Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-19
Brigadier General Turchin.

The despicable conspiracy against the brave
| Col. Turchin has failed. 1t succeeded in
bringing him before a court martial, which
Gen. Buell. quite too willingly allowed, to the
neglect of much more important and press
ing duties. False and malignant charges
were contrived, and after long trial these
charges were dismissed. He was honorably
acquitted to the infinite joy of his regiment.
While on trial he was promoted to a brigadier-
ship, good deal to the confusion of the con-
spirators. The nature of the charges against
him can be inferred from the following pas
sage in his address to the court =
Il was charged with taking and keeping at
my quarters mulatto boy named Joe, be-
longing to Mr.. Nasser, resident of Athens.
proved by the witness that, having used him
in scouting expeditions, and for obtaining val
liable information about the enemy, | gave
him, in accordance with the orders of Gen
Mitchell, protection inside of our lines. Gen.
Mitchcfs policy with regard to negroes (sanc-
toned, probably by higher authority,) con-
sisted in using them for military purposes,
and giving them protection for valuable SER
vices. l consider this eminently proper. If
we had war with England, and sent an expe-
our forces in ireland, because we know that
the people Of Ireland hate their Oppressors the
English, and would readily join us. For a
similar reason Garibaldi before he moved on
Naples, invaded Sicily. We invade the south
ern states, where, with few exceptions, the
white population is against us, and from them
we can get no information concerning the en-
envy. In our hearts we know that our only
friends here are the negroes but imbued
with prejudices we are ashamed manfully to
acknowledge it. As a matter of necessity we
use negroes for our purposes, they cOmmu-
nicating with us readily about their masters
andabOut the movements of the enemy and,
after thus putting them in u position hostile to
the mass Of the population of the south, we
baSely and meanly surrender them to their
enemies.
Our policy vacillatcs. One general gives
| them temporary protection, promising them
| freedom; another, supurseding the first.
| drives them out OF the lines, leaving them to
| the mercy OF their owners, who, looking upon
them as their mortal enemies, hang them tie
first convenient opportunity When | re-
treated from Tuscumbia, heard, and have
conclusive reason to believe it true that there
were four or five negroes hung on the follow
| ing day, because they had given us some very
valuable information. Humanity, for permit
| ting this great wrong, cries out against us.
Il have everywhere, in Missouri, in Ken
lucky, in Tennessee and in Alabama, been
hated by secessionists, and consider it my
best recommendation as loyal officer; but l
defy any one to find single Union man who
has been in connection with me, that will
make complaint against me-"
General Turchin is a Russian by birth.
With thorough military requirements and
brilliant prospects in the Imperial Guards, in
which he was a colonel, he withdrew from his
native country to see in America the practical
working of the political theories which he had
adopted. After the Crimean war he obtained
leave of absence for a visit to some German
Spa; he was joined in Germany by Madame
Turchin, who escaped with passport obtain.
ed by friend under an assumed name, and
the two fled to England to be beyond the
reach Of the imperial government. From
England he came to the United States 81,
years ago and since his arrival here has beer
mainly engaged in engineering pursuits Ed
ucated in the school of artillery, commissioned
in the line, transferred to the Military Acade
my at St. Petersburg, where he was qualified
for membership of the Etat Major, he is un.
questionably one of the most thoroughly edu-
Gated officers in our army.