Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-02
VIC do not know that any one can be cen.

VIC do not know that any one can be CEN
sured for IT, 49,
ne beg leave 10 dissent te the remark that
cur comments were .unkind-n Considering
the cause, they were simply .5na,-nothing
more. The cause vas as palpable at The dis
lance of a thousand miles as it could lave
been at the same number of inches are
happy to know that the fact stated was err
roneous, and explained, that our comments
were groundless. Furthermore. we trust that
DO one will make them the occasion OF doing
injustice to Capt. DouGLAs, who is really one
theufost worthy and kind hearted Captains
10 the service; and who we never suspected
Of being capable Of keeping any one on guard
duty seventy hours. We~thought the thing
might have, been done by some inferior off,
Ger, presenting on his sbrief authority 5es
> izasas - sssCAMP SEwELL MOUNTAIN,
- ? 49, Fayette Co., Va. q
70 tie Editors of the Republican Bannsr,g -sss1
My attention bas just been called TO an ex-
tract frem your paper, and comments by the
Nashville sPATRIoT. in relation to the death of
Robert Taylor, member of my company,
which learn from letters received in our re-
giment, rs doiag me great Injustice at home;
and il is due myself that the public should
know the faets in the case. -.-...rF Is
: Robert Taylor was a. soldier in every sense
of the word. true and faiih ful in the discharge
of every duty; and as Orderly Sergeant of
my company, perfnrmed all of his arduous
duties SO as to win The admiration and esteem
of all who knew him. sslSslI @ 1913 - Z.
The statement that he stood guard for sew
enty hours is not only untrue, but simply ri
7 &c. e. ~, 4so- ~
your busy informant, that Sergeant Taylor
ntuer scas ON guard duty at all. Isnppose that
your Informant had allusion to an excursion,
covering four days, taken by our whole regi-
ment to Mingo Flats, where every member OF
the regiment was exposed equally with Ser
geant Taylor, and some much more than he.
Our regiment, by permission of Gen. Loring,
was sent in advance some eight miles, and
stationed within half mile of the enemy,
VI here we remained near four days. u
Permission was asked by our officers to al.
tack them, which at one time was given, but
was withdrawn before the time specified in
the permission arrived. Our forces being il
ferior to the aumber TO the enemy, our Gen
erals directed that the position of our regi-
ment, which was posted in forest, should
be concealed. leaving our pickets only In
view of. them-hence no fires were allowed
US; and, as it was raining almost the entire
time, and as we were without tents, and with
less than half rations, all necessarily suffered,
poor Taylor with the balance, Col. Hatton
aud the balance of our field officers sleeping,
as did the men, without tents or fire all the
time. This exposure was severe, but as 1t
was in obedience TO the orders of our Gener-
ais. it was performed without complaint by
men and officers. ALI were eager TO attack
the enemy, and were expecting each day and
hour for authority to do so, hoping to do
something for the cause we have so much at
heart.
It is more than probable that this exposure
was the cause of Sergeant Taylor's death,
but he marched back to camp well and was
taken the next morning with CONNECTION of
the brain and died in three days. He was at
tended by DIR. Fife. who was unremitting in
his endeavors to give him relief, and if the
skill and close attentions of his physician. or
The care and solicitude of his friends could
have availed anything. it would not now be
ours to mourn his sad loss. -sl-
j have no desire to notice the unkind COM
ments of the Nashville PATRIOT. 1t is not
difficult for an editor to sit quietly in his
Office and comment upon the conduct of
soldier, thousand miles away.
You will please give this letter and ac-
companying note publication, and request
other papers in Nashville to do the same.
Yours. &c,
D. G. DOUGLAS,
Capt. Co. E, 7th Tenn. Reg't.
1t affords me pleasure to testify to the
great kindness of Capt. Douglas to his COM
pany. No officer in my regiment is more
devoted to his men or less capable of cruelty
to them. The story, which appeared in the
Banner about one of them, Sergeant Taylor,
losing his life by being on guard for 20
hours, Is acithon the stadow of truth. sslis.
7f- se ROBT. HATTON,
p. = saf Col. 7th Reg't Tenn, Vol.
SEwELL MOUNTAIN, Va, Oct. Is, '61.