, 1862-07-30

verely condemned, and courts mnrtiai were
frequently held to try to punish offenders. !
But the conduct and policy Of Col. Turchin
and the doirgs Of the regiments under his
command have given great oda1ae to the ad-
vocates Of conci1iation and sgmPathizers with
defenders Of Southern rights, and terrible
storm Of wrath has burst upon us, and espe-
cially upon the 18th regiment
Astounding fa1sehoods and monatrous eng
geratton Of facts, have been abundantly re-
ported against us BY persons assuming the
character of very honest and quiet friends OF
their, ,aggTieved neighbors, who In the absence
o. their fathers, husbands. Sons and brothers
in the confederate army, have sometimes bsen
bacon, and suffered terribly in their aprrehe4-
sions OF what might happen by the soldiers Of
the 18th.
Newspaper reporters, busy In the interest Of
secession, have been loud In their proc1ama,
ton OF these ISLANDERS, and in their expressions
the disgrace brought by them upon the army
Of the United States By the help Of few
facts and an enormous amount Of mfsrepre-
eentations and falsehoods, quite an imposing
dieplay is thus made against us, and the
hue and cry attending It has been SO far
an order from the general in command
Of the department relieving Col Turchin
from his command of the 9Th brigade and re-
turning him to the command Of the 18th regi-
nEhk. accompanied py Al orQef uom Inc con-
mander Of the division, issued to the 18Th and
9th regiments of Illinois volunteers, and to
the 18th regiment Of Ohio volunteers, sending
them back from their position before the
enemy to guard bridges and water tanks on
railroads IN the rear.
This order was coupled with such arrange
merits TO exclude us from the occupation of
towns, as evidently to endorse Is merited. the
bad reputation which rebel sympathizers were
endeayor1Dg to tasten upon us, and which
friends Of the policy Of Cancellation seemed so
greedily to accept concerning us; and WAS es-
reemed 60 gross an insult that Col. Turchin at
once announced his Intention to resign hfs
commission, and Lieut.. Col. Jos. r. Scott im~
mediately telegraphed bis resignation to the
| department., and general tender Of resfRn8-
tions by the commissioned officers Was either
made or announced as their intention.
Col. hrchin Is nov being tried by court
martial at Athens. If the testimony Of rebels
who refuse to take the oath Of allegiance to the
United States, and the acandalous articles OF
| newspaper correspondents in the interest OF
rebellion are to be received against him, ths
result Of the present trial may be doubtful.
But fair and honorable Investigation Of hia
I whole course Of procedure, will We are con-
f1dent result In triumphant Tlndicatton oi
| bis military character. We do not claim 70,
the 18th regiment immaculate purity We
confees that there are bad men in our regi.
| uent, and that in numerous instances in the
couree OF the campaign wrong and mean
| things have been done, But we believe we are
not worse than other regiments, against whom
| no complaints have been made, aud we col
emnly protest that as regiment We are moi
guilty Of q 1.-THE Of the enofmities reported b.
| our enemies against ug.
| We ask our friends at homo to SUSPEND
| their Judgment of condemnation against us
until the facts OF the case are more FULLY
| known. A. h. COSANT,
Chaplain 10Th Reet. III. Volunteers.