Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-07-18
THE CODE or HONOR.
What Glen. Sherman Says Of the Old
Time Way Of Settling Personal Dill.
culties Amongst Army Officers = A
rIt..a 49, lhn Ald XnV L. tin RnSf

entities Amongst Army Officers = A
Hint that the Old Way is the Best.
Washington letter to Army and Navy journal.
Speaking Of the Starley.Hazen diff
Guilty. Gen. Sherman remarked that
they used to settle those affairs differ
entity in old times. And there are those
who still contend that court of law is
not the hest place 10 settle dispute OF
this nature. However much we may
inveieh against the g code" there is no
doubt that in the olden times, when the
ofi;cers-both military and naval--gen-
orally obeyed It's dictates, there was
more punctilio and much more care
for the nice points Of honor than exist
at the present day. Fifty years ago,
when we were regarded as rather II
rude people, il would have been inn
possible for any officer to REMAIN IN
either the army or navy, who would
permit the slightest slur upon his char
acter as soldier or gentleman.
Those were our barbarous days, 1t may
be said, but, barbarous or not, II Is GER
tain that Gems. Jackson, Scott, kearney,
Hunter, Sumner, with Stockton and
host Of othels of both services, wnom
the country has been proud to honor,
were at various times mixed up in those
affairs Of honor, and they never recog-
nized any other way of settling certain
class of disputes. II il true that in the
early part OF this century the officers
of both services were u pugnacious set
Of fellows, and there were two causes
that were the occasion of many duels
and the stirring up OF bad blood in
the army and navy. The reduc-
ton of the army in 1915, and the
still farther reduction IN 1921, threw
out n great many officers. Those who
were left out fancied themselves wrong.
ed by those retained, and there were
many hostile meetings on this account.
Our naval officers were justly proud Oi
their SUCCESSES during the war Of 1872,
and the officers of the English navy,
who were in many instances oyerbear.
ing and uncivil, would pretend, in for
eign ports. to mako light Of our ships
and our officers. But thoy were always
sure to be picked mp by some Of our
gallant sailors. Between 1907 and 1896
there were innumorable duels fought
by our naval officers. During that pc
Rod, one commodore, three lieutenants,
two surgeons and seven midshipmen
were killed in duels, and one captain
and one lieutenant OF marines met their
death in the same manner. The affairs
that terminated fatally were but small
portion Of them. In the army dueliing
would break out occasionally as n sort
Of epidemic, and il would be impossible
to describe oil the hostile meetings that
took place years ago. Some, like that
Of Maj. Thomas Biddle, paymaster,
near 81. Louis, in 1871, were terribly
bloody allairs. Tho affair between
Capts. Wright and Hook, ut Fort Hawk
ins, Georgia, which took place fifty
years since, was little remarkable, rs
ut the first fire Wright was 30 bnd]y
wounded that he could not stand, but
no insisted on another shot, which, by
nil the rules Of the code, he should not
have had. II WINS agreed TO, however,
and at the next fire he crippled Capt.
Hook for life. The older officers will
ailectionately remember Col, Hook, If
forwards Of the commissary
department, who was no long
stationed here, and who was, like
Gen. Gibson, one Of the most genial
gentlemen that the army has ever pro-
duced. About the same time there was
another remarkable affair between
Lieut.. Brooke, Of tho Fourth infantry,
and mn officer of the regiment, whose
name We do not recolleot. This occur
red Mt tho port Of Traders Hill, also in
Georgia. Brooke had but recently
joined his regiment from West Point,
and he found pretty hnrd rollcking
set of fellows Mt tho post. Brooke was
M exceedingly amiable young fellow,
and he bore n good deal of badgering
from tho officer, who Ind the reputa-
ton of being something OF II hector,
and Mt last he could stand ii no longer,
and he called HIM out They were to
use muskets md TO raise their pieces
and fire MT the word. Brooks opponent
tried to intimidnto him by sending him
word that lie should shoot him through
certain button on his coat. But he
did not scare" ut ali. When the word
was given he noticed that his antago.
nist had forgotten to cock his piece, and
he sang out, "Hallo, there, You have
forgotten to cock your musket,' and so
they commenced over again. Brooke
killed his adversary Mt the first fire,
He knew thnt he was in the right, but
tho affair made such an impression
upon him, as he was OF sensitive and
retiring nature, that no left tho army
and died soon after near Washington.
1t would be impossible to give his
tory Of duellng in the army in II small
volume. The epidemic broke out in n
mild form while our army was idle III
the city Of Mexico, but il lasted but n
short time and no great damage was
done. We would not, perhaps, wish e
zee tho "code" revived in all its rigor
but there are many who think ~ til,
Emperor William Of Prussia did, 70
Gently, when he dismissed an officer o
his army for refusing TO fight a mar
who had challenged him. "For," said
the old Kaiser, 81 cannot trust the
honor Of the army in the hands OF 4
man who will not fight Tor his OWL
honor
The New York Seymour Tragedy.