Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-07-31
Camp Correspondence.

BEVERLY, Va, July Goth 1861.
Editors ChrOaicle:-As some accounts
Of an occurrence at BuckhannOn in which
Lieut.. Stratton and other members Of Com
pany c, were implicated. have found their
way into the public prints, | deem it but
just, that a fair statement of facts should
be presented for the purpose of placing
Lieut.. Stratton and his command, in a true
position before the public. In doing this
must of course refrain from censuring
any one, leaving all r~etributivc measures
to be decided by a proper tribunal. The
facts of the case are simply these: Our
march TO BucShannon was a forced one.
We reached our camping ground in the
midst of a pelting storm, where, owing to
a lack of proper means of transportation,
we remained some thirty-six hours with a
very scanty supply of food. Driven by
hunger, a number of our men went to the
houses of various rebels residing in the Vi
cinity, and levied on sundry chickens, tur-
keysand sheep as contraband of war. 9th
ers went out and arrested certain rabid Sc
cessionists residing in the vicinity, brought
them to head quarters and compelled them
to take the oath of allegiance to the United
States; among these latter was Lieutenant
Stratton.
Learning from the Union men of the vi
cinity, that a certain notorious rebel lived
about five miles from town, he took a Ser
geant and six men, and in the company's
wagon drove out there. On arriving he
found the house deserted and pillaged.
Presently the owner made his appearance,
but when arrested, showed papers indica-
ting that he had taken the oath. He
charged them with robbing his house, this
they Indignantly denied, and demanded
that he should search them; he did so and
found nothing of his upon them or in their
wagon The next day he came down and
made complaint to Gen. Rosencrans, that
he had been robbed of a gold watch and
SIZE in cash. Lieut.. Stratton and CON-
mand were arrested,-a court of inquiry
was called, and after two or three days
suspense, were ordered home under guard.
The company was also disarmed, and ord
cred back to Columbus. Against this lat
ter act, the officers of the 18th unanimous
ly protested, and rendered q resignation of
their commissions. They in a body wait
ed upon Gen. Mcclellan. and procured an
order restoring the arms, and reinstating
the company. Not a man in the 18th
Reg't, believes Lieut.. Stratton to be guilty.
The only evidence aside from the traitors
oath, that anything was taken, is this: du-
ring the investigation. q watch was found
outside the guard line, which the rebel
identified as his own. Many of the loyal
citizens of Buckhannon do not hesitate to
pronounce it a conspiracy, got up to annoy
those who arrested him. Some twenty-five
of his neighbOrs stand ready to swear, that
they would not believe him under oath,
and stated the same in a petition to Gen.
Roscncrans, asking that the sentence be
suspended, till a full investigation could
be had.
These are the facts in the casa can
did public must draw its own conclusion.
In my humble opinion, all the crime that
can possibly be proven against Lieut.. STRAIT
ton-the whole head and front of his Of
Tending, is simply this, that he took a
squad Of men, and the ~cOmpauy's wagon,
and Ieft-camp without orders. Whether
the crime deserved the punishment, higher
authority must determine. j ask that
you publish this statement Of facts, that
certain Misrepresentation which have
been going the rounds Of the press, may be