The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-01
COL. JACK BROWN.
why He Was Mustered Out as a Colonel In
stead of as a Brigadier-General.
Qaaeial 60 the Indfao anoy;o yournaI

why He Was Mustered Out as a Colonel An
stead of as a Brigadier-General.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 31.-Col. Jack Brown, of
Georgia, the somewhat noted politician and law
yer, has one of the most interesting histories of
any mar now in Washington. Brown is fifty
three years of age. Before he was nineteen
years old he was Solicitor-general Of Georgia,
with the rank of colonel, and had several
months been a father. Before he was twenty
three years old he refused the nomination for
Congress in a district which would have insured
him over 1000 majority. He says he had been
In Washington a great deal just before that
time, and had learned to despise the position OF
congressman more than anything else in politics.
Early in his manhood he inherited a large for
tune. With the political Office he held he had an
annual income of nearly $50, 900. When the war
broke out he equipped a company known as
Browns Legion" giving his men the best of
everything, and entered the confederate army
on an independent basis.
ut was the finest company in the confederate
service at that time" said Colonel Brown. II
had the finest lot of men, and animals, and equip
ments of any in the service, and took great pride
III LII SOAR oOFOAaA Ah2Oo = "a ShSASN -
promotion, and, shortly after 1 began fighting,
could have left the rank of captain and been ad-
yanced to that OF major or colonel. but steadily
refused it because I wanted to stay with my
personal friends"
Colonel Browns muster-out was one of the
most interesting features of his war service, and
it reveals a state of things which has probably
never been published.
"Along towards the close Of the war" says
Colonel Brown, 81 acceded to the many requests
of my superior officers, and was given the rank
of colonel. When I was in Richmond, at the
time of its evacuation, my brigade had passed
out at the lower portion of the city, and | was
seated upon my horse at the leading hotel. The
streets were running over with whisky, and
there were the widest scenes of disorder when
my old original company came along. NOV
ing out with the other troops. 1
had really abandoned my command
for the moment, and when I saw my old boys again
turned in at their head and was given COM
mand of them. I remained with that m
until the surrender at Appomattox. After the
fighting had ceased at the latter place. and the
troops were being paroled by the federals. L
met Major-ge general Fields, of Georgia, who has
BcrN6u III OOuSTGSS. anu 10 INV ~
of the Hot Springs in Arkansas. We were both
mounted, and when we disnounted we sat under
an oak tree within sight of the quarters where
General Merritt was mastering out our troops.
After we had sat there and talked about our
lost cause and lost fortunes, and the trouble
some times we had had for some time, a staff
officer approached and informed General Fields
that General Merritt wished to see him. He
invites you over, said the staff officer, to take a
drink with him. General Fields had been the
pupil of General Merritt at West Point. l ac-
~companied General Fields to the headquarters
of General Merritt, and after taking several
drinks and being introduced around to the nu-
merous officers, was told by General Merritt
that he would muster me out now. inquiring
what rank I wished in the muster-out. / replied
that l had lately been doing service. as
a colonel, but was entitled to the rank of briga-
dier-general. / asked him what rank he thought
/ ought to be mustered out under, considering
the circumstances, after relating to him some
thing of my service. General Merritt looked me
hard in the face a few moments, very earnestly,
and then replied:
att is stated upon authority in our quarters
that all confederate officers above the rank of
colonel are to be cpurt-martialed and will be exc
cuted. If l were you 1 would be mustered out
as colonel
"I very quickly informed General Merritt"
said Colonel Brown, " that 1 would receive my
muster-out with the rank Of colonel. After the
papers were given to me General Fields and l
mounted again and rode away. When a short
distance from headquarters l drew out my parole
papers, and remarking that l didn't propose to
have them found on my person, tore them into
shreds. General Merritt might have been joking
when he spoke TO me, but it was the judgment
of my friend General Fields and others who
heard him, that ne was in the very greatest
earnestness."