Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-01-18

| ing the up start MAJOR Uenera', Win DIS
first moustachs, to lord it over us!'--
The.e were such speeches as one could
hear at almost any hour of the day or
evening, when wandering through the
camp; aud they were delivered with such
emphasis and i'll supposed bitterness that
the effect was exceedingly ugly.
Immediately the men. singly and in
squads. began to go on extemporaneous
raids through the adjoining country rob
bing and plunderipg ndiscrlmnately in
every direction.
They seemed to have no ilea that a
conquered and subdued people could pos.
sibly have any rights that the conquerors
were bound to respect. But such expe
ditions could not be permitted; indeed,
the Genera~was under orders to treat the
people kindly. and obeyed with the same
punctillousness with which he sxacted
obedience from his command. Therefore.
the most rigorous and explicit order
were issued against "jayhawking" Of
every kind, and the offenders were severe
ly punished. But the ordinary puuish
ments were found to be utterly made
quate. The guard house, police duty,
extra duty, ETC., had lost their terrors;
and punishments had TO be devised that
would reach class of men and offenses
unprovided for in the Negotiations"
The storm which had been brewing for
50 many months 10 the ranks of the Sec
ond Cavalry, suddenly burst upon it. A
paper, demanding the resignation Of The
Lieutenant Colonel, had been largely
signed by officers and men, and presented
to him. This was the flint that struck
the fire. In half an hour the officers
whose names appeard on that fatal list
were deprived Of their swords, and the
catastrophe was no longer to be avoided.
Blood was in the eyes of the soldiers, and
none in the cheeks of the otfieers--ven-
geance was in the hearts OF the men, aud
fear in the souls of the commanders -
There was q quick roll of the drum-a
few explosive orders-a sudden russia
sort of dizzy whirl; the Lieutenant Col
oneI narrowly escaped, aud, by a quick
movement of the guard, sergeant aud
several men, whose names were on the
paper, were arrested and lodged in the
guard house. A double force was post
ed to prevent the rescue of the prisoners
and the immediate danger WINS over.
After the storm, the calm. The anx-
iety of some men to get into the trouble
is only exceeded by Their solcitude to get
out OF IL. II happened 80 with these. -
The violent and headIong haste of the
action was eclipscd only by the reaction.
To the swordIess officers musin, in their
separate tents, and the imprisoned soldiers
discussing the affair between their bars,
there came, in due time, repentance and
regret.
Through the cenency of the man
whom they sought to DESTROY, there was
AT last afforded, on certain conditions, the
opportunity to erase their uames from
the black muster roll, and secure restor
alton to duty. Some quickly, and others
reluctantly, but finally all awaited them
selves of absoIution. except one-the
sergeant. the leader. the prime mover and
champion of the affair.
He >corned forgiveness; it implied an
acknowledgment of guilt. lie would
stand by the deed; whatever the law
called it, he held it just resistance to ty
ranny. He had sought no mans life. -
He had felt-"We cannot live together;
therefore, do thou go thy way, and will
mine;" AMI he had simply said 50. If
that were a crime he could not help it.
No matter il thousand men were cow
ards, he had not the blood OF poltroon
in his veins. He should never promise
touch his hat, and, bowling low, beg to
have his name blotted out of the list
His soul revoited at it. He would live
and die BY that solemn protest against
the authority of a domineering coward
and an incompetent commander.
SO the law took him and triedhim be.
fore General Court Martial, found him
guilty, and sentenced him "to be shot to
DEATH The General approved the find
ing and sentence of the court; and the
day and hour of the execution was fixed
in an order that was read, on certain
evening at dress parade, to each regiment
of the division. And with the words of
that order cloud fell on the whole CON-
maud.
The Law was memorable and the court
had 10 alternative. Being guilty, this
was the punishment prescribed. without
that saving clause which puts the offend
er at the mercy Of the court" or such
other punishment as the court may di-
rect" But did he deserve death? Not
man 10 oil the command believed it,
The men knew it was the letter of the
law that was staying him; but how to
invoke lis spirit. aud whether the spirit
could save HIM if it would, sorely puzzled
them. They were satisfied that he would
be punished, but by something less severe
and irrevokabe than death.
With what crushing weight the
thought came home to their hearts that
a good soldisr, true patriot. was to be
shot for a technicality, at the end OF
long war through which he had faithful
ly served! How they talked about the
Ion ssome, weary wife, and her eager ana
expectent children. away at the north,
watching with bated breath. the opening
of the mail that was soon, if not to day,
to bring her the news of the final DIS
charge Of the Second Cavalry. VINO
cou!d hold a pen TO write this other news