The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1862-03-06

writer makes "point." He does not deny our
Abatement that he was instrumental in drawing up
. petition for Capt. Johnson to resign; neither
doe, he contradict the statement that petition
was raised requesting Lieutenant Mattingly" to
resign. His remarks derogatory OF Capt Johnson
have, we apprehend, no particular revslancy TO
the subject under discussion and If any OF the
statements against that officer are incorrect, We
presume they will be answcredin due season.-ED.
Mr. EprroR In your issue of the Goth ult.,
there was an article which does great injustice
and which | am not willing to pass unnoticed-
From facts in my possession, am lead to believe
that you spoke according to your information. and
not from desire to iniure me.
The article referred to charges me with enter
tanning desire to become Captain of CO. ID, 9th
Ind. Reg. and that for this purpose circulated
petition requesting Captain Johnson to resign
The right of petition will not be denied, and if a
precedent is wanted, will that the aforesaid
Captain signed. and was active in procuring other
signatures, to petition requesting Col. Moody to
s.avocatc" his position. "What is sauce for the
goose is sauce for the gander.' | am accu seG of
ambition Ii such nv motive would doubt
less have been grevousy disappointed in the re
suit. Il is the practice of the 9th Regiment to
waive the right of promotion. and fill all vacancies
which may occur by an election. had been sick
and At home from the Goth of October to the llth
of January, while the Orderly Sergeant had been
with the Company all the time, had proved him
self competent for the position. and had vacancy
baV oil in
spite of anything | could have done. | should,
myself. have favored his promotion, in order TO
direst the project of anything that looked like
ambition on my part and il would have required
the utmost "unamity'' (tO quote the language of
my late commander to have induced me to accept
the position under the circumstances. Indeed,
had yearnec for the place and its many response
bilities, should have bided my time. and waited
until could have distinguished my self, and gain
ed the affections of the men, many of whom are
comparatively strangers to me.
The petition referred to merely stated that
Caotain Johnson incompot INT, THAT his eI
perience Of FIVE months had avaied him nothing;
that he continually exposed US to modification by
his iEexcusable blunders, made under most aggra-
waiting circumstances. and at times when all were
animated with desire TO emulate other COmpa-
MES in perfection Of drill. As proof of this.
he did learn. until recently. how to Form
Company when marching by platoons, and then
until specially instructed by the Commanding
Officer. in the presence of the whole battallion.-
piece of information simple in Itself and in the
possession of the most inattentive o. our number
priyates as well as officers
Ii j. true that knew him to be a most notori-
Gus blunderer at home, and had your authority,
Mr.. Editor, for saying that whenever he opened
his mouth the bones of LindIcy Murray ratified in
the grave but supposed him capable of learning,
or else l never should have accepted a secondary
position under him. He has had opportunity, and
does actually study, but the more he studies the
less he seems TO know. Those commands which
he does give properly stereotyped. and
if examined before military board and COM
PEELED 10 execute his own orders, /" saltpetre
wouldn't him"
The petition was circulated 4 short time, and
received about twenty FIVE signatures, including
many Of thos. among whom promotion must here
after take ace. If any attention is paid to fitness
and acqus .ance with the drill. Capt johnson
did not wait for his friends to in the matter,
but drew up a remonstrance against his own res
ignation then with tea ful eyes he addressed the
men, appealing to their .ympathies. and mploring
their decision in his favor. and many, out of com
passion signed his paper Finding that the
joritv had concluded to retain him. could not find
il in my power TO stiae my selfrespect sufficient
" 90 play second fd lie to a whose plumbers
mai him the laughing stock Of the regiment. and
whose occupation Of any Office is stigma on the
Intelligence OF those who placed him there. To
show that do not underrate his capacity. I think
IL would be good idea to send him a. Commis
siGner across the ''Pot-o mac" where has strange
,S-gon might lead the rebels 30 suppose that
scne foreign nation had allied itself iih the Uni
ted States in order TO crush out the rebellion and
aacnuiesce" more territory. If the rebe' General,
H.r,iee, the author Of the present system Of tao
tics, is ever captured, il would be a cruel, but
deserved punishment. to compel HIM To fstcn
while Johnson drills his Company, two hours each
ssv. The unhappy captive would stab himself
with bed wrench before the end Of week.
Your article further :ates that petition re
auestng me resi- N roceved over eighty sigma
lures. A reference to the morning report, Of Co.
ID, will reveal the fact tlat only seventy-seven
we've present At Rowlesburg at the time referred to-
the balance being either dead discharged, in
the hospital At Fctterman. Such petition was
never presented TO me. though understand that
Capt Johnson very dssirous of working my
disgrace. Had such request been presented,
coupled with any charges involving my honor,
should have demanded a Court Martial forthwith.
and the enforcement Of the regulations against
those whose malice would lead them % charge
shatthey co III not prove.
Toward Capt. Johnson personally have not ut
any time entertained any sntpathy. He isa good.
kind hearted fellow but these not all the quail
i6catioas that are required in military officer In
hucnced by the purest motives have nothing To
rctract, or no apologies 10 make for what have
done w. III. II. MATTINGLY.
Wounded.