The National tribune., 1884-10-02
The Case of Col. Utley.


The Case Of Col. Utley.
To THE EDITOR THE TRIBUNE of July 10,
1884, contains a communication from VIM. III.
Mcintosh, in relation to VIM. l.. Utley and
the slave boy Paul. As l was in a position TO
know many of the facts in relation thereto,
which have not seen in print, / thought q
statement from me would not be wholly unin-
teresting
Paul was q slave of Judge Robinson, of
Georgetown KY, and if my memory is correct
the Judge was at the time tie Governor of the
State. The Judge had hired him out to some
neighboring planter from whom he had escaped
and found refuge in the ed Wis. The judge
ascertaned his whereabouts, and going to Col.
Utley demanded that he be given up, or put
outside the lines where he could secure him.
The Colonel told him he knew nothing about
his boy being in the regiment, but he would go
with him. and if the boy was there and was
willing to return to him, he would interpose no
objections; but if the boy was unwilling to go
he would not permit force to be used to take
him from the regiment. The boy was found,
recognized the Judge as his former master, but
expressed desire to remain where he was. The
Colonel told him he was at liberty to go with
the Judge or to remain, and he chose to remain.
The Judge visited Gen. q. A. Gilmore, then in
command of our division, and secured an order
commanding Col. Utley to deliver the slave
boy Paul to his owner, Judge Robinson.
This order Col. Utley respectfully declined
to obey, and he was placed under arrest de-
prived of his sword and the command of the
regiment. The Colonel referred the matter to
President Lincoln, who approved of the course
he had taken, and gave orders to Gen. Gilmore
to release him from arrest and restore him to
his command. Judge Robinson brought suit
against Col Utley in the District Court of the
United States at Milwaukee for abduction of
the boy, and he obtained a judgment of 81, 400
and costs, which was enforced. | am credibly
informed that Congress reimbursed the Colonel
for all his expenses and the amount of the
Judgment against him. l quote from my
memorandum:
Georgetown, KY, Oct. %, 1862 - Gen.
Gilmore and staff took the negroes out of the
18th Mich. as they were passing through the
place, some of the citizens standing with pre-
sented revolvers protecting them in the act.
Georgetown, KY. Oct. "a, 1S62.-Our regi-
ment broke camp at 3 o'clock this morning.
Before leaving camp the boys loaded their
muskets with ball cartridges, and with fixed
bayonets marched through Georgetown, where
Gen. Gilmore aud staff and numerous citizens
with cooked revolyers attempted to take refugee
negroes from our ranks; but they did not sue
ceed in a single instance. Our determined
looks and glistening STEEL in contrast with the
quiet submission of the 18th Mich, astonished
them, and they dubbed US then and there
The Abolition Regiment"
Comrade Mcintosh was an old schoolmate of
mine, and was made a prisoner of war at Brent
wood, Tenn, March %, 1863 During the war
| he was constant correspondent of Madison,
Wis, papers, and one of the best that ever left
the State. ! recall two instances in his history
one in which he was down lin the bottom of a
wagon, and the other in which he was up Ton
the rostruml. The first occurred on the third
afternoon after our capture, when we were
within three or four miles of Columbia, Tenn
had become so stiff from exposure and hard
marching that / was unable to go further A
rebel Lieutenant, commiseratng my condi-
ton, told me TO get into one-horse wagon that
was coming along the road, in which lay at
! full length a Union soldier groaning most
! piteously. / crawled in by the side of him,
! and soon discovered that it was my friend
| Mcintosh. / asked him if he was as bad off as
| his groans and complaints would indicate. He
said no, but that he had found an opportunity
| to ride and he was bound the rebs should carry
/ him the rest of the way.
| At the reception of our regiment and others
| in Milwaukee at the Soldiers Home Fair, in
| June, 1865, Judge Hubbell, Gov. Farehild and
| other distinguished men addressed u.s. voice
| called for Private Mcintosh. The call was in
| stantly taken up by the speakers and the large
/ concourse of people assembled, and Me- re-
| sponded with speech that elected more ap-
! plause than was accorded to any of the other
! speakers.-T. ID. w. MANCHESTER, Adiutant OF
! Bridge Post, No 131, Bridge, Salem Co., Kan;
/ Conn., .-Serg't 22d Wis.