National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-02-07
A SOLDIERS RECORD.
Charges Against a Gallant Officer
Refuted.
A statement from His Superior OHcer-Clr-
cumstNnces Under which the Palmyra
Guerriilas were ETecuted-Every
Possible Means of Escape
Tendered-1he Act APP
proved by Curtis.


General McNcil's Conduct at Palmyra.
General John Mcneil, whose nomination as
marshal of the Eastern district of Missouri is
bitterly opposed by the Democratic Senators
from that State, has laid his answers to tho
charges made before the Senate Judiciary Com
mittoe, TO which the nomination was referred.
Hisreply overwhelmingly rcfutes every accuse.
tion. 1t is very voluminOus, being supported
by documentary proof from the highest au-
thority. The following letter is submitted in
answer 20 the Palmyra charges, the principal
cause of the hostility to him. General Nor
rirs letter shows him to have been an able
and discreet officer, going rs far in lcniency as
his duty as a soldier would permit
GENERAL MERRILLs LETTER
FORT YATES, D. r., Jan. %, 1880
Ny DEAR GENERAL: Your letter OF the 10th
Inst. reached me, and hasten TO answer. You may
feel sure that now always nothing that can do
viii be omitted to reiuto the many falsehoods and
Interpretations which have been made regard.
ing your acts while in command at Palmyra.
For the present purpose perhaps statement Of
S 6s SS %noT SS of M anI Io @ and Re p n
NOR, North Missouri was wholly within the lines
Of the Union Army, having at no time been
north Of the Missouri river any regular and recog
ni2ed body Of rebel military. During this time,
however, n. very considerable section OF that
part OF the state was overrun Dy hands
ers. not belonging TO or recognized by the rebel
authorities, and having 10 organization or desg-
authorities refused 10 recognize such as were cap
turod as fit subjects of exchange for our troops cup
turcd IN battle, ana the bushwhackers themselves
refused offers to exchange them, and in cases to
accept release on the condition Of Joining aud re-
maliling within the rebel lines They had wholly
and solely the character and organization of ban
ditu 0mcnabe to 10 authority and denounced
by ell the lovers of civilized warfare MS only TO bo
regarded MS public robbers. to be killed on
sight They occupied themselves chiefly in
| the murder of peaceful citizens, in the rob
berry Of friends and the occasional ambush
ing and hGrassng Of small bodies Of Union
troops passing through the country or firing
on unprotected railrund trains carrying only
the usual passengers They were, IN short simply
bands of robbers, having only relations TO the
rebels In that their sympathies. politically, were
with them, or claimed TO be. Thousands of these
men were captured from time TO time; Very many
sions and sentenced TO be shot, but up TO the
fall of 500 10 sentence was carried into execution
would cure the owl. TO this end hundreds
OF them were released upon parole. Many
OF these observed their parole, but by far
the larger number returned at once to the
guerrilla practices, and were again, and again
captured and PTss1rSoled' During the summer a
aa fail rebel q s5de Sf H Slipped Ody rSaga rocSS oSr
lines IN small squads, and, concentrating, at
tempted TO recruit and carry out of the State a
ARM Tho gucrrfas, In considerable numbers,
joiua6 thesetroops however, only short time,
and as was subsequently ana aDHnqaIty u iSin proven
nized rebel forces The vigorous pursuit and at
tack of this force chiefly by your own command,
ending in the bloody and decisive battle of Kinks.
VILE, When you utterly routed and destroyed 1t,
ended this attempt 20 recruit IN Northern Missouri;
the fragments Of the recognized forces left the
State The gucrrill Has who were with them remained
and returned to their old haunts, joined their old
bands, and began anew their devilish practices of
murder ana robbery; Having some time be-
TINT part Of the state, have full knowledge of tho
occurrences. Repeated orders, procamatons and
warnings had been given, that unless these bands
broke up and went TO their homes the laws OF war
would be enforced on all who were captured.
Little heed was given by them, and set to work
vigorously TO suppress them. Hundreds were cap
tured, and tried by military commission and SEN
fenced to death. or these, some were held as hos.
been captured and carried of 10y them. At last
patience was exhausted, An order was given that
the sentences in certain cases wouldbe carried out
MS warning ana example 10 thelr telloW evil
doers. This order was made after long COnsult0-
ton with MalorGonerGl Curtis, then commanding
the department., and after every effort to
suppress these bands without resort TO
these extreme measures had been exhausted.
10 is also within my personal knowledge that this
order had at least the subsequent approval of The
President II not his previous sanction. On this
last point have no knowledge, General Curtis
never having mentioned H. From among somo
five hundred guerrillas. prisoners then In our
hands all Of whom had been fairly and patiently
tried by military commission, all OF whom had
been convicted and sentenced TO death (some us
now recollect, twenty in all were selected and
their sentences ordered executed In 10 case
| selected had the criminal been convicted of less
|
assN lneycry case selected the criminal mad, n
addition to the violation OF parole been convicted
of one or more murders ana other out
RACES almost rs bnd; Among the criminals selected,
ten, as now rcc0liecl me nlmOer were under
your immediate control nt Palmyra. shortly be,
fore this a poweress ana peaceful old man had
been c"Gtnred ana aoI4GSd uE some Oi tnesS
bands. You saw IT, ~ ordering me execution ol
these criminals, TO publish proclamation that the
return OF this Ola man to his home would result IN
these convicted men being, Pa'dVned. rms pro
effect, and at the time fixed i9r the execution OF
thc sentence ne men were duiy executed as We're
the Others at Macon Guy ana MeNlGo except IN
one case, when Gen Gurus lnterp0acd ana iist re-
repnorcd and finally pardoned one OF them
You were at THIS time my SuDordlhaIe omcCr,
and both were under command OF General Curtis
Both the lntler ohGer ana myself hNu lull KNOW,
edge of what you did, ana inlN approved II had
been previously sanctioned aGd ordered, aud we
could NJ any moment nave stopped II hnu not the
COuy cton, aiter long and painful consultation OF
the demand Of duty, compelled adherence to the
executed. Painful as was ne dniy, higher oPli-