Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-09-10
THE MILITARY MUDDLE.
LIQUOR NOT IN CAMP But AT
BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS.
ga Young Soldier Takes the Field
Once More ia Behalf of the Third
Regiment.

Regiment.
EDITOR SENTINEL:-TheA Asheville
Cftisen of August 29th has an article
on the qesition of the Salisbury Watch-
man in regard to the State Guard, in
which the whole tone and tenor of the
article published i'll your paper and
signed, "A Young Soldier" is misrep-
resented. The article in your paper
was entitled, "The Third Regiment
and the treatment it has received from
the Adjutant General and asked
some questions as to why the members
of the Third Regiment had been treat
ed as they had been and then at the
close OF the article, the writer said
chat on the night of the long roll Of
ficers high in authority, were seen
upon the ground who could not pre-
serve their equilibrium" And ii re-
gard to this article the AsheviIle Citi-
zen says:
"The Wdtchman is again misled.
Anonymous malice has made state
nents with the slightest material of
foundation, and the FzatchUan draws
differences without substantial premis-
cs. 1t is not claimed anywhere that
the State Gxard Is temperance or
ganiZation, and that its officers and
men are followers of father Matthew.
1t Was not pretended that in the hours
Of relaxation the principles of total
abstinence should govern the camp.
| No question that in the tents of both
men and sficers there was material
| for moderately good cheer. But there
| is no investigation needed. We take
| it upon ourselves to say, without fear
| Of contradiction, that no body of men,
young or old, ever conducted them
selves iii the camp, and on the streets
of Ash@ville, with more perfect pro-
priety. II was the gratiiied expression
OF every body. 1t is left for a soldier
to slander his comrades, and bring in
question the propriety of the existence
Of the State Gusrd. It is an old say
Ing, receiving new verifeation, that it
is ali i'll bird that fouls its swn nest.
All others but this anonymous CORES
pondent and those who unw:ttingly
give him credence stand ready to re-
| pei the charge.
editors who give voice to this SLAM
der forget how greatly they injure the
reputation Of the young men Of the
State. The companies composing the
State Guard are the best material OF
the communities they represent. To
say that they cannot conduct them
selves properly abroad is a reflection
upon the communities themselves. The
journals Of the STATE cannot be parties
to Il baseless slander without doing a
mischief surely not calculated. But
if the State Guard is slandered every
community that furnishes a company
is slandered, and that all the venom
of an anonymous villitier may be safe
ly she'd
Now Mr.. Editor, in all said by GA
Young Soldier not one word was
said against the officers and men OF
the regiments, and it is an effort to
try and array the members of the
Guard against the writer to insiauate
any thing eise | will 60 farther and
say that "a Young Soldier" was in
the camp Of every regiment and that
he saw no liquor in any of the camps
except at Bri gade Headquarters, and
that in camp or out of it, he did not
see any sohdicr under the influence OF
liquor, save the "Oficers high in AZ
thority," spoken of before No mem
ber of the State Guard is more anx
ious for the success Of the organiza
ton than the author of this, and nc
one regrets more than he, that any
. thing should have occurred to n;u
the success of the encampment, bu
the members of the 3rd Regiment are
not brutes, that no respect should be
, paid to their feelings; they are az
kigh toned and chivalrsus as any men
in the State, and they deeply feel th'
slur cast upon them; they went to tht
encampment under the most disad
vantageous circumstances, under prom
ises from the Adiutant General tha
, he would grant leave thany whom
= |. their Colonel said oug NO have it
and then when they were compelle'
: to leave, he publishes them to tn
!. world as deserters and gave them fiv
days to explain their conduct or thei
commissions would be revoked.
The Governor was not present a
the cncampment till the day the com
panies of the 3rd Regiment left an
the members of the regiment have n
ill feeling to the Governor as the Ad
jutant General alone made the prom
!, ises in regard to leaving
E Since the last General Orders hav
: pardoned the members Of the 3r
c Regiment, We feel that pardon shoul
e be graated those who took too muc
y @tea.' during the encamPmsnt, an
/ the writer will say it was only in cas-
9 of ga court of inquiry being ordere
0 to examine IN the conduct of officer
e Of the 3rd Regiment, that the officer
a of that regiment intended to have th
/ question settled for the benefit of flu
J, ure encampments as to how muc
; liquor it was admissible for soldie
r to drink with his uniform on, eve
e tho he was ssHigh in Authority
E T am afraid Mr.. Editor, that til
controversy is becoming more Of
personal one than of public interest
the State, and / fear a continuation /,
(: it will do more to injure the Sta
d Guard than to benefit it. Every OF
is obliged to admit grave errors wei
: committed at the encampment, i
p them be warnings to US In the fntur
hava made M e31aroas hut yvh.