The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-03-24
= r41s1s4=i-
VOL. 13.

|
served in all the campaigns of Missouri and
Arkansas, and we're hohofably mentioned in
general orders by Generals Rosecrana, David
son. Heron, Blunt, Dana, Reynolds aHd
others and even BY General custar himself,
as vii viii sppesr heieaftsr p this report.
| This regiment was FIRST under the command
Of Major General Custar ON the tlay Of. its ar.
rival kons Memphis, Tenn. ii Alexandria,
La, which was on the 2Sd day Of June, 1866;
on the following day, viz: the oath day Of
June, 1865, General Custar issued his Special
Order, No g one clause Of which is in these
words, viz:
'.Every violation Of this order will receive
prompt and severe punishment Owing to the
delay Of courts martial, and their ifnpfacti-
biIity when the command is unsettled, it is
hereby ordered that any enlisted man Of this
command violating the above order, or commit
ting depredations upon the persons or proper
ty Of citizens, will have his head shaved and
in addit on wilfeeeive twenty-five lashes upon
his back, well laid on.
Another clause Of this order is as follows !:
"Citizens Of the surrounding country are
earnestly invited to furnish to these head
quarters any information they may acquire
which will lead to the discovery of any parties
violating the foregoing ORDER
| Your committee beg leave to state that the
above order, aside from its brutality and in
humanity, 10 in direct violation of q law of
Congress, approved August 5. 1861; while
the latter part oft is, as every officer and
soldier knows, too readily responded to by
rebel citizens eager to bring Union soldiers
into discredit and disgrace. On ths i4th of
September. 1855, General Custer, through
his Provost Marshal, issued the following or
der; ''To Captain Davidson, commanding
| ,,rnx.r1r% rv,,o ~ -
heads and lash G. Darr. Co. d. 18th Illinois
Cavalry, and II. CuFe,-lst Iowa Cavaly, team.
sters in Capt Lyons train and guards of same
train,'' which was accordingly executed on
the same day, without satjseting the parties
ties to any trial whatever, and in the absence
Of any charges preferred against them.
I The I'd Wisconsin Cavalry, the 4th and 18th
Illinois Cavalry and the 7th Inaiana gasalry,
were also with the 1st Iowa Cavalry, under
Gen. Custar, all of whom were alike subject
to the punishments and seventies inflicted by
the provisions Of said order, and the many
other indignities heaped upon both officers
and mea Of that entire command; Ito which
special reference Is not made by your COM
mittee.l were OF daily occurrence-insomuch
that many soldiers to erted what they termed
reign Of terror, even though the war had
ended, and the prospect Of a speedy return TO
their homes and fresides, and an honorable
discharge from their long and active service,
| were about to be soon realized.
| The existence of these outrages was finally
brought to the notice OF the Governors Of the
several States of Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois
and Iowa, all Of whom notified the war de-
partment in behalf Of their respective regi-
ments. Gov. Stone sent repeated communi-
cations to the Secretary Of War upon the
subject, and demand ed that the orGer refer
red to should be rescinded aud the lst Iowa
mustered out The subiecf was referred to
Major General Sheridan, Commanding tbe
Military Division of the Gulf, with instfuc-
tions to investigate, and If any ground Of
complaint existed, TO redress il and mua1er
out the regiment if he thought it should be
done. The matter was referred by him to
Gederal Custar, with directions that the order
referred 70 should be Immediately rescinded,
which was complied with, and ordert d that
an investigation should be had but your
committee are of the opinion that no such
investigation was ever had. General Shefi-
dan. in communication to the Secretary Of
War, while he was favorable to strict dis
cipline and severe pqnishments, held whip
ping and shaving heads in such horror as to
express the belief that Gen. Custar had meyer
whipped men-aihough the latter, in m
official communication afterwards, acknowl-
edged that he had done so in the case OF the
persons named go. 9
Gen. Custar. in justification Of his barbar-
GUS treatment. and of his conduct in sus-
pending courts-martial and substituting un.
lawful and unwaranta lie orders, denouncing
the character of his entire command Of five
regiments-inclnding field and line officers
as "infamous aud mutinous." In contrast
with the unwarantable and sweeping charges,
made against 4 regiment Of soldiers whose
conduct and bearing had been hitherto ire.
proachable, your committee beg leave to refer
to the Inspection Reports at Memphis, Tenn,
made by Lieut.. S. NJ. Lake, Acting Assis,an,
| !. g., and Capt. R. n. Reynolds. A. A. l.
G., for the months Of March, April, May and
June. 1886, and Report by Inspector Gen
eral C. S. Bowman, L. S. A., Special In
spector Of Cavalry, in the month Of July
s65, at Alexandria. La, from which it will
appear that the list Iowa cavalry were never
in better discipline,-and were specially men.
toned in such reports as being the fnesl
regiment OF cavalry, and the best officere
in the service. Fur hermore. Gen. Custal
himself, in his Official report to Major Genera
Sheridan made on the 26th Of October, 1865
f and while in command of the same troops
whose character he had DETAINED so recently
made this remarkable admission: 81 an
happy to say, that to-day, no better behaved
regiments are included in the volunteer force
than those now composing my command
| Without entering upon q detailed history o.
the many other lndignities and injuries receiv
ed at the hands oftheir commanding General
, by both officers and men of this regiment
your committee desire to add, in conclusion
that the many efforts made by Governor Stone
Secretary Harlan, Hon. J. ". Grimes, H2n
]. F. Wilson, and MANY others, in behalf o
. this regiment, 10 secure their mnster-out Q
service. or their removal from the command
Of General Custar. proved unavailing unit
very recently, and it is now understood tha
they are mustered out Of service, and vii
: probably be at home>ahout the Arr. Of April
: when they shall have nearly completed
term OF Eve yeers' service for the preservs
ton Of their country's name and honor. VI
: respectfully submit the annexed resolution
and recommend its adoption.
T. A. BERGMAN.
IL HENRY l.. DASHIELL,
S. A. FLANDERS.
WHEREAs, By an act OF GopSsss sppnove'
, August 9Th. 1851, passed FROM . considers
ton Of the fact that the perilous condition 0
, the country was inducing many thousaads 0
its best and most patriotic citizens r. enlist il
the ranks, the barbarous And inhuman pun
ishment Of fo9ging wss prohibited through
, out the armies ef the United 8sates and
WHEREAS, By Special Order No. 2, date
at Hesd quarters cSvelry nlyiipns Nexau
drja, La, June 24th, 1885, ismef by con
.Isnaiad Of Major General CuslArS eath11y ~
given to provos. Marshsls TO cause America
! soldiers to be punished BY sstwenty ~ !aahf
on the back, well laid on" wishoas tasir b
ing allowed the formally 4 ! st1At1y Coor