Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-01
The Killing Of Gen. Nelson.

The oblivion which charity grants to the
evil deeds of the dead, must give away to
the demands of justice to the living. That
the reputation and life Of valuable Off
Ger are at stake for the killing of General
Nelson, must override the conventional
sentiment which enjoins silence in every
thing but good of the dead. The report of
the circumstances shows that the killing
was done under the proVoeation Of the most
insulting language and Of blows. This
was aggravated by previous foul insults
entirely unprovoked.
This corresponds with General Nelson's
general character and manner, and with
his treatment of all whom he thought he
might abuse, insult, bully, and beat with
impunity The fOulest abuse was not an
exceptional license with him, bnt was his
general practice. His language to inferior
officers, soldiers, inoffensive laborers or
inhabitants-to any who happened to be
the subjects of his humor, was a compound
Of everything foul, obscene and profan0
from billingsgate and the forecastle, roar
ed out with beastliness of manner that
gave him the name among the soldiers of
"0ld Bully Nelson
His brutality to his soldiers was mon
back, making resistance or retaliation pun
ishable with death, and with an army to
back him in his abuse of authority, men
who came within the range of his caprice
were compelled to have their manhood
crushed TO the endurance of the foulest in
suit and brutality. In addition to this
habitusl brutality, he is charged with the
killing Of several persons. When he came
here after his fight from Richmond, he
boosted thathe had cut down one or two of
his men in the fight The Indiana men
charge that he killed two wounded and
exhausted Indiana soldiers in that affair.
Thousands Of Indiana soldiers have threat
ened to take the opportunity Of the first
battle to shoot him and several officers
have notified him of their determination to
call him to account for insults similar to
those he put upon Gen. Davis, whenever
they could do so without subjecting them
selves to military penalties.
The affair is to be lamented; but the
lamentable part is, that such man should
have been in the service, and that thous-
ands of patriotic volunteers, his superiors
in every respect, should have been subject
to his absolute authority, and that Yalua-
BILE officer should be in danger for his JUS
tifable taking off. We know not by what /
unaccountable influence such a man came
to high rank but it destroys all honor of
promotion when such man can be hoisted
at ono step from a Lieutenant in the Navy
to Brigadier, and from that swiftly to a
Major General. The affair is a relief to
the service. The universal sentiment on
the streets of this city, on the reception Of
the intelligence Of the killing, justified it.
So viii public sentiment throughout the |
country, wherever his character is known.
AS some Offset to his bullying manners,
and habitual brutality, he had a driving |
energy which has been of some good SER |
vice On the march of BuelTs army to
Pittsburg Landing, while McCook's divis-
ion, which had the advance, was waiting
at Greek for bridge to be built, Nelson's |
division came up, and he ordered his men
to strip off their pantaloons, elevate their
boxes, and ford the stream. By
this, his division reached the battlefield |
first and the time which it expedited the
march, was important in the fate Of that
Cincinnati Gazette.