The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-04-05
COWardly Brutality of a Traitor.

, The Green Bay Free Press gives the fol-
lowing notice To the infamous traitor. the late
Gen David f. Twiggs:
"TO many Of our older citizens. Gen Twipes
is well known. Thirty odd wears ago he was
stationed here, IN command Of Fort Howard.
Invested with supreme trust ir this then new
country, with little or no government other
than martial law, examples of his vindictive
and barbarous conduct live in the memory of
some of the old residents with bitter distinct
ness. There are no brilliant deeds of hero
ism in his history, as in most American Off
GERS of his pge, to dazzle ar avert the eyes
bent upon his early intamv aud wanton bar
barism. 4 long life of service in the ARMY,
mostly in frontier stations. has afforded
means of qualification TO his tyrar.t nature ::
but in his profession bis cowarGice shielded
him from danger more successfully than his
vanity stimulated him to his distinction. In
his intercourse with civilians, he was super
cilloias and overbearing. In MS conduct TO
his soldiers, he was the merciless tyrant and
taskmaster. He was constantly embroiled in
teudS without cause or complaint; his CON-
mand was never without its victims of his
cruelty and oppression.
In 1928 soldier named Prestige, smart
ing under the infiiction of punishment more
severe than usual. determined TO take his
life Making his preparations with extraor-
dinary care. Prestige watched his opportu-
nifty when Twiggs was asleep one afternoon,
and. stealthily creeping 10 his bedside, placed
the muzzle of heavily 'aded musket 10 his
ear. and commended his soul TO the keeping
of the internal regions. BY some strange ac-
cident the musket missed FIRE: but the snap
ping of the gun awokr the sleeper, and seiz-
ing the musket by the muzzle, he Drained
the soldier at blow, leaving him for dead
So far it was all right; doubtless the out-a-
ged but treacherous soldier deserved to die.
But he Gid not die. His skull was smashed
in by the gunlock: but he lived-lived to
suffer complication of horrors sickenins 70
think Of The skull Of the wounded Nan was
trepanned by DIR Foot-an excellent surgeon
and man and while the patient was under
his Immediate care his condition was comfort
able. But scarcely had he commenced TO
convalesce. when Twiggs began series-a
svs:em-ot cruel;ies and enormities unparal-
led in the annals OF vndictive persecution
Before his lea>on was entirely regulated.
the suffering soldier was severely cowhided
once every day, either by the hand of the tv-
rant himself, or by his orders ard in his pres
ence He was confined in the dungeon, fed
like a beast upon uncooked food, denied any
comfort or convenience suitable to man. and
worried and exasperated with taunts and cur
ses. as sauce to his coarser punishments.
In the fail or autumn of the wear the troops
n Fort Howard were ordered 10 the Portac.
20 SaI' ',ch Ior d
l BILE with fannie and brutal chastsement, Grip
4. pied with chains and laden with burden, vas
! forced to march under guard through l5O
: miles of wilderness. Once. when pityinc
:; ,e.low-sodier relised his fainting victim of a
, part of his bur0en for while. he was Kicked
: and cursed for scoundrel for his impertineni
$ humanity. Arrived at the Portage, he was
: not permitted the coarse comforts of his fel-
: lows, but chained 10 tree like beast. In
:, this condition he was kept through a severe
s winter. without shelter or protection
S other than one blanket and a shed of SLABS
which some other soldiers were suffered to
s build around him. 1t is said that the william
: Iwigg>, the coward Twisg., never passed the
Il lair without bes owing upon his suffering vic
tim. nause )us with filth. and alive with yer
i min. blow or kick and curse. In the
L spring OF 1929, when the soldiers enlistment
J. expired. and the tyrant could no longer re
e tain him for his private persecution and re
= venge. his head was shaved AMI he was drum
u med ont of the service Bu. the malice OF
s the coward did not end there When h.
It could nc longer reach him by bis own az /
r trary schemes of torture. he sent him under
y guard to this city and surrendered him tc
: the civil authorities TO be tried for his at
! tempt on the dastard's lie. He was tried
} and sentenced by Judge Doty to FIVE year:
e imprisonment in the county jail; but only Z
short time elapsed when proper representa-
: ton Of the facts was made to president Jack
= son, and he was pardoned and set at liberty
c