
in this community. so universal an express
sion of Indignation as has found utterance
in regard to the treatment these young
men ard the whole company have received
at the hands of the military authorities
Sympathy would have been felt fer any
soldiers under similar circumstances, but
Company C.. had in its ranks the flower of
the young men of this town and vicinity,
and among them all, the character Of none
was more unimpeachable than that of Lieut..
Stratton, and Messrs. Bell and Humason.
the others, not being residents Of the town,
are not personally well known to US, but
have no reason to believe their reputa-
ton is different from those mentioned.
Before the arrival Of these men. several
members of the 18th Regiment, residents
of Trumbull and MahoniDg Counties. dis
charged since this affair occurred, on ac-
count of sickness, had returned home
Those Of them with whom we ccnversed,
informed US that so indignant were the re-
mainder Of the officers and men of the 18th
Regiment, that every officer. from the Col
onel down except one Captain, beam ten
dered their designations. A correspond
ent of the Cincinnati Times, speaking of
the affair, says
The affair created great excitement in
the regiment. AS the men marched out
they were repeatedly cheered BY their CON-
rades, and subsequently all the officers of
the regiment rendered their designations.
under the firm belief that the men had
been unjustly corrected. Union men after
wards represented to the General that the
was a bitter Secessionist; that he
,-,e sooroalv 20 bo believed ,Dlo- oatb ,DJ