Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-05-05
A Conscientious Friend-What he Suf-
Tered.

fered.
The Nashville Banner tells the sto
ry of George Vestal of Marry Co.,
Tenn, native of North Carolina,
and a friend or Quaker by religious
profession. He was very delicate
young man and physically unified
for military service. He refused on
conscientious grounds to pay the $500
exemption fee demanded Of the
Friends by the rebel authorities, and
was consequently conscripted. He
was taken to Tullahoma, where the
obvious sincerity of his anti-war
principles procured for him the
friendship of Generals Maury and
Polk, and he was released. He was
again conscripted and sent to the
Tennessee brigade in the army of
Virginia He told his Colonel that
he could not fight and would suffer
martyrdom rather than bear arms.
The officer who at the time was
commanding the brigade of Tennes-
seeans-by reason Of the capture Of
General Archer at Gettysb1rg-was
a very irascible and arbitrary man.
He became very much enragcd at
Vestal's refusal, and ordered the com.
mandant Of the Fourteenth Tennes-
see to apply the bayonet, saying that
he never yet saw the man whom cold
steel would move. The Colonel of
that gallant regiment acquiesed with
reluctance, but he knew that it was
his duty to obey. In a few days an
inspection was ordered, when it be-
came necessary TO clean up quarters,
arms, etc, and detail was ordered
to clean up the regimental quarters.
Ii happened to be Vestaps turn, and
the Orderly Sergeant detailed him.
He signifed.fatly his purpose not t o
go. His Captain entreatcd him to
comply. Numerous members of the
regiment offered to pay the five huns
dred dollars required by the law
mentioned above, rather than see
him suffer the punishment which an
imperative order from the brigade
commander rendered necessary. He
finally declined, assigning the same
reasons heretofore stated, and alleg-
ing that the money would go into
the Treasury and be used to carry on
the war Finally the guards were
ordered to fix bayonets, and shov>
ell was handed them, with instruc-
tions to make him work. When the
guards first handed him the shovel,
be stated to them that if cleaning up
camp was punishment for not do
ing military duty, he would clean up
the entire camp; but if it was mill.
tary duty, he would not. The guard
entreated him, argued the case with
him, begged him to render the appli.
cation of the bayonet Unnecessary
He was memorable, answering with
a smile, "that the physical comfort
was nothing compared with the here.
after, and that he was willing TO die
for the faith that was in him." Our
Informant justly remarked that he
never saw such a heroic determinar
ton in all his life. His mind inyol--
unfairly reverted to the Christian
martyr of the Old World. There
was all the zeal, GOODNESS and heroic
firmness III this fraii, delicate boy,
that characterized the man who suf-
fored when Christianity was strug>
Cling in the first terrible stage Of its
existence. His demeanor excited the
entire assembly of soldiers. They
saw in him no affected zeal, but an
unfiinching determination TO saeri-
fee his life for his religion. After,
as already stated, earnest efforts had
been employed to make him do the
duty for which he was detailed, the
commander of the guard ordered
them to apply the bayonet. Three
men with sharp Enfield bayonets
thrust them into the feshy part of
his thigs and buttocks, INJECTING in
all thirty.five wounds, ranging in
depth from one>fourth to one inch.
Frequently he was Knocked down
with the butts of the guns, but, as
long as he had strength, he would
turn one side and the other for the
guards to hit him, until, finally, they
refused toinflict fur Their punishment.
AT this juncture, the brave men who
composed the old Fourteenth Regis
ment, possessing that humanity and
mercy which alone characterize the
true soldier, became loud in their
condemnation of this proceeding
| The excitement was intense, and had
| the Brigadier General issued q Sec
ond order of this character, he would
have been unable to have had it ex>
ecuted.
Vestal was confined several weeks
to his bed After his recovery, be
was released from the guard house.
upon his promise not to escape
Most faithfully did he comply, for
notmany months afterward the COM
mand moved toward the Northern
portion Of Virginia, where every OPP
portunity was offered for escape, but
he was always in camp at night.
Shortly after his return from this ex
petition, charges were preferred
against him, and he was tried, con,
victed of INSTRUMENTATION by court
martial convened at Orange Court
House, and sentenced to imprison'
ment ia Castle Thunder, at Rich
mond, for the war, forfeiting all pay
and allowances. At the evacuation
of Richmond he was still in prison
and secured his release only by ths
downfall OF the Confederacy.