Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-10
communicate by Col. walker.

in a minuer not cor templated by law, have
called forth, from him aud his meaials, nearly
twenty newspaper columns OF personal abuse in
the city Of Indianapolis alone. To the articles
published BY Morton. in the Journal of the 9th,
| and by Mullen, in the Sentinel Of the 18th OF
July, / propose to reply briefly, though without
pretending to refer, in detail, to one half the
ISLANDERS they contain.
The Governor recalls, with peculiar satisfac
ton, the fact that he has been able to cause me
some annoyance. and enjoys recurring to his re-
fusal to accept my official bond until after it rep
resented three times the amount of property re
quired by law, or, by tho bond of my predecessor
in Office. The ghost, too, of my old cavalry
regiment still haunts him, aud De continues to
charge that | changed the rolls Of the companies,
on file 10 the Adjutant Generals Office: whereas,
in fact. such rolls were never so filed at all, but a
list of the companies only. did publicly change
that list, for reasons satisfactorily explained at
the time, by erasing some. which entered the in
fantry service, and substituting other companies,
which we're constantly offering. Yet, His Excel
lency row effects the belief that the change made
in that list. done with his knowledge and sane
ton, was evidence that | had TO regiment what
ever. The atrocity Of this insinuation will be
appreciated when | say that | can prove, by hun
dreds of witnesses, that both Governor Morton
and Adiutsnt General Noble know / bad men
enough rendered me to make at least three regi
ments of the maximum organization.
Governor Morton says that, after having
"abused" him for his bad faith in declining the
cavalry, / came "cringingly aud fawningly to
the Executive Office and sought the position Of
Colonel of the 35th regiment" and "'apologized
most abjectly" for my public criticism of his con
duct. A more s~trocious falsehood. from begin
ing TO end, was never uttered. / did not desire,
nor ask nor, directly or Indirectly seek the position
OF Colonel of the 35sh regiment. did not apollo
gise TO Governor Morton, nor have |, at any
time or in any way, intimated To him that / re-
tracted, or even regretted. a word that ] ever ut
tered against him. | accepted the command Of
the 35th regiment because the gentlemen inter-
ested in the organic ltion desired me to do so;
and, believing NV services 70 be worth as much
to the country as the position was worth TO me.
l did not feel under obligations TO tine Governor
for the commission he conferred.
His Excellency's attorney, Colonel Mullen,
charges, through the Sentinel, that | retained for
some time the commission appointing Lieutenant
Breene to the Clptaincy of company "E," and
that the Lieutenant states that he was "swin-
died" by me "out of his promotion" There is
no doubt that Lieut.. Breene is deliberately SIAN
dered in this assertion. Certainly il is that
offered to deliver the commission, without COM
ment. in the presence of nearly all the old Off
GERS OF the 35th regiment. and that he peremp-
torily refused to accept i, stating as "A reason that
he would Scorn to become a party TO the inter
ference in any way, with the prospects OF his per-
sonal friend, Capt. Hughes. The Governors me-
NAL, referring to me, continues: He procured
a commission for one Noyes, a private in the
regiment, mustered Noyes for paw, and set by, in
the Paymaster's Office, and witnessed his bogus
Lieutenant draw pay from the Government"
The question is then asked. What will be
thought Of Col. Walker when ] inform the public
that this man, Moves, was reported by Col. W.
as a Lieutenant in Il company that had no ex-
istence then in the regimentl' | might ask,
we're il necessary. what will be thought Of Col
Mullen when | inform the public. what his ac-
quaintances already know. that he is a most at
~trocious and unmitigated liarl While the 35th
regiment was in Tennessee. Mr.. Noyes was pro-
NOTED by Governor Morton to the Second Lieu
tenancy Of company &c, then non est inreatas,
and authorized TO recruit men for that company.
When about to enter upon this duty. orders from
the War Department we're issued prohibiting
further recruiting for volunteer regiments. In
consequence of this, Mr.. N. started, at once, to
return TO Tennessee. On arriving at Louisville,
he was informed that the 35th regiment was in
the vicinity of Shilo, and ordered to proceed to
that point. by boat, IN charge of a squad of SOL
diers. Arriving at Pittsburg Landing, he re-
ported to the officer in command, explained his
position, and was decided TO be one of the ten
Second Lieutenants of the 35th regiment. Hav-
ing been mustered as a private, it was regarded
as unnecessary to re-muster him as an officer.
lie was ordered on detached duly, and did not
again return to the regiment while | was with it.
When Mullen brought a company into the corps,
known and designated as company sc" il was a
question whether Messrs. Mears and Noyes, who
held older commissions as Lieutenants in com
pans (" than the new officers, were not entitled
to positions in that company. | do not now
recollect accurately what was my action IN the
premises. II is certain, however, that | made
such entries upon the rolls as would bring the
question before the proper authorities for adjust
ment. The order placing Mr.. Moves on
detached duty. as a Lieutenant, seemed to entitle
him to draw pay without having been
previously mustered for that purpose. l did
not muster him as a Lieutenant. / did not
witness him draw pay as such. and was not aware
that he did so until after it was done. Yet, | did
believe at the time. and still believe, that both
Mears and Moves were and are the legal lieuten
ants of company &c and that they were aud are
entitled to pay as such from and after the time at
which that company became incorporated into
the 35th regiment. Mullen says Noyes is now a
deserter. The fact is that be submitted his case
to General Noble. who decided that his commits
sion promoted him out Of the regiment and into
private lifel!
The Governor asserts that my treatment OF
4 AAlOr Ddlie was ulsCIeulthOtc1 tutL i WIS ODDOSeO
to his promotion; that | retained his commission
for ten days. and that / finally compelled him to
resign. That gentleman's commission as Lieu
tenant Colonel. together with q large package OF
official papers, overlook the regiment while on
the march from Munfordsville to Nashville. On
settling down in camp at the latter place. the
commission was duly deli cred. None of its
virtues were lost by the temporary delay in the
delivery. Balfe knew it was safely deposited
u;,l eba raotroonfal mai apI that ho ~Ortd
have had it at any time by asking for il. I now
regret that he should have been deprived OF his
toy for even a day. He was permitted by Gen.
Negley to resign whilst charges were pending
against him. Ii | was his prosecutors. the manly
meeting of a trial would have INDICATED him
and Inundated me He preferred to resign to
avoid exposure. did not object and do not
now desire to detrsct from his reputation. |
was opposed to his promotion, particularly, be
cause the regiment, with singular unanimity, were
in favor Of the promotion OF Capt. Hughes.
In coming again to the name of this much
abused officer, it is proper that | should notice
the repeated limitations that | had some inter.
ested motives in standing BY his fortunes. Not a
solitary reason can be adCuced to sustain such a
charge. I never saw Capt. Hughes in my lite
until the Irish regiment was in course Of orgsni.
cation. He resided in another State. possessed
neither influence nor political position, and could
not in any way be of benefit to me in the future.
As an officer. however. he possessed unquesrion
ed ability. The men of company "E' DESIRE
him to command them. Having been commits
stoned a captain in the regiment, which admitted
of no qualification whatever, / assigned him. as
I had a right to do, to the vacant command in
that company. The officers and men Of the re
giment afterwards, with scarcely a dissenting
voice, urged his appointment to the position oil
Lieutenant Colonel l endorsed the recommend
alton made by the officers and pressed il upon the