The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-05-24

There were times during the Rebel
lion when tho discipline Of the armies
engaged therein WAS a. strict ss any that
history records This was more par
ticulafly the situation in the esrly part
Of 1864. when Mai. Gen. George G.
Meade was virtuslly the executive Off
csr or direct commander If the Army of
the Potomac.
At the date referred TO the execution
Of deserters was the most frequent aud
summary The strict enfaceneot Of
the most rigid of the articles of war
was perhaps to be expected. considering
the magnitude of the operations of the
army. BIZ such a course. however.
many a good soldier who had served
his country faithfully and with honor
to himself was brought TO suffer ex-
treme punishment. frequently desth,
when the technical crime Of which be
was accused WAS the result VI unforeseen
circumstances or accident. committed
without any forethonght or ahy design
to violate the rules of discipline
In this connection a trus and remark
able case can be recite,l of nsirbreadth's
escape from execu,ian 10y being shot to
death. It came directly within the
knowleig OF the writer in March, 1864.
It's details in several particulars are un-
usual and thrilling. II will be neces-
sary to state briefly, for full under
standing of this recountal of facts. that
at the time mentioned the writer was
Adjutant Of the draft rendezvous Of the
States Of Delaware aud Maryland, which
was located in Lafayette square. Belti
more. At that place all the recruits.
and conscripts, sabstitutes and re-
enlisted men OF the two States were
received previous 10 being forwarded
to the front The officers of the regu-
lar garrison were those who had been
disabled by wounds, and represented
from ten to fifteen different States.
Among eoficersat Laiay yette sqnsre
was a lieutenant who belonged origi-
nally to the Ninety fifth Pennsylvania
volunteers. better known as the Cos
ling Iouavss" Of Philadelphia, finer
looking officer or more consciencous
man than Lieut. P q fictitious name
is used as the gcntleman is still! living).
In ths terrible slaughter nj the battle
of Ffedrcksburg. Vs., Dee. 12th. 1862.
Lirnt p was dangerously wounded
through both thighs. and undoubtedly
would have persisted on the field bad it
not been for Corporal C of bis COM
pany. who in the retreat stumbled
upon him AID carried him off
not an easy thing to do, AS the lieu
tenant stands six feet tw o i'll his stock
ings. That was the last field duty
Lieut.. P did. and in March, 1864.
we fiud him at the Lafayette square
garrison, in Baltimore.
/ Corporal c. subsequently took part
in oil the engagements in which his
regiment was concerned. and stood
high in the estimation of his superiors
for valor and faithtulness up to the
battle of Gettysburg.
After the battle of Gettysburg. in
July, 1868, the regimeut to which
corporal c. belonged encamped one
evening within sight of the home Of his
family, which he had not seeu for nearly
three years. From where he lay he
could see the glinting of the light in
tho window beyond which were his wife
and little ones With throbbing hear:
he acknowledged to himself, that tue
temptation was too great. What" he
said. "if slip down there for an hour
or two. surprise them, aud return before
break Of day ready in my place to move
with the command. who will be the
wiser for it," Who shall measure the
rspidity with which the hours went by
during that gladsomc surprise to all
which. next to country. was dear to
himS r.
Returning in the early morn. Corpo-
raj c., TO his horror, found that the
column had moved during his absence.
He hurried on to overtske it. with .
iull Consciousness of the terrible conse-
Quences that came to all deserters and
Of the fact that the truth would avail
him little under the then strict rtgiule.
as an excuse for his absence if he did
not succeed in re;oining his company.
He never slackened his double quick"
until the ford at Williamsport was
reached Al that point his hope gave
way to despair. The column had
crossed into Maryland two hours' be-
fore. 4 strong proyost guard bad bsen
stationed at the FORD with strict orders
ssasrcst sli stragglers - dcsArters 80
A prisoner then. and with the instan.
ces Of dreadful punishment that had
been inflicted upon aesertsrs fresh in
mind, he decided to desert. in fact, from
the provost guard and take his chances
Of finally reaching his company rather
than Il .,i.' run shs s'sk e = sri.l sby court
He failed to reach his command, and
taking to the woods by long journeys
at night and hiding by daytime, he
reached the city Of Frederick. Nd.
There he lost no time in reenlist:pg un-
der an assumed name ~ . rec-nit. hop
ing by keeping constantly in the SER
wee TO escape detection and arrest.
Proceeding again to the front In the
Tenth Marylan regiment. Corporal c.
served faithfully. was twice wounded.
and received an honorable discharge in
March. 1864.
Upon being discharged from the
Tenth Maryland. still hoping to co.,
ceal his identity. he Immediately reen-
listed as . recruit with Capt. Cole, the
Provost Marshal at Frederick, and was
sent On with . squad Of twenty or mere
to draft rendezvous At Lafayette square.
Baltimore.
Lieut. p - Was of;cer Of the day
when the squad reached the rendsz-
vou.. Il was part OF bis duty - such