Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-02-10

1 dense for the purpose of showing to til,
conFt my opinion of his condition, at tha
time claim that an officer, in all hi
ohelal transactions, is upon honor, anc
consequently that when an officer prefers
charges, bis, honor ispledged to their proc
when be is called upon. Heaven save tht
markD preferred this charge against my
accuser, believed him TO be drank.
know. SO far as knowledge could be &C,
CURED through the external senses, that be
was drunk, staggering drunk, vomiting
drunk, stupid drunk. Then claim thai
besides doing all that could be done by
mortal man to win the day, in consulting
with, the sober officers around me, / did
only what any sensible man or pruden,
omcer would do under the circumstances.
me evidence under specification 1st 10
cnarge Sd was q complete failure, The
copy OF the letter and the certificate intro
dqced do not go much as raise suspicion
4 that i wrote the original, and on this ac-
\ count / 1sdidinot notice it.. The letter also
bears upon its face an unofficial character.
Besides, it ts no military offence to send
some official communications direct. ~.
y tRe army regulations say, Gas a gen
eral rule they must be sent through inter.
mediate .commanders." The term uas a
general rule" necessarily. implies and
Justihes exceptions, and had it been pro.
ven that wrote this letter, and had the
letter been official, if exceptions, are law
| is one. ~ S''7
There is no evidence under specifaca,
tion I'd to charge Sd; and the failure of
tue prosecution to sustain the. Sd specif-
cation to the 4th charge was complete.
Slrs, am soldier from principle, aud
i T -
OF my country voluntarily, with no other
purpose or motive than to save it, and the
most pleasing anticipation of. my heart,
and most cherished desire of my nature, is
Tor the day when can return houorAbly
to the qniet of my home, with my coantry
at peace aud saved. Then is it not most
unreasonable to suppose that l should
need prompting to my duty I? And the
facts show that it is my habit to be in
qnlslIiVe to learn, aud prompt to perform
1t. The evidence shows that establish.
ed regulations which were perfect for the
government ofmy regiment, months. prior
70 the issuing OF Special Orders, No. rs
from Brigade, Headquarters. This order
looks really well on paper, and as .'lit..
erary curiosity" certainly does much
credit to its author but / ask this Court,
10 all candOr, 10 read its provisions
through (if they have the patience) and
ask themselves, If troops in active cam
ipalgn, almost continually on duty, were
ever instheir, experience subjected to such
agdrce! Seventeen bugle calls per day, in
camp, and the troops all out of camD!-
RULES for the government of regimental
hospital where the regiment has no hos.
pital Directions for the government of
the guard house, when there was no
guard housed Two drill calls. per day,
and no men in camp to drill Grounds TO
oe pollGed, while the authority ordering it
depriVes me of the means to execute the.
order-aud so on through all its weary
length. While laboring honestly to en-.
torce the provisions of this order land |
lthlnk accomplished it whenever practi-
cable) am free to confess that, looking at
tAe conspicuous copy posted near regi-
mental headquarters, l was often remind
ed by 1t and the surroundings, ofsthe pic.
ture of the battle of PhilIppi-represent.
ing the lst Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
charging through the streets, with army
oVercoats and equipments all complete and
new while the fact is, they were dressed
10 suits of ragged home. spun, and carried
their cartridges in their, pockets. 1t is
possible this order might be lived up to il.
garrison, or camp of instruction. don't
tkqow-l never did such duty. My place
mas Al always been in the field on the out.
posts-otten seeking the enemy and often
finding him, consequently. nv. men and
myself may not dress 80 we'll, be so fair,
nor s'pEapce SO nimbly in a ,lady's cham.
per" as some others, but if the object and
end OF discipline are efficiency ia Ihe ser.
vice, that end and object are most surely
attained by this regiment. '''1'
have now Vindicated myself of the spe~
elsl charges against me, aud l think the
Court will sustain me in the opinion thai
never before was an officer of equal, rank
arraigned on charges so frivolous and
wholly false And that never before did
tney witness in any charges brought be.
Iore General- Court Martial such a be.
frayAl OF Ignorance of military law and
proceedings by the aecuser, whether infIu.
epGed by malice, whisky or black eyed
women; or whether deseended from the
chlEalric caste of classic West Point, or
assembled from the time-honored order OF
negro mtntstrels. / confess that feel fat
tered by the testimony in this case, aud ret
declare that copceiYe the charges Them
selves, considering their, origin, TO be the
greatest; compliment of my Iife-for by
thelr trlXoloqsness. my accpser, aetuated
solely by malice and personal i'll will, ac-
knoWledges that in four months service
and Intimate connection he, can 6nd noIh :,
uS SupseA .'p tsal Agalnst me. But III
beg the indulgence of the Court, for a few
moments while refer to some other, mat
ters of most weighty Consideration, in.
volVing questions aud,principles Of as vital
lmport49ce. as those foEsWhich we. all, en- \
listed to light 80. Constitutional liberty
without thsmiis bqtsa hollow delusion-R
name-a shadow without D. substance.
An effort has been made by, my accuser.
falsely, to infringe my rights Of personal
security aud of personal liberty, aud to
Jfteh from me my good name-Which are
rights secured to me blythe 5Cohstftati0p
oftheiUnfted States. AyeimofeAtfisyja
inalienable1by au authority higher than
the Constitution of thesU United States, 6ti
yet recognized. IN courts OF jubtice4tbsl 4
law of nature and of Nstut6'si GodId d