Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-06

paymasters at work, or pretending TO be Right
here would gIumble in behalf OF our men, we're
not consttutionally opposed to finding fault
L. A G..
Our Army CorresPOndence-.Fr the
Chaplain of the LIST irish t35th) Regi-
ment Indiana Volunteers.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Sept 30. 1862
Mr.. EDITOR: After long and weary march
Of nearly three hundred miles, from Southern
Tennessee, we arrived III this city la good health
and spirits, although subjected, in our marct, to
almost every Inconvenience. Our regiment came
here in one Of the advance General Crttenden's)
divisions of General Buel's army We are at
tached the 23d brigade, commanded by Col
Stanley Matthews. acting Brlgadier General.
do not intend TO write YOU concerning our dusty
march. with less than hall rations of food, and
stagnant pond water, &c; nor do intend to con-
tradict the false statements of some "secesh :"
that General Bueil's army retreated before the
rebel army into Kentucky; for those who retreat
generally in the advance but in the
rear of the enemy. OF all these items YOU are
no doubt we'll aware from various sources. But
there other misapprehensions and misstate
ments which / wish To correct, in justice to the
parties concerned. | say "n justice" for justice
requires that the guilty should be punished and
that the innocent should be known and freed from
undeserved censure. But when the following &C.
cusations are cOntradicted by one who has per
s0naI knowledge of their falsity the would be
slanderers must feel punished, and the foul gar
ment of misrepresentation must fall from the
shoulders of the slandered, to be trodden under
foot by the just and generous public.
The slandered is J. g. Walker. late Colonel of
the lst Irish, Both regiment Indiana Volunteers;
the SiGnderers are unknown to me, and hope
will remain so.
IL haa oil laHf
ana by some person or persons that Colonel
Walker was so anti Irish and anti Catholic as
TO endeav0r,
LIST. To get rid of all the Irish officers of the
regiment, by causing them to bo cited before u
military board of examiners and other under
hand means;
ID, That he went so far in his hatred TO Cath
Olicity as TO prerent me from attending to the
spiritual wants of the men, according to the rites
OF the Catholic Church
Now, concerning the lst, from what | know
personally and OH undoubted authority, | can
safely say that Col Walker caused to be cited only
flco Lieutenants, and this at the request of their
Captains. And what il he did cause all to be ex-
amined, if they, IN his estimation, lacked the
military knowledge necessary for their rank
Was this not his duty as commander of the reg-
ment.
But as to the ID. simply say, that if one prop
siton can be more false than another, there can
be none more false than this accusation, since the
very contrary IL the truth, far the difference
between the words prerent and permit can make
it. And instead OF showing disposition to pre-
rent he manifested at all times, bv his words and
actions. "A desire TO dduGHce the spiritual good of
the regiment. He even left the appointment of
the time for divine service Sundays To my
choice and took care, so far as the duties of his
office would permit. that no unnecessary duty
would prevent the men from compl ying with their
religious duties; for he saw and acknowledged
that the best Christians the best and most
obedient soldiers. The members, both officers
and privates, of the regiment understood all this
better than can make it known to you by words,
and hence the depth OF their love for him lt Is
this together with the perfect manner in which he
discharged his various duties officer and Il
gentleman. that caused the commissioned officers
of the regiment. on the 18th of July last, at Fay
etteville, Tennessee, to present their Colonel with
a splendid sword and uniform costing nearly ftrO
hundred collars, which sum they put together
out of their own pockets in about two hours.
| will say nothing of the affecting scene that
witnessed at the presentation of these shining
ticles. when all the commissioned officers OF til e
regiment. fearing to lose the magic of the birth
day OF the nation they in arms To defend
formed like half moon. before the bed of their
convalescent Colonel. who WAS then recovering
from "A severe attack of fever but had sufficient
strength to receive them in half sitting posture
Imagine this picture. and before the presentation
speech commences, with the pencil of your mag
nation add to it the whole regiment with new
uniforms on. drawn up in line on the street, in
front OF the house. Place this scenery now on
the stage OF your memory, and in "secesh"
house and State. with Union officers As the &C
tors and YOU will not wonder that at the end of
the presentation speech, and before the COl0ne's
thanks were expressed. all. except the Colonel,
whose grateful feelings checked his utterance.
elt the room in silence. with tears sparkling in
their ewes. All this conveys but faint picture
of what | Witnessed. And II, at any future time.
YOU were TO read this feeble description to any
officer of the 35th then present. he would say
that il brought 10 his mind one of the most pleas
ing scenes OF his life ! for one. shall never for
get il. a full account of what took place
that occasion. ana the presentation speech in iull.
we're intended 10 be sent 20 YOU. Mr.. Editor. for
publication, but almost continued marches and
an interrupted mail communication prevented.
Col Walker visited our regiment few DAYS
ago when the men had an opportunity TO testify
their respect for him, which they did by uniting
their voices as one. in giving him from each wing
Of the regiment three hearty cheers But enough.
Where has there been more universally popular
ColonelT And yet some people are so foolish a.
10 enuaneer tner own reputation ol irving 10
tarnish his. To these the carved inscription on
the hilt and scabbard OF MS sword shall give a
scathing rebuke-
send Won these hasty lines. Mr. Editor, through
a sense of Justice TO the injured and by giving
them 10 the public your valuable paper shall be.
a. il has been. the Instrument OF much good, and
YOU will confer great favor on the officers and
men of the 35th. whose names they would vii
lingly sign to this vinication of their Little
Colonel" we're il convenient and necessary, and
we shall all rejoice hearing that he has re
ceived an appointment in which he can again de
vote his talents 70 his eountry's good We fur
Their ardently hope that unguarded and per
haps unintentional expression Of what might be
construed disrespect TO higher powers, NAV be
forgiven and forgotten, especially when given as
mere opinion
Our regiment, together with almost all the
troops here. j. under marching orders toward
what point know uot-after Bragg and Smith is
the suggestion The cry here II, On TO Bragg
a Co !" and 10 that tune the troops move