New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-15
court wi / meet again tomorrow morning
GENERAL sCHOFIELD AND COLOR PRE
JUDGE.
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF WEST POINT THE FRS
TO EMANCIPATE A SLAVE.

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF WEST POINT THE FIRST
TO EMANCIPATE SLAVE.
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: General Schofeld has been criticised
somewhat severely In some quarters for what seemed
too hasty Judgment in tho OF the coored cadet
Whitaker giving cOuntenance to the story that he was
the victim OF his own violence, for sinister purpose
This may have raised the question In some minds who
are acquainted with the General whether the head
OF West Point Academy is under the influence OF an
uuseemly prejudice Of caste.
TO charitable minds It Will be pleasure to reoall
fact OF tne war; long since forgotten in which General
sohOhed the chief actor and which, at tho time,won
the admiration and applause OF all lovers OF justice In
ard out OF the army. The first slave emancipated
was by q military order OF General Sehoheid
at Knoxville, Tenn. The army wal recovering from
the effects OF six weeks siege By General LOngstree
who had retired up the Tennessee Valley with the
Rer of MS army wasted In disastrous assault upn
the stronghold OF Fort Saunders. There consider
able influx Of people and Of slaves into Knoxville
Among the latter two mulatTO boys belonging 10
j. Heiske the United States Collector of internal Row
euue ana partner of Parson Brownlow. Heisko.l was
one OF those nOndelcrp characters often met wth
where our army obtained pOssessiOn-"a loyal slave
holder"
He set on foot thorough search for the boys" in
which no assisted by United States soldiers detailed
by PrOvOst-Marshal Carter, another loyal Tonnes
seean" The younger Of the boys, about twelve years
old was captured by brave boys in blue and dragged
away from his conceament where he was doing ye0man
service messbOy In one OF the sadqu rels OF Gene,
raj Milo 8. HaEcalls command The hoy wac dragged
by his OWnrr insisted by the PrOYOsMGTsha5 deiail,
a IN tho second story OF his own house. bound
with a bedeord and there be was unmercinly logged
by HCisktll. go
The Ouic1rs OF the boy and "the sound Of whip at
Iracted tho notice OF some Ceers who occupied IN adj
Joining house. who reported the facts al General Hus-
calls Headquarters. The Generals ind gnatiOn knew
bounds. He ordered an nvestgaton ut once OF all
the faes during the night the brother OF the victim
had learned Of thu imprisonment aud whlppin and
sought ont the hOuS3 where he was cOuhned sentry
pared up ard down before the dwell NJ throughout the
night But whether he slept on his post or conveniently
looked the other way, tho stronger brother caught
the weaker in his arms, he fell from window, and
bore him Of bound hand and FOOT, upon us BACK A,
General Hnsca.l5 Orde", DR.. Cummings. rtgimental
gIrReOn, naue an examination or the boy, whose Dack
gave nnpe evidence of cruel and merciless beailng
The same day all the facts reported to General
schOned. who directed Major now General, W. 81
Wherry order rGbukiDR officers ana men Tor
their un warranted and uusOldlery eonnnct III Inc
affair." aud forever setting FREQ the boy from all urther
service and control OF Heske his heirs administrators
and assigns . So. ,-.
The narrative OF these facts appeared In THE TRIBUNE,
from tho pnn OF It's correspondent with the Army
Ncu- York, ApIl Ia. 1880. e. B.
Nevertheless General SchOheld made haste to
condemn the friendess, ostracised colored cadet,
and instead of being judge and protector. has thus
made himself prosecutor. We do not say that Gen
oral Schofieds suspicious Of Whitaker may not be
right but we do say they have not been proved,
and till they are, the Generals conduct is uot
seemly II forces his friends to recall what they
would gladly foreet-his eager work fer the white
washing of FitZ John POrtCr.-fd1