Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-10-30

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As to his having everything to attend to, my
books, retained copies of returns, reports, mus
ter-rolls, pay-rolls, DC, will show who has run
the machine. The fact Of the matter is that his
hand writing is found but in one or two in
stances in all my books, and only in four or Eve
reports returns rolls, &c, and have at least
half bushel Of such documents filed away. He
used to complain to the Colonel and Lieutenant
Colonel that he was a perfect nonentity in the
company; that never consulted him in any
thing; that he knew nothing of the affairs Of
the company; which to great extent was true,
not for the reason assigned by hm--but for the
simple reason that the greater part of the time
spent by him in the company, was spent in in
triguing, figuring and souring the minds Of the
boys against me. In this he succeeded to some
extent. His quarters were regular rendezvous
for certain set of them, where they would sit
and play cards for whisky, night aftcrnight, un-
Miller that he speaks of as being "miscrd5le,
drunken, vdgabond," was a hail fellow well met,
with him. on these occasions. He and Jim had
several disgraceful drunken rows, at these sit
tings at which times they called each other all
manner of hard names and talked great deal
about whipping each other, but never came to
blows. The next day after these rows, would
generally find them together again on intimate
terms, particularly if Jim had any money to buy
whisky with The worst feature of this thing
was that they enticed great many young boys
into these games, whose parents would have
shuddered at the idea of such thing. One boy,
whose friends would almost swear by Bean at
the present time, was known to go to the SUIT
tiers for fVe canteens Of whisky in one night and
help drink it. This young man was probably
never known to get tight, or play cards for a
cent in his life before. Now he can play cards
for money, and when opportunity offers, get
exceedingly mellow.
have tried, both by example and advice, to
pervent anything of this kind. l would be sor-
ry to have it said hereafter, that brought young
a boys into the field TO make drunkards and gam.
blers of them. 1t is the business of the compa.
7 ny officers to see to the wants of the men unde
their charge, and is as much the business of tn,
Leutenantsa as the Captain although the lattel
has the whole responsibility resting upon him
After we were in Bowling Green awhile. last
fall nearly one-half ofthe boys were sick-some
very sick indeed-three as good boys as ever
shouldered a musket died. Now, l venture ia
RI say, without fear of contradiction that Bean new
er visited the hospital, or any of the hospitals
/ (for the boys were scattered around among three
! Or four) during all that time. That is not all
| he did not even show respect enough to attend
/ the funeral of those who died. Now, these are
statements that can be proven right at home
Daniel lckes and Henry Oswalt lay sick at a
private house, in the country, for a long time
l teegraphed for their friends. Henrys father
came and stayed until he got his discharge and
took him home. Ask them whether Bean evei
came near him once during all his sickness
Daniels father and brother came at the same
time, and both stayed with him some time
His brother stayed until he died and took his
remains home with him. Ask them if Bean was
near him once during all his sickness, or ever
after hisdeath. William Vandersal, of jackson
township, laid sick in the hospital for more thar
, three months and was finally discharged Beai
was not near him once during the time he wa
= there AT that time there We're six or eight o
the boys in the hospital all the time, and some
~
time Bean could be seen in his tent, half-d,qalk
playing cards for whisky
IwOuld not have mentioned these things ver,
it not that Bean and his friends are now claiming
that he was the only officer in the company
worth anything-that he was the only one tha
!, paid any attention to the wants of the bows
s The only time that ever knew of his paving
| norticular oft 30 L.
!, they had their canteens full of whisky, excep
. when he was figuring to cause some dissatisfac
! tion in the company.
! Lieutenant Moore has used up from ten to fif
). teen dollars worth of medicine among the bows
have paid out over twenty dollars for medi
cine and dealt it out to the boys as I though
they needed it, free Of charge. have spent
great many dollars one way and another for th
!, health and comfort of the company; not as mucl
;, as | would, however, had I been flush at al
\ times. l have been full as short of funds, a
:. times, as any of the boys. When see one q
: them really needing anything, always make
point to get it for him, if possible The boy
:, generally have been very kind to me, and hay
:, manifested disposition to accommodate me i
every way possible. l never had the lea,
trouble with them when Bean was away fror
the company. Hencver was with us on any ,
our hardest marches. The little time he wa
% with us he rode in the ambulance nearly all th
time. The officers and men generally though
!, he was playing off, did not think so, from tI
fact that knew about how much bad whisk
he destroyed each day. The only wonder
- me was that he was not sick all the time. W
, had officers school from the time we went
~ Bowling Green, until we left there I made
)" point to attend all the time, except while o
duty, and l never saw him present but twic
: during the whole time, and then he did not an
y swer question. He never took charge of III
= company on battalion drill but once, to m
ii knowledge, and then he was so tight that
& turned over the command to Lieutenant Moor
At and he left the field. This was one of the oris
* inal charges against him, and would have bee
proven by one field officer, at least, and as man
~ line officers and men as would have been nece
sary.
IN had three or four specifications under Il
le charge OF of"Drunkenness while on duty" each
IN which would have been proven by at least thrc
III good witnesses. The General said when /
Id looked them over,
W @Can these be proven?"
i