The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-01
The Corcorn--Kimball Affair.
Gen. COrCOran'S Letter to Colonel
Hawkins.
Rumored Death of General Cor
COran.
HEADQUARTERS, FIRST D1vIsIoN,)
SEVENTH ARMY CORPS, :
SuEEoJE Va ADril II 1879

Col. Hawkins, Commanding Ninth Reg
iment New York Volunteers (Hawkins
Zouaves):
CoLoNEL-To prevent any misapprehen-
sion, send you brief statement in rela-
ton to the sad affair of Sunday morning,
which resulted, l regret to say, in the
death of Lieut. Colonel Kimball
At about quarter before three o'clock,
A. NJ. left my quarters and proceeded
along the main road toward the front
lines, for the purpose Of having the troops
under arms at three o'clock, in obedience
to an order from the Major General COM
manding. When l arrived opposite the
hospital of my brigade, an officer, whose
rank could not recognize (the night be-
ing very dark, and whom judged to be
such only from the fact of his having a
sword, rushed out in front of me and or
dered halt. Hating, 1 asked if it was
DR.. Heath, Zone of the surgeons of the
Irish LEGION and was answered by an
other order to halt, with the additional
remark, cit is none Of your God damned
business; l want the countersign." Per-
ceiving it was not the Doctor, l requested
to know the object of his hating me, and
his name, rank and authority, but could
not obtain any other reply than that it
was none Of my God damned business.
repeated the question several times, and
received similar answers, with the excep-
ton that the countersign was not de-
manded more than once, and he added,
"You cannot pass here"
Texpostulated with him upon such con-
duct, and told him to remember that he
was not on duty, and had no right to be
there and stop me from proceeding, and
that he must let me pass asked him if
he knew who he was talking to, and then
gave him my name and rank, telling him
also that l was going to the front under
orders, and even my business there, but it
was of no avail. He answered, edo not
care God dam who you are" l again
told him that l should pass, and warned
him several times to get out of my way,
and attempted to proceed. lie thereupon
put himself in a determined attitude to
prevent my progress, and brandishing his
sword in one hand and having his other
on pistol, as l then supposed, made a
movement toward me with the evident de-
sign of using them, and at the same time
stated, 81 will be God damned if you
shall" 1t was at this point that 1 used
my weapon. 1t seemed that the more I
endeavored to persuade, the more obsti-
nate he became. Nothing but the con-
sideratiOn that my life was in danger,
which l had every reason to fear, and the
duty that was incumbent upon me at that
particular time, when an attack upon our
lines was apprehended, should have justi-
fled me, in my own mind, in taking the
measure then did.
AS soldiers of long service, l am con-
WINGED that you will recognize the necessi-
ty and unlawfulness of the act, however
much you may regret that it was caused
by one of your number, and none does
more than myself Although l had never
before seen Colonel Kilnball, that I am
aware of, had learned to respect him for
his gallantry in several engagements of
the present war. 1t was not until after
the occurrence that l learned who he was !;
but had he been my best friend cannot
see how it could have resulted otherwise,
from the part he acted on that occasion.
With no authority to demand the counter
sign, would have been derelict in nv
duty had [ yielded to his demand. His
refusal to give me his name or rank, or
any information about him, or upon what
authority, if any, he assumed to act (the
TACT being, as you are well aware, that he
had none), especially as his request was
couched in the terms I have stated, and
the enemy was Immediately in our front,
called upon me to act with more than or
binary precaution in revealing the counter
sign, and not unless to one entitled to it.
But besides this, the personal violence
| had just cause to fear gave me an I'M
doubted right to protect myself against it.
intended to have sent this statement
before, but my duties for the past few days