The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-02-28

In October, 1865, three soldiers belong
ing to q regiment of volunteers were
stationed on the South Carolina side of
the Savannah river, for the purpose OF
guarding few bales of cotton which had
been seized by officers of the u. S. Trea-
sury department.. While these soldiers
were in discharge of their duty, six citi-
zens either Of Georgia or South Carolina.
moet Of them men of consideration in
their neighboThood, one of whom had
been at one time member of the Georgia
Senate, stole under the darkness of uieht
upon the unsuspecting guards, ordered
them to throw down their arms, aud upon
their refusal, sent pistol ball through
the brain Of each, holding their weapons
so closely to the heads of their victims as
to burn their hair by the fash of the
powder, and then threw the corpses into
the river. This terrible deed was con-
mittcd while Gen. Gilmore was in command
OF the department. in which it occurred.
and that officer, upon yielding his COM
mand to General Sickles, called his
Attentions to the case as one worthy
of investigation. A military commission
was consequently convened by General
Sickles, which tried, convicted and SEN
fenced to death four of the perpetrators
OF tbe atrocious crime, tho remaining two
having fed beyond the reach of justice.
The sentence of two of the four copviote6,
on account of their youth and the influence
had over them by their companions, vas
changed to Imprisonment for life. The
President was Immediately besought by
prominent men of the South, among others
being A. FL. Stephens, Gov. Orr of South
Carolina, and Herschel v. johnson, to
pardon these criminals, or else to transfer
them to civil tribunals. One petition
insisted that the Presidents "avowed
policy" led the signers to ask with conf
dence for his interposition On July
23d, the President changed the sentences
to imprisonment at the Dry Tortugas,
Florida. On July 31st, he ordered the
prisoners to be removed to Fort Delaware.
in the State of. Delaware. On their
arrival, writ of habeas corpus from the
District Court of Delaware demanded
their release, and by diresiion of the War
Department tho writ Was obeyed and the
prisoners we're released.
This case, though 1t acquires promi-
nence on account of Its great atrocity, is
only one of many. The testimony of
every prominent Union General id the
South is that justice is not administered,
that the lives and property Of Union men
are not safe. Says General Sickles i:
"Citizens committing offences against
soldiers are not even indicted by the civil
authorities. Yet soldiers and officers have
been in some instances wounded and In
other instances killed, = and NO one
has been prosecuted or punished for it by
the civil authorities" General Scho6eld
says: GA gentleman who commits q
homicide of that kind (of an insubordinate
f.eedman) gels his gentlemen friends
together, and they nearly ali are magis-
trates, and they discharge him." General
Thomas says he does not believe there is
much chance in his department of con-
victing a citizen of Georgia of murder if
the victim is . Union mau or negro, but if
the murderer is Union man or negro
they would convict him very speedily.
The committee appointed by order of
tho National House of Representatives TO
investigate the circumstances attending
the murder of tae three soldiers in South
Carolina, and to report what action is
necessary to secure safety to union men
and freedmen, declare
FIRST. That for the punishment of crime in
these departments, the courts cannot be re-
lied upon. In cases where soldiers, union
men or freedmen, are concerned, Justice is
practically denied, and offences OF grave
Character against them go unpunished, neither
MAGISTRATES nor iuries. being disposed to
discharge their duties in this respect.
Second That up to this time there has been
no change for the better, but rather for the
worse.
Third. That Unless substantial justice is
done to the laboring classes hereafter, and to
the union men and Northern men who desire
to 90 there to engage in business enterprises,
no improvement in the st'ts OF aostrs can
reasorab!y 6e expected.