The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-04-29

HEADQUARTERS lsT DIVISION, !
7TH ARhr CoRps, :


Col Hawkins, commanding 9M Regiment
~ r. y, Hawhms Zeaaies:
CoLosEL--To prevent suy misappre-
hension, ! send You brief statement in
relation to the sad affair OF Sunday morn.
ing, which rt ,ulted, l regret 10 say, in
the death Of 1t Col. Kinball.
At about II O'Clock A.. NJ, left mr.
quarters and proceeded toward the front
lines, for the purpose Of having the troops
under arms nj o'clock, in obedience to
~ order from the fjor General com
,nanding. When ] arrived opposite the
hospital Of my brigade, an oficer. whose
rank ! could not recognize the night be-
ing very dark, land whom Judged TO be
such only from the fact Of his having
sword. Halrng. | asked II il was Or.
Heath Zone OF che Surgeons of the Irish
Legions,) and was answered by another
order To bait. with the additional remark.
at Is none u your Cd d--m business,
wan, the countersign." Perceivingi, was
not the Doctor, | requested 10 know the
object If bis haltiag me, end h,s name,
rauk, aud authority, but could not obtain
any other reply than that IT was spone of
my Cd d-m bsAa,ss n. i repeated
the questions several Times and received
similar answers, with the exception that
the countersign was not demanded more
than once, and he added. .You .csn pot
pass here" expostnlatcd with him
upon such oond uct md tcidAhim to re-
member that be was not on duty, and had
no right 70 be there and stop rue from
proceeding, and that he must lot me pass
] asked him IL he knew who he wss talk
ing to, and then gave him my nsme and
rank. telling him also that was going q
the front under orders. and even my business
there: but it was of no avail He answer
ed, Il do not care a Cd d--m who yoy
are" again told him that should pass
and warned him several times 10 get ou
o, my way, and attempted to proceed -
lie thercupon put himself 10 derTrmin
ed attitude TO prevent my progress. aat
brandishin. his sword in one hand, ans
having bis other or pi.i4l as then sup
posed) made movement stosarvis me
with the evident determination Of usinI
them, and, at the same tune, stated, -
will be Cd id il you shall" Ii wa
at this point that used my weapon. /
eemed that the more ] endeayorcd I
persuade the more obstinate he becam,
Nothing but the consideration that my iii
was in danger, which l had every rsaso
to fear. and the duty that was incumber
upon me ii that particular time. when .
attack upon our lines was apprehendee
would have justified me in n own min
in tasting the measure then did A
soldiers Of long service, am sonvisce
that you viii recognize the necessity n
lawfulness Of the act, however much va
may regret that II vas caused BY one
your number-and none do more than M
seif-for although had never beto
seen Colonel Ki,nhen, tia! l am ava
of. 1 had learned 10 respect hi,n for b
giiisury in several engagements of Il
present war.
1t was not until after the occurren,
that learned who il was, but had
been my best trien |, can not soc how
could have resulted otherwise, from Il
part be acted on that occasion. With
authority to demand the countcrsign,
would have been dsreliot in my duty b.
yielded to his demand. His refusal
give me his name, or rank, or any info
nation about him. or upon what autho
ty, (ifany,) he assumed to act, (the ia
being. - you are avars, that he h
none, especially as his request was eouc
cd ia the terms have stated, and /
enemy was Immediately in our fro'
called upon me to act with more than ,
binary precaution in revealing the cor
tersign. aud not unless to one entitled
it.
But besides this, the personal violer
had Just cause 10 fear gave me an ,
doubted right to protect myself against
intended to have sent this staten,
before, but my duties, for the past {
days, have prevented it, and ! have n
been obliged to make il hurriedly, hopi
thareby 70 correct any erroneous impr
sions that may have been made, and
prevent them in the future.
will only be too glad to have an (
cial investigation Of the matter at I
any time. / am. Colonel,