The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-10-27
A CURIOUS CASE.
A SUPPOSED DESERTER BEFORE A
FEDERAL COURT MARTIAL.
Contradictory Character of the Evidence
The Court Nonplussed-A Captains
A vice.-An Explanation Made After
the Close of the War.


Petersburg. Hugh Morris, sergeant OF e
New Jersey regiment, had been reduced 10
the ranks. 4 detail for fatigue duty hve
miles away included Hugh. The following
nigbt deserter who came in said be had Il
brother in the Union army, and ON InveStiSa-
tion II was ascertained to be Hugh lie was
permitted 90 wait with Hughs mess uh'n lis
return Meantime the commanding officer
OF Un~h's regiment had been detailed away
from his command, and his successor was lS
norant of the facts above narrated. ne to
ceived shortly after assuming command, all
order from headquarters to srnd huSn
Morris brother there. He reported lhtC
HUH was away on detail, and had no Dro1her
in the regiment In doing so he lerroheousiy)
sicnod the colones name in place Of BIS own
The colonel had previously reported Tue
dcserter and obtained permission Tor Nun 10
wait Tor his brothers return. Meantime one
Of Gen. Meade's spies had come across the Inc
and reported that Hugh had deserted ana was
givinr the rebels all the information he could
as TO the Union army and position. Inc pre-
tended brother was doubtless a rebel spy. 1t
would seem. also, doubtless, that the colonel
was in the same.
CHARGED WITH DISCRETION.
Made qaiotly ordered Wilcox's division to
surround the New Jersey regiment, ana
pla.o.l cvcry one in it under arrest. Inc
rebel do,ertcr could not be found. The Oil
ce,., OF ia, REGIMENT were furious. The next
mor.i'n- Fort St,dman was surprised ana
c4o.lr,i Iy Inc roDcls, aslS nown IN history.
/ o. tie sane day Hugh Morris returned to
his rariacut. and was Immediately arrested
and brOught before a court marital Ior trlal'
ch,,~al with ,csertion There was no EVIL
deu~e against him except the SPY OF ten
N,,Io. before mentioned. But that was
direct and conclusive He was on the rebel
ou.pos. when Morris came in, himself seeking
an ooporfunity to reach the Union lines de
accomnouied Morris to the rear and slept
with him that night in the prison barracks
near Petersburg. While Morris was asleep
no took from him his diary, and also cut from
his hoad a lock of hair, both of whish he
showed before the court The last entry Ill
/ the diary was mention OF the tact Oh uoIth 10
repair locomotive engine The cup OF mar
/ appeared to exa lily match sheared lock OF
! Morris head. Other than this ana tho lacI
/ that Morris had been Nduced from sergeant
To private and had expressed emphatic DIS
content. there was nothing against him. ms,
however. was absolute and convincing. Nor
ris. in his defense, produced tho Tour me
/ chanics who were detailed with him to repair
and replace the railroad engine, which had
been thrown from the military railroad ana
seriously impaired. They testified that he
was with them continuously and only left Tor
his company when the job was completed,
short time before he in fact rejoined his COM
panv. He admitted the diary was BIS ana
made no explanation OF the lock OF nalr. Inc
mechanics who worked with him identliled
him particularly by the hat no wore, when
had a peculiar feather in it, and also ms coat
sleeves showed the dark lines which had be
fore been covered with the sergeants cheV-
rons. All the officers Of his regiment testified
to his uniform sodierly conduct through
many campaigns and battles, and 1t also APP
neared that he had been deprived OF his ser
geant's rank because Of communication WIN
the enemy against express orders.
EXPLAINED AT LAST
The court .of which the writer was presi-
dent was noaplusscd by the evidence. 1t adj
adjourned early until the next morning.
Late that nirht they came TO my tent one OF
the most reliable and conscientious captains
in the whole army Of the Potomac. l be-
Ieved in him next tony Saviour. He simply
said. Morris ought not to be convicted
and went away When the court reaSSembled
a vote was taken by the ballots. There were
eight tlau6s and one Not guilty" ana so the
lin ing was recorded
Two months after, when the war was over
and Che army at Washington, was invited
10 take supper at the Washington house, cor
ner ThiEl ana Pennsylvania avenues, by this
man ,lorrj There were assembled every
member OF the court martial, besides citizen
/ friends OF in? accused man from New Jersey.
| He then made the following statements
"Whcn Che war broke out my brother was
in business, at Atlanta. | learned he was IN
our front before Petersburg as member OF
the Thirteenth Alabama. had been detailed
TO go on advance picket duty during the FOL
lowing night Afterward came the order for
n locomotive mechanic and the orderly ser
geant changed my previous detail, sending
me. the only man from the regiment, To
assist in repairing the engine Now, when
YOU understand | had made arrangements
with the rebel picket TO meet my brother be-
tween the lines you can imagine / had no
taste for that locomotive detail My chum
looked almost like my twin brother lie
knew little something about machine iron
work | told him the facts. He refused to
go in my place unless tho captain would con-
sent 1t was asking good deal Of the cap
tain Well, we snapped clothing and he
went in my place. My brother missed me
, and came over TO our side | missed my
brother and went over to their side. The
Federal spy met me just as he testified and
told him all the cock-and-bull stories | could
think about the Union army. The assault on
Fort Stedman was wholly unknown TO me,