The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-02-03
And so went on, till Dec. I'd, the night
of the sad event which has suddenly and
shamefully ended my career.

e And so went on, till Dec. I'd, the night
s of the sad event which has suddenly and
, shamefully ended my career.
On that fatal night was in company
with Roark of my own company, and
IIollingsworth of Co. K. We were all
o under the influence of liquor. Hollings-
worth became so drunk we had to leave
: him and Roark and ! started for quarters.
Passing the billiard saloon, II insisted or
going in. urged him to 90 on to quar-.
ters before he got so drunk he could no,
90. But he went in, and l followed. He
soon got to quarreling with an officer OF
the I'd Louisiana regiment, and was pu1
out OF the saloon, when he threw brick
bat through the window | was then
asked if was his friend. told them
was, and would stand by him. Two men
then seized me, and began forcing me tow
ards the door, when third man, a Lieu
tenant in the "a Louisiana regiment, came
up and began to strike me- In an instant
all my angry passions were aroused.
told the Lieutenant he was a coward
Thus | was put out. Roark had lost his
hat in the saloon, but the door was shut,
and they refused to give it to him. We
again started for quarters, and when we
got there X. said Lark. am going to
have my hat out of that saloon this very
night, or I'll have -" | said: "Let
us take our guns and 90 back after it we
will make them believe we are the Pro-
vost Guard" But, in my own mind,
determined if the cowardly officer, who
struck me when | was put out of the sa-
loon was there, and offered me any resis-
tance, | would shoot him. | wuntel
him to do it, for such was my passion,
under the influence of liquor that I uunt-
Ell to kill him. Had | been sober. | would
not have thought of such a thing-would
have had no trouble with any officer, and
Sadler would have been living. We re-
turned, guns in hand, to the saloon, tap
ped at the door, and they asked. ''Who
is there ~ | said, "Provost Guard -
They opened the door Roark went in
and | followed, and, passing r., stepped
up to Sadler, who was in his shirt-s sleeves.
playing billiards, and whom took to be
the Louisiana officer who had struck me
when | was put out of the saloon. The
Doctor asked me who | was. and what
business | had there at that house
told him belonged to the Provost Guard,
and that it was time to shut up shop. and
for him to get out of it. He commenced
putting on his coat, saying as he did so:
" Perhaps you don't know who YOU are
talking to- told him | knew nv busi-
ness, and for him to get out of there, and
be quick about it. lie started towards
the door and leveled my gun on him
and cooked it. He said he would like to
know what he had done. | said to him
50 GU know what you have done. YOU
coward you have done enough, and do
you get out OF here now right quick" lie
turned round to me and said: 'You are
mistaken; | have done nothing, and will
. not be driven out by a drunken private. .
From the time he put on his coat | was
not certain he was the officer that struck
me, though l thought he was; and whel
he faced me and told me was mistaken
| saw he was not the man, and determine
ed to uncOck the gun and beg off, and
apologize; for | knew the Doctor, knew
he was a gentleman, and knew | had
nothing against him; but what with in
tOXlcatiOn and embarrassment at seeing
my great mistake: the hammer Slipped
2 and the gun went Oft, doing the tata
deed. As God is my Judge, and expect
soon to be in his presence, assert that
the shooting of Dr. Sadler was purely &C.
cidental.
instantly saw what had done, an'
as the doctor fell sprang over his body
to the door and joined Roark, who hae
gone out before me- We then returne,
Immediately to quarters, put away oul
guns and lay down. 1t was between
and 10 o'clock at night. thought upor
r what had happened, did not know Sadie
t was killed, but feared he was. coulC
not sleep. | seemed, most of the night
to be inya wild delirium. l scarcely knew
myself The day with its deeds passe,
l before me, and seemed a horrid dream
1 and believed | should wake and find i
$ so. But, alas! it aras oil too real! Ii
the morning | heard the men talkin!
about Sadler's death, and asked wh(
killed him ;" They said two drunken
e Soldiers.' Soon after | was told tina
4 Roark and | were suspected. After break
o fast told r. we had better get away
He said he didn't believe they would arres
Us. / again said, "let us leave" II
e said he did not know what was best to do
We had both been detailed for guard, ant
were both at gard mounting that morn
inc. Dec. 3. | was stationed at the jai
and Roark put on patrol. came on th
: second relief and changing reliets with
e fellow guard, returned to quarters, wher
e | was told would soon be arrested, AM
/ had better look out then went to m
l. washerwoman's, where | spent an hou
: studying what | had best do. took m,
n clothes and started back to quarters, de
IL termned to make no attempt at escape
l. but meet the consequences of what hat
"a done On arriving at quarters was al
lie rested, taken before the Provost Marsha
y and identified by some Louisiana officer
N uc tho mon who hoJ E.Ilol {,