Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-09

A COnfederatc's Effort to Utilize Lame
Men and Crippled Guns.
From the Arkansaw Traveller.


81 never will forgive the Confederate Govern
ment, /" said Col. Wartick, when asked to relate
q war reminiscence. II started out with ripe
determination of doing everything in my power
for the cause, but men who had more authority
than had pulled against me, and consequently
l stepped aside. They even went so far as to
court-martial me. Now, II there is anything In
military life that takes mans appetite 1t IL to
be court-martialed. It's pretty bad In civil life
to be tried before . Justice Of the Peace but
that isn't anything to compare with q court-mar-
tial. aud especially when he knows full well
that no has done nothing to merit such severe
handling"
why were you court-martialed, Colonel"
asked one OF the company.
'For the simple discharge Of my duty Just
about the time 1t behooved the Confectionery to
make every edge cut that could was sent into
community to press guns and to draft and
arm every available man. Well, went to work
and discharged my duty In accordance with nv
construction Of the order. At ono place We
seized Q large number Of dOable-barrel shot
guns. In examining them We found many that
were damaged so greatly that only one barrel
could be used. l told my men not to throw
them aside, but to keep them, that they would
come in handy. In this community there were
q great many saw mills and family feuds, and
consequently there were great many one
the one-legged men to be found within radius
OF Is miles should be brought into camp The
order was strictly Obeyed, and within two
weeks we had IS crpples. Forming them in line
one day, ordered the disabled shotguns to be
brought out. When took up gun whose right
barrel was useless / would give it to man who
had lost the use Of his right leg and so on until
the seventy-hve men were armed. This was
strictly appropriate. for we had no other use tor
the crippled guns, and the country certainly had
no other use for the crippled men. took great
pride in this crippled company wanted it to
make name; wanted each man to feel proud
OF himself. They elected captain, tall fellow.
who lost his left leg while rafting logs We
presented him. attended by disabled ceremony
with broken sword and double barreled pistol,
with one hammer gone. 1t would have tickled
you TO death to have seen them on dress parade.
and their quick-time would have made Napoleon
pull of his hat and grin. Well pretty soon had oc-
casiOn to use them. The enemy came upon me
unexpectedly, and In the hurry incident upon
such occasions placed the one-legged COM
pany In the warmest part of the field The bat
Iie lasted several hours, and was q draw
Inc Captains peg was shattered by ball, and
during the fight he sent an orderly into the
woods to make him another leg. Other MEM
Ders OF the company were similarly served and.
Sir. the amount Of splinters ON the battle ground
was simply astonishing. The enemy had fired
low, and three out Of six wooden legs were dis
aoied Before complete repairs could be made,
my General came along, and not being able to
understand why so much kindling wood should
Do scattered over battlefield, asked the rea-
son. explained, expecting him to compliment
me on my ingenuity, but the unappreciative
fellow had me court-martialed. 1 left the SER
vice. and during the remaining time Of the war
aided the cause by capturing mules from the
Union men and burning cotton that might have
Iallen In possession OF the enemy"