The National tribune., 1880-07-01
agws Sentenced and Shot, WA

'-N
cruits, helast was won by veterans.
1t Simply brave and generous to fall in the first
chargebut it purely noble aud heroic to die in the
last The first fresh rush of patriotic blood from the
heart to the head could have easily carried the rectup
to the cannons mouth but it quite another thing
that carried him through four years charge to die
the enemy sounded the final retreat
Life becomes very dear when you have fought your way
from Bull Run to Petersbugh+ from Belmont to Mobile
To be shot by rebel at Alexandria, Virginia. in 1861 is
not at all like being shot by friends at Alexandria
Louisiana, in 1868
returned from Shreveport TO New Orleans after the
surrender OF Kirby Smith arnya that was left of it
just in time to be ordered by Sheridan to report to Custer
for duty with the Second Cavalry division Of the Military
Department of the Gulf Tho orders were TO rendezv GUS
at Alexandria Louisiana, and after due preparation to
march across the country into Texas for the purpose Of
reestablishing the authority of the Governmento fol-
low up victory with occnpaiono T8E
there the Inflated Second Cavalry 1t had suffered
somewhat from indifferent field officers but from
that fortune which overlook many Western regiments
in the shape of garrison duty in small squads squadrons
scattered to make each of Independent
mand, which in the end resed nloss OF discipline and
the rain OF those bonds OF sympathy that bound most eg
ments firmly together. To lead such "a regiment into
hoty contested fight would be blessing and would eff
fectualy set all such troubles but ther sighting
had been altogether of the guerilla kind and there
regimenta pfideo Of character, simply because there
had been osregimental deed of valor.aae
Two coonels had resigned-one to accept promotion
and the other to return homeland 1eutenantc colonel
had failed to succeed to their spread eagles and ma
ory the regiment would have reioiced if in his wrath
full disappointment he had thrown away his silver leaves
and gone home too Butte never dreamed efit. Whet
er Justly uDjustly he was despised by his command
and only held his place by sheer force of will backed by
the authorities above him.
Such the condition of the regiment when reported
for duty Tired out with the long service, weary with
uncomfortable journey by river from Memphis, sweter
ing under gufcoastsun under orders go farther and
farther from home When the over, and the
desire above aotbers be mustered and releas
ed from service that became irSsome and baefu when
prospect of crushing the longer existeda
these added to the disafecton among the officers
dered the situation truly deporabe In fact the Of
the Whole division were more less dscontened and
would have been troublesome under any commander and
any circumstances that kept them the servce but
be thoroughly organized and subjected to the discipline
necessary the maintenance of good order and to be
forced TO treat witconsdetion tevery people whose
country they had acquired chronic habit of devastating
and that too, by whom they called ssyeow-
headed circus rider from the Shenandoah this seemed
to be almost beyond the limit OF human endurance
The command had hardly pitched their tents and kim
died their campres before the spirit Of reckless disre
gard of authority began to manifest itself The men
hated the commanding generaland staff 'on principle
without regard to what they did No Eastern can
put style us. Bright buttons and spurs don
make soldier - " Its too late to teach us Army of the
Potomac notions $50 The war is over; why don't they
send us home instead of sending the upstart maorgen
era with his first moustache to lord it us? These
such speeches could hear almost any hour
OF the day or evening when wandering through the cap
and they delivered with such emphasis and sup-
pressed bitterness that the effect exceedingly ugly
Immediately the men, sngly and in squads, began to
go on extemporaneous raids through the Joining
y robbipg and plunderng indiscrininately in every
They seemed to have idea that conquered and sub
dued people could possibly have any rights that the
querors We're bound to respect. But such expeditions
could not be permitted indeed the General under or
ders to treat the people kindly and consideratey and he
obeyed orders with the same punctousnes with which
he exacted obedence from his command Therefore the
rigorous and explicit orders issued against
'jay-hawking Of every kind aud the offenders were
severely punished. But the ordinary punishments were
found TO be utterly nadequate The guardhouse police
duty extra duty, &c. had lost their terrors and punish
ments had TO be devised that would reach class men
and offenses unproyided for in the regulations"
The storm which had been brewing many months in
the ranks of the Second Cavalry suddenly burst upon it,
paper demanding the resignation of the ieutenantcolo
ne had been largely signed by officers and men, and pre-
sented to him. This the flint that struck fire. In
half an hour the officers whose appeared that
fatal list deprived of their swords and the catasro
phe longer to- be avoided. Blood in the eyes
of the soldiers and in the cheeks of the officers
vengeance in the hearts of the and fear the
souls of the commanders There a quick roll of the
drum-a few explosive ordersa sudden rush--a sort of
dizzy whir the lieutenant colonel narrowly escaped and
by quick movement OF the guard sergeant and several
lyvho wan ouf tad anI