Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-06-23

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triously being put in circulation by
| unScrupuious slanderers. 1t has been
our lot To have had Col. Stone for a
leader in one of the most trying and
successful campaigns of the war-not
only as a Regimentat commander,
but at various times he was assigned
to the duty of General officer. In all
positions, however difficult or dan
gerous, he proved himself equal to
the position he occupied at that time
in the army, as he has since in the
Executive chair of our own 10 va.
The charge of ''cowardice," which
we understand is being largely dweit
upon is false in every particular, and
too contemplate for any one to no.
tice; nor would it be done here were
: it not to save the honor of some of
our thoughtless comrades who have
allowed themselves to be "taken in"
and have been pursuaded to place
their names on record where II al
lowed to remain, will sink them SO
low in the estimation Of all high
| minded men, that the sound of the
trumpet of Judgment will be unable
to resurrect them. To refilte this all,
we ask the people of Jasper County
and State of Iowa torecall the hardly
contested field Of Shiloh. The Kegi-
ment under Col. Stone fought from 4
in the morning till near sunset when
becoming entirely surrounded, the
whole Division with the brave Gen.
Prenti,s was forced to surrender. If
it can be called cowardice to surren-
der when the preservation of his
men demanded it for the future good
of the cause, then can Gen. Prentiss
rs brave man i'm danger as ever led
an army to battle, be called acoward.
We next see him ut Port Gibson,
on the lst day Of May, 1863, the com.
mander of new regiment, whose
reputation rested on its behavior that
day, and character as q leader de-
pended upon the result Of the engage
ment. Assigned to the command Of
tho hriga6n, ha Nuaa caphneliad a..
leave his untried troops in charge of
untried officers. His actions on the
memorable night of the 30th of April
ought toiOrever set ut rest the tongue
of SANDER in regard to his courage
or ability. While Col. Stone was
riding up and down the line amid a
perfect storm Of grape and canister,
getting his brigade In position and
placing his men where they could be
protected, where were those men
who have been the most industrious
in getting up these reports? The!
were fulfilling the Scripturers--''the
blind leading the blind" One Of
them WAS dismissed in disgrace for
cowartlice on that occasion.
We might go ON and recount every
engagement in which Col. Stone
fought, to prove that these charges
have no shadow Of foundation only
in the perverted Imagination Of men
who have been corrected and for
given, and are now urged forward by
n spirit Of revenge.
We also hear Of cruelty and tyran.
ny--these charges are ridiculOusly
absurd. The members Of this rtgi.
mcnt take pleasure In saying that no
kinder and more humane md gener-
Gus officer ever commanded on Iowa
Regiment. The lowest private had
att..ss to him ut all times, and il his
business was Of Il character that
needed immediate attention IL was
done ut once. The comfort Of the
men was Mt all times attended to and
made his chief care. No regiment
went into the field In finer cOndi-
tion than the 22d. and none ever felt
the loss OF an officer or commander
more than II did after he left.
These accusations, as all should
know are false In every particular,
and the orginatOrs Of them know 1t
Just as well as we do. We will just
give them a little advice concerning
these repOrts--if they wish to talk
abOnt such matters they will have to
keen away from the members Of this
regiment. We do not propose to
endure the dangers and hartlsbips Of
three wears service, and after getting
home to enjoy the fruits OF fOur work
to allow either disgraced officers or
hospital shirks to call the character
OF an honorable member of our regi-
ment in question.
We are proud to acknowledge that
whatever code Of honor may be az
corded to this regiment, land we
flatter ourselves that its record will
compare fav0rably with the best1, it
in indebted for II tn it's early trimming
under the supervision of our present
resi- ecfed Governor.
We. the undersigned officers and
enli tel men of the 22d Reg. Iowa
Inf Vol. understanding that certain
reports are being circulated by inter
est d parties dcroga,ory to the char
acter Of Col. tnow Governor Stone
AS an officer and man while CON
nected with his regiment, take pleas
nre in stating that having been with
him during the time he WAS IN COM
nand of this regiment. Having seen
him in camp Gnd upon the battle
field, amid all the perils Of the serv-
ice, that trucr, Iravcr or kinder
officer has not entered the seryice
from ournoble State.
Charges Of cOwarGice come with an