Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-22


Politics w. cavalry.
Bfpor Of aa lSate Satiad
The article in the journal Of yesterday, under
the above saption, bearing as it does, internal
evidence of official origin, may require brief
notice. It's errors may be corrected-its false
hoods re5ukcl-arsument has none that should
be dignifed by IN answer.
...The imput,ton' says this semi-oilicial docu-
ment, ..of partisan motives to the Governor, for
first encouraging tie formation Of Cavalry
corps. aud subsequently refusing to receive it, is
unjust" The public can EASILY see" continues
the article. "that if a Cavalry Regiment would
be less servceable to the public defense, than the
expense it.would incur, devoted to other arms Of
the service, the Governors duty, though he had
positively promised to accept it, would require
him to reject it.
This needs no comment. If this we're allowed
to be sufficient excuse for calling into existence
aregiment of men, keeping them in suspense for
two weeks at heavy individual expense and a
great loss Of time, the remaining portion Of the
Journals article is entirely redundant. But the
Article continues the defense, alleging that
although tile service may demand regiment of
Cavalry, the rejection of the regiment offered by
mvsefaud others, would not establish even the
appearance of bad faith in the Governor. This
regiment, saw the Journal, was accepted sub
iect TO any law or legislative regulation that may
be passed - and the law which was passed. It
continues required the Governor, If he intended
to have Cavalry regiment at all, 10 organize 1t
of the first ten companies reported to the adJu-
t;mt." After quoting a section of the act, omit
ting that part which provides that the SIX Tegl-
ments shall be divided into cavalry, artillery,
and infantry, by the Governor" it adds
'.Bv reference 10 the books of the Adjutant we
find the following list of entries, prior to Colonel
Walkers:
Capt Stewart Tcrre Haute, April %.
Capt Drackel, Indianapolis, April "a
49, capi-IIeasies,,- sandelpl. aps'Hty, April a.
Capt. Curland Fayette county, April 20.
Capt. Gillespie Floyd county, April 20.
Capt Keith Columbus April so.
Capt. Heffren, Salem, April 20.
eight companies of Walkers regiment were
reported ON or before the sch Of kpril, he says,
and on the same day, but prior to his reports,
Capt. Keith and Capt Heiiren reported their COM
pgn:es, and, Of course had precedence Of him.
There were, therefore, eight companies, whole
regiment lacking two companies already enrolled
for cavalry service ahead Of Col. Walker, and the
Governor compelled by the law we have quo
ted 70 take them, If he took any.
The misStatements contained in these para
graphs are atTociOus Either the adjutlnts books
have Prote..n facility of changing to suit parti
san ends, or, what is equally probable, the Jour
nal has purpOseiy m'srepreSented the record. III
one time, Stewsrt's company stool record rs
having been reported on tie 2'd instead of the
22d. BrIcken's company was reported as part
OF the re gimeut offered by myself and others. on
the 9th, and tie inustcT-rol fled OH the 3lth.
after those OF = majority of the ten companies
hal been fled. G;llespie's company was reported
as infantry, accepted such, and has been foT
some time in the service rs infantry. Heilren's
company was reported by me on the 26th, under
his directions, as commanded by Lieut. Young
and on the lst of Ma, the muster roll of the
company was filed by him us a part Of our regi-
ment, after eight other rolls had been filed by
me-ae having been, IN the meantime, elected
captain. Up to this time. Keith's muster roll
had not been iilel. The muster-roll Of Owens
comptny WIS ndOrsed 10y one of his lieutenants
as being rendered as part of our regiment. BY
the Journals showing. then, there would remain
fur companies instead Of eight as taking prece
deucc OF ours. Ii IS not certain that keith's
Company roll was on file prior to that Of Gun
t9H and last, and il is certain that two OF tie
aiming four companies were rendered only fol
three months service, under the FIRST prOciama
ton of the President. and consequently could
not take precedence Of companies offered for the
leave two companies, according to the Journal.
interpretation, taking precedence Of those com
prising the regiment. This might have displace,
two companies on our list.
Ii IS difficult, however to ascertain what rule.
prevail at the Office OF the Adiutant General
what construction is placed upon the law, or t.
comprehend the manner in which business i.
there transacted. / have known the same com
pany Infantry at different times to occupy three
different places on the AdiHtant's books, ans
finally to be pushed near the bottom of the list
and as a consequence rejected altogether. Like
Il kaleidoscope, at every turn it presents a differ
ent phase, bewildering citizens as well as soldiers
and defying the scrutiny of legislative committees
At one time companies are to be accepted Sin tht
order" as the act declares, sin which shey wer'
organized and reported to the Adiutant General: >
at anetler they are to be received in the order il
which their muster rolls are filed. Under thu
former of these rules nine of the companies re
ported by myself and Others would have been &C
cepted, ii regiment of cavalry had been calel
into service and under the latter eight could 10
have been rejected.
The Journal simi officially declares that afte
rendering the services of ten companies to tn
Governor, and having that tender accepted b,
His Exceency, | took the responsibility o
erasing the names of five of the companies an,
inserting five Others in their stead Again III
! Journal grossly msstates the facts. The com
pany reported by me on the Goth of April, as com
manded by Lieut.. \ Dung. was the same cOmpan
whose muster-r roll subsequently filed by Mr.
! Helren when he had been elected its Captain
| The company reported from jackson count,
elected Q. L. Durham Captain instead of J. j
| Cummins. The company reported from Law
renee county elected George Sheeks to the cap
taincy, j. J Newland yielding in his favor A
it was, the companies that had been accepted b.
the Governor-the Captains not being subject to hi
appointment-this change did not. in any materii
way, affect the character of the tender ofthe &C
ceptancc.
The Porter company, Capt. DeAlotte was ten
dered to us by DIR. Cameron, the Represcntativ
from that county in the Legislature, who insiste
on its having place in the regiment. The tim
| hlYing arrived when we were expected to hav
our mu<ter-rolls on file. and not receiving that o
Captain Denotes company, we substituted for
the company of Capt. ScheFmerhorn. For lik
| reason Capt. Owen company was substituted 70
that Of Capt. Jones, and Capt. Donelsons for tn
Howard county company. 1t may here be adde
| that these chlnScs were made In the presence AM
with the consent of Mr.. Noble, Acting Adjutan
at the time, and that the report, thus changed, a
] accepted by the Governor, remained on file in IL
Adutants Office from tie J0th day of April unit
the l1th day of May, during all OF which time ~
i objection whatever 70 the corrections mace va
even suggested. The rirtuous astonishmeat
! therefore, ahected by the journal - ali. after
| thought and entirely void of cahtOr OF honesty
The misrepresentation of the Journal are onl
noticed here in part, the balance seeming un
j worldly Of comment do not regret my opin
ions on many questions differ from those of tn
1 eator Of that paper. nor shall ] consume tim
/ here to defend my own position. II am wlin
TO defend the Government under which wa
! born, and which i bound to protect me IN all III
1 rights Of an American citzen-inciuding the mos
saclcl OF all, the freedom of speeci-then WI
Prove myselfa more oyal citizen irin munyReput
leans lave been in the past, particular Y those VIII
F! hive preached the doctrine that 4 higher law tina
Z the Constitution should bind the conscience and th
/ mcuication of whose theories have, unhapTiiy a
predicted by Democrats, plunged ow people int
4 the horrors of civil war While / support Oh
Il Government, however. ii necessary with my lie
] am not obliged 70 defend an Administratio
whose policy | dcseSt. and whose works. In m
opinion, can be attended only with evil. If Dem
; ocratS must sink their principles. their symplthic