Arizona citizen., 1872-01-13
HISTORIANS AND HISTORY.

than none. A sense of pubic duty impels us to assist in giving promi- hence to few such, even though 1t requires an exhibition of how few moral poltroons constructed a histori- cal boomerang. If a recital of facts should appear unpleasant to officers we have heretofore not only spoken but thought we'll of, we beg of them to bear in mind that they made the facts-not us. If public men will persist in making bad history, they should expect that the faithful chron- icler can no more improve 1t than he can the characters of the makers. With these few remarks by way of an introduction, the facts must have attention.
 In the latter part of 1870, Lieuten- ant Whitman came to Arizona, and al- though we knew he had been on a long spree, we didn't know that he could travel in any other condition, and pre- suming he was otherwise fair aver age officer coming here to be friend instead of an enemy of Arizona, we kindly mentioned his arrival. He soon after went to Camp Grant, and readers of THE CITIZEN will remem- Der of hearing something about him subsequently, in our paper of Sep tember ?, 1871. What was then said found its way to the War Department at Washington. and by order of that branch of the Government, was refer red to General Schofeld, who in reg ular order transmitted it to General Crook. The latter submitted the same to the proprietor of THE CITIZEN for retraction or authorization, and he emphatically declined to retract, and stated that reputable witnesses stood ready to authenticate the ugly state ments. For the credit of the United States Army, and to give Whitman chance to clear up his record, the De- partment Commander convened Gen. eral Court-martial to try Whitman on their oaths, without partiality, favor or affection" to any one. That Court consisted of the following officers:
 Captains James Curtis, Troop I; Guy V. Henry, Troop D; Alexander Moore, Troop F; and Gerald Russell, Troop K-all of the Third Cavalry, the accused officers own regiment First Lieutenants J. l.. Johnston, R. Q. M., Twenty-frst Infantry; and Max Wesendorff, Troop A, First Cav airy. Two other Lieutenants were or dered on the Court, but fortunately for their reputation, they were too ill to share in its proceedings, which, for the credit of the army, we think we are justified in saying have no parallel for and moral cowardice in mil itary or other court annals. Follow ing is the review of said proceedings by the Commanding General of the Department; but just in advance, it is proper to state that the counsel of Whitman, whom the order so unen- viably refers to, is Major Henry R. Twenty-first Infantry, now commanding Camp Lowell:
 DEPARTMENT ARIZONA, l
 PRESCOTT, December 15, 1871. { GENERAL ORDERS No B.
 1. Before General Court Martial which convened at Camp Lowell, A. T., on the 4th day of December, 1871, by virtue of paragraph I, Special Orders No S5, current series, from these Headquarters, and of which Captain James Curtis, Third Cav airy, is President, was arraigned
 First Lieutenant Royal E. Whit man, Third Cavalry.
 CHARGE FIRST:
 ' Conduct qtn5econing Gn officer G,ad c gen.
 tlen1dn."
 Specification First-In this, that he First Lieutenant Royal E. Whitman, Third Cav
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