Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-11-14

,h,ough our lines to rejoin the rebel army at
Winchester. Other Cases testified to, out
tbess are the most important.
ss,s, exs JULIUS WHITE AND coLosELs purAs'r
AND TRnBLE
of The ,ubordinate officers referred to In this
case the O. mmission finds with the exception OF
Colonel Thomas II. Ford, nothing in their con
euct that calls for censure. General julius hiie
merits its appreciation. He appears from the eV,
;5sncs 20 have .c,sd with decided capability an1
courage N. ,,
In this connec ion the commission calls atten-
,;on TO the disgraceful behavior OF the lzolh
New York Regiment Infantry. and recommend
that Msjor Baird should, for his bad eonanet' ,as
.hovn by the evidence. be dismissed from the
,eryice Some Of the oficers alter the wounding
Of the gallant Colonel, such as Lieut. barrsss ana
others not known to the commission, oehaSeu
with gallAntry, and should be commented
COL fhoHAs FORD.
In the case Of Col. Ford, charged with improper
conduct In abandoning the Maryland heights, toe
comm nion, AFTER careful hearing oil the esiueIoe
procured by the government a nd that relied on oy
the de ence and due consideration oil the argu-
ments offered BY council, find;
That on the 5th Of september, Col Ford was
placed 10 command of Mary land heieht by COL
niles. That Col. Ford. finding the position IN
prepared by Notifications, earnestly urgei Col
Nile, TO furnish him means by which the heights
c.
his CON m nd, should = heavy one be brought
AGAINST him Tha: these reasonable demands
were from some cause unknown TO the COMM
zion not responded to by the tacer in command as
Harpers Ferry. That subsequently,, when the en-
rnv snpeared in ht avy force, Col. Ford frequent
" and earnestly called upon Col. Miles for more
tr,np. r presenting that he could not hold the
d, ishi. unless reinfo ced. That these demands
yer. f.- ly T not at all complied with. That as
a.. As h morning Of i3th, Col. Ford sent two
Srit.,u uvusa s Z" Nel III e. Tor reinforcement
d -.,tus taAt With tae uoops then under his
cluiicaud b, clLid not hold the heights and ua-
Les. e. e. ed " Other~ise Ordered, he would have
10 .raudon them Tuat as late as IL o'clock A
NJ Of the l3th. few hours previous to the
abandonment Of this position, Col. Miles said TO
C,I Ford that b. (Ccl FJTd)coud not have another
man, and must d. the best be could, and II unable
to defend the place. he must spike the guns,t row
them down the hill, and withdraw TO Harper's
Ferry 10 good order.
The court is then satisfied tia. Col. Ford
given = discretionary power to abandon the
he ghts, his better judgment might dicta tie; and
it believes from the evi fence, crcumstantial and
direct, that the result jil not TO any great extent
surprise nor n any way displesss the officer in
comm I'd Al harpefs Ferry
But this Conclusion, 50 much relied upon BY the
d,feues, forces the commission 10 4 consideration
# the fa:t-iG CD. Ford, under The discretionary
power thus v,s,ed N hIIa, make proper defence
Of toe bel, hts aud hold them, As lie should have
lone. uuui oIivsn IF by tie my
The evidence SHOWS sOlcu-tscly that the force
upon tie i-hts was rot vel managed; that the
point meet pfes-' vac weakly defended rs TO
uu CT D-r-, a. d al e. tue rCu1aiug o. the Colonel
. 10 &c DEL iu.y- y. ! To- -.iIy, it was left
sittcut . c.1lpe-,u' ficer 81 c'umand, Col. Ford
iE-seii mt ps4Ili Z. u.- drrIslating any one
WAC III. h. hove re-tu. -, oa4eI al encouraged
the inca; tnAt toe aos -daL.n,ui & the heights
VS. Premature Is eaiis proved our forces W. re
u Or ven ir,tn tns hill. Is nj time was given 10
-. ku she gL- AMI Jltov Tie leayi-r ones down
t'i- ciif aud retreat Il 20 Il Oft r 10 Aarper's
+ ~ Inc nuIt Jay ivIce rtturuing 70 the
nrights hum them ccupivd, aId brouE bit away
unmci,stt tvur aoau ued guIs aud a quantity
u mmuui'i-n-
l. 20 grs,s cise as this. With such dis graceful
Consequence tne Court Cannot permit an officer to
shield himself behind the tact that DC dbl as well
Us be could, If in doing he exhibited lack Of
military capacity. 1t Is clear 10 the Commission
That Col Ford should Lot have been placed in
cvmmArd on Maryland HeighIs; tbs; he conduct
ed tie defence without AGILITY, and has shown
throug hout ,uch lack Of military capacity as TO
disqu4lify hin. in the opinIoa Of the commission,
for a command in the service.