New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-29
THE HISTORY OF A TRAITOR.
From IN, Phaad.tphia Pye.., 2sm.

hrLLoeS, AID oCOrr X RANKIN.
THE HISTORY OF A TRAITOR.
From TIE Ph1adstphia Pyess 26n.
Yesterday mornings telegraph gave the names Of Ave
commissioned officers who threw up their positions in
the navy of the United States when the frgate Con.
gress arrived at the Boston Navy Yard. The frst
name wac that Of Captain Robert Tansll whose histo.
~ is familiar with many residents Of Philadelphia TO
whom the tidngs Of bi, d.loyalty evidence Of
the baaest ingTatt ude toward a country which made
and maintained him. From citizen acquainted with
the sngnsr Of this obtained the follow
ing particulars Of his life and services
Robert Tausill was born 10 Prince William County,
Virginia, between Manassas junction and Mount Yer
non OF exceedingly humble parentage, he exhibited
In boyhood such remarkable ambition and restessness
that he ran away from home at the age Of sixteen aud
enlisted In the United States marine corps His intel
ligence was above the average OF common soldiers,
ard this combined with unusual quickness and IN
tretdiy made him at once the praise and the eensure
of the commissioned officers. In short tge he was
ised to the rank Of sergeant oil marines, we high
et commit sioued Office which be held Ia the
service His conduct in this new position was marked
bv the cane perseverance and determination which
rsised hin IRON the place Of private. In iact his
spirited behaSOr brought upon him tho ennity OF
many scons OF rank and on one occasion when lying
Ia Hamvion Roads IN tie ship North Carolina, lie was
ordered to he tied up and hogged. Young Tansiil,
however seized mnsket and swore. rather than To
sul init TO such al indigniy to shool down any man
who rhouh lay hand, upon him.
In 1880 his term Of enlistment expired. and he was
about 10 srtre from the service. Commander Ballard,
who understood his talents and spirit, prevailed uPon
him 10 reeplst with the promse that he would shortly
Obtain Lin commission in the marine service. ln
1891 accordingly, he received q second Goutenancy,
auo was soon ordered away to Florida, where no
acted M lieutenant commanding OF what was called
the Mosquito siuadron, ncet oi email vessels
thar ran up the inle and bayous along the coast TO
cooperaie with TIE land forces In su1Jugating the
Seninoles. ,
A Lieutenant Mclaughlin soon took precedence of
Tansil ia ibis service, and he was OF disposition eS-
tremely tyranuical aud ovorbesring 10 was his de-
light TO tyrannze the marines; and one OF that
c0rpe named Ierrepont having committed some slight
oicIise, Mclaughlin mad BIN tied up and logged 80
unnerciiulls that he afterward died LII ut. 1snsill
determined 10 mako this matter public, which he did,
through tie columns Of small paper pupli'hed IN st.
Augustine, Florida. For this, among other things,
charges were preferred TO Secretary 81 war John bel
and Tansills q ia came OIL at the Philadelphia Navy
Yard He bad denied his isnature in the paper aore-
enid and Eot this be convicted OF unoib or-like
conduct and prevaricatioD aud sentenced to bali pay,
and suspension from the marine corps or three years
lie vi once proceeded TO Virginia where he married
Miss Weens, the daughter OF an obscure Me hedlst
clergyman lie then opered railiery school a. Wtsh-
ineton and contrived TO support himself snd fsnily
until his ern Of SUSPENSION had expired He was re-
i,.,a,ed during John Iylers administration and pro-
oted to fret lioutcnantcy being immediately Or
dered TO tie Pacific, whore, IN conjunction with the
land forces under Clouels Fremont and kearDey, ho
kept in check the Caornisns ard Mexicaus, nnd az
erted 10 tecute thW Ihbo csleN VI NiihW! " w"
Federal Government.
In 1919, he was len in command Of A smsf fort At
Enaynas where, In the absence Of the main body OF
the army he was attacked by an immense force Of
Nexicans ard Indians, whom he galllLty fepulsed
with but little loss. For this conduct he asbIeveted
. captain OF marines, aud shortly nftorward given
fell eaptaincy.
Henceforward his career was peaceful. He rartci-
pat,d in the Japan expedition aud when the Paraguay
ey edition Organized he was made commander OF
the marine force. His appointment 10 this phce was
severely criticised, and the fact that be was raised
frm a common sslder urged agsinst his promotion.
Hs yalor and talents were too well known, however,
20 mar his proepots, and the appointment was not
altered Lalterly he ordered oil in the Congress
10 the Brazil cOast and when the war broke out his
fri,nds were sanyine that he at least would stand BY
the dag under which he had fought so long, and by the
Government tha. bad educated protected, and raised
trated when ON the arrival OF the Congress Al Boston,
bis name appeared among the first TO forsek eks bis Nag
and throw up bis commission. No greater lngraihade
this war has yet exhibited for most Of those who have
troyed trators and Ierluers were OF wealth and note
in the besinIug. But Tanfiil poor, obscure, and
an adyent1rer After thirty years Of maintenance,
having grown fat upon ths charity Of the Government,
Ls resigned bis Tag when meDacef and iDiperiled,
and bssely epdeavoIs to proer bic services TO sworn
enemies and traitors. Such base detection, we are
glad 10 see, hss been promptly punished and Iasill
bss been arrested and confined in Fort Hamilton In
NewlOTk.
His brother Grindison 3. Tansill was q second SER
geant in the United States Second Dragons In the
Florida war; and sfteTwaid sergeant in the Marine
Corps under Mai. Twiggs, who fell at Chepultepec.
Whether or not this latter Tansil has deserted his
coors we DO not know. At all events 1t ID OF little
consequence.