The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-08-31
Col. E. G. White on 0ns Of the Pos

d
of the leading "posSums'' who is in the
Copperhead employ of slandering Govern
or Stone and attempting to defeat the reg
ular nominees of the Union party, that has
stood by the Government and the army,
and fought the great moral political battles
ut home.
Col. White resides in Agency City in this
county, where he has been long and most
lavorably known. He entered the service
rs a private, and by his military ability,
daring and integrity, gradually carved his
way to the position of Lieutenant Colonel
OF his regiment. 1t is conceded by all that
knew him, that, ts a model soldier and
officer, he had few equals. The Colonel is
not in favor of atfiliating with Copper
heads to defeat the party and the men who
have stood by the soldiers in the army and
at home on all occasions.
AGENCY CITY, Aug. 2s, 1865.
Elit0r of OttumWa Courier:
l observe that at the late possum and
snake convention, one Captain Ault, for
merly of the odd Iowa regiment, took oc-
casion to vent himself in Il TRADE of abuse
orr Stone; and that this gallant (?) Captain
is continuing his vile and abusive course
in public speeches, creating quite sensa-
ton among the Copperheads, who, taking
their word for it, seem to be the very dear
and only friends of the soldiers. 1 there
fore deem it due, not only to myself but
to the honor of my regiment, and every
member of it, to give to the public few
facts concerning this cowardly calumnia-
tor, who claims to have been a soldier, and
who is now engaged i'm "possum conven-
tions,' and promulgating vile personal
ISLANDERS Of the man who organized, brought
into the field, and lead against the enemy
our regiment, the Odd Iowa.
Relative to the charge of cowardice made
by this man Ault, 1 would say that, from
the time the regiment entered the service
until Colonel Stone was wounded and af-
forwards elected Governor, l had a good
opportunity of knowing his conduct, and
[ pronounce said charge unqualifiedly
false and without a shadow Of foundation.
During the campaign in the rear of Vicks
burg was Inspector General on General
LAWYERS staff, and knew Colonel Stones
standing with his regiment and brigade
that was with Colonel Stone all the time
present in every battle in which the Odd
was engaged, and know all about the con-
duct of Colonel Stone; and to one who
knows as we'll as 1 do of the bravery of
that conduct, the charge of cowardice is
base and contemplate in the EXTREME
This man Ault went in as Captain of Co.
&C." of the 22d, and before many months
had elapsed he showed himself to be Il
worthless, miserable coward, and became
universally regarded in the regiment as
cowardly, unprincipled and worthless Off
Ger and man. He was brought before
court martial upon a charge preferred
against him by Lieutenant of his COM
pany for gross misconduct, unbecoming
an officer and gentleman, and had it not
been for the interference of Colonel Stone,
who induced the Lieutenant to withdraw
the charge, and procured Through Gen.
Carr the court appointed to try him to be
discharged, he would have been dismissed
the service. That at the charge of Nicks-
burg he pretended to faint Tor at least said
he fainted-no one saw him) while going
up the hill, and fell down into a secure
place from the enemy's bullets, leaving
his company to be led by sergeant (Da-
visl- for which he (Aultl would have been
the dastardly craven wasplaying the cow
ard, Col. Stone, whom he is now engaged
in slandering, was leading his men to the
charge against the rebel works, when
reaching an eminence, near the enemy's
works. that had been gained under a So
we're fire, Col. Stone, standing upon this
eminence exposed to asevere storm of lead
that was pouring upon us, and with his hat
in his hand and arm raised, was waving
and cheering his men onward and urging
them not to give back an inch that thew
had gained, when he was wounded severe
ly in the arm by ball entering, severing
the artery and passing through. The po-
stion was very exposed, men were falling
about him, and the storm of bullets was
terrible. 1 saw the Colonel when he was
struck. In regard to the silly charge that
is made that Col. Stone, after he was woun-
ded, had wounded Lieutenant taken off
the stretcher and himself put on. 1 would
say that it is, like all the other charges, ut
terly false in every particular. When the
Colonel was wounded and became greatly
weakened from the profusion of blood
flowing from the cut artery, Capt. Morse
man, of Co. a. and myself went and got
stretcher and upon it bore the Colonel
from the field, with the assistance of SER
geant John Finn, under terrible shower
of bullets. For witnesses to the truth of
these statements, l refer to Capt. Morse
man and Sergeant John Finn, of Monroe
county. Entering Col. Stones regiment
as private, and having seen him in the
camp and on the battle field, and amid the
perils of the service, have no hesitation
in saying that Drawer or truer officer has
not entered the service from our State.
This man Avlt, who, am informed, is
intending to come here to vent himself in
the accommodation of his possum Copper
head friends, is a fair specimen of the vi
Imperative cravens who are charging him
lCol. Stone) with cowardice, much to the
delight of the Copperheads, who are stri-
wing to boost themselves into office upon
the backs of soldiers by means of possum
strategy, possum conventions and possum
tickets to try to possum the soldiers with.
These are the men who are at the bottom
of 1.-THE men who have fought us i'm the
rear while their brother rebels have been
fighting us in front. If the Government
had failed to put down the rebellion and
reversed and banners trailing, these Cop