Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-04-14
FOE THE SPECTATOR.
CAMP WASHINGTON,
McClanahan's Battery,

| A
McClanahan' Battery,
| April End, 1853.
| Mr.. EDITOR FL have noticed in the columns
of your paper, my name ad SeriiSed as deserter.
of Co. Fl SD Va. Regt., which made its APP
pearance about the 18th January, ana has been
kept up ever since and to clear myself of tine
charge in an honorable way to the public, will
state the facts:
| was Lieutenant in the said company and
regiment from it's organization, 23d of July, '6l
until the LIST of May, '62 At that time | was
released from duty. On the Goth of September
was ordered to enrol myself, and did SO, and
at the time / asked Cll. Hartman the privilege to
lJoln any branch of the service and any con- maud
and he said might join the 5th or SD Regt, ard
with that understanding, l was satisfied, as had
determined to join the 9th Regt., Co G.
/ On the 1st of October, was ordered to Co. Ell
52d Regt., where l stayed until the 10th of No
! vember, and was taken with the rheumatism, and
l went to see the Surgeon OF the Regt. five times
and be said he COLD not do anything for me- Their
| L took my knapsack and told my company that
was going to the hospital, and did so, at Mt
jackson, and was ordered to the Stau1ton hos
| pital where was furloughed home, and when I
Egot able came to this Camp and had q CONVEX
sation with Gen. Inboden on the subject, and
be said that the War Department had decided
that officers who had been superseded had right
to join any branch of service they pleased, or
any command. That right was Illegally taken
away from me by Col. Hartman. AS to being ad.
vertised as deserter: it is without foundation,
for had joined Capt. McClanahan's Battery
some time before my name appeared in your
columns. Now the public can see the injustice
done to soldiers by some few men of this Com
monweaith who want to rule and ruin the people
] OF this country and take the last dime from a
soldiers wife or chidrenif they thought it would
gain q per cent. in six months.
Who are the deserters Is it the men that
| rnhf To ~x-l,.
please, or is it the Coils. of regiments who STAY
at home half Of the time and make thousands and
multiplied thousands off of thee Government and
poor soldiers? 1t this is the plan to whip tie
ankees, go head butt a soldier true and
faithful 20 my country, will try it with the big
guns.
ISAAC W. AIRY.
+. 81 had concluded to bring my piece to a
close; but, on hearing from home, am bound
on saying a word or two more:
WISH to know who it is that was appointed by
our county court to see that each soldiers wife
and children got their respective sums of money
that were appropriated by that honorable bodv
as my wife has been refused her part which she
was entitled to. | suppose it was because INV
name was found on the list of deserters from the
the SD Regt.
FIRST. never Joined that company since I was
renewed from duty on the 1st of May 1862.
secondly. never received any bounty from,
t -" ollcers OF SAID company on which they claim
70 nave my name, nor in fact of any officer, but
OF Capt. McCianahan, whose company / am in.
ana 10 which intend to stay al all hazards.
inlrdiy, / deny the charge of desertion. it
being without foundation from first to last
Fourthly What man am fighting for? The
poor man :? No sir. am exposing nv life for
tue rich man and his negro who stays at home
and fares snmptuously every day, when the SOL
diers have to take it cold or hot, wet ordry, ard
OLD mother earth for his bed half of the time.
Filthy. Tiny wife cannot get her portion of
money on equality with the other ladies who are
entitled to it, they can keep ii. think the
neighbors will see that they do not starye while
hight the invading enemy who seeks to destroy
their lives and property.
ISAAC LARRY.