Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-04-03
4 BARRACK GHOST STORY

Chambers Journal: "Prisoner, have
you any objection I o be tried by me as
president or by any member OF this
court martiala" asked the field officer
who had been detailed for the duty of
presiding yer the court.
"No. sir,"I answered; for it was
my most unenviable situation that
morning to be brought to the court
room for trial, having been ''put
back" by my commanding officer a
O few days before on "a charge OF hav-
ing been asleep on my post while on
sentry; an offense characterized in my
indictment as conduct in prejudice
to good order and military discipline
The members composing the court
were then sworn, and the trial pro-
ceeded in the cumbrous fashion pecu-
liar to military tribunals, the president
laboriously writing down every word
of the evidence as it was uttered. The
sergeant who had been in charge of
the guard at the time of my alleged Of
tense was the principal witness against
me. and he began to describe, with
grotesqueiy ungrammatical ~volubility,
how he had found me stretched OF the
ground asleep; but was at once pulled
up short by the president, who ordered
him to say in as few words as posi-
BILE.
'Was the prisoner soberP" asked
one of the officers when the sergeant
had finished his evidence.
Quite sober. sir, replied the man of
stripes.
The men who composed tho relief
having corroborated the sergeant's
statement. l vas called upon for my
defence.
1 therefore narrated to the court that
shortly before my two hours on duty
had expired, / saw a white figure
carrying a drawn sword pass close to
my post, and that, being of a nervous
excitablo temperament, l was SO
frightened that l fell to the ground in
an unconscious state, and only recov-
cred when l was aroused by the SER
geant OF the guard.
Prisoner" remarked tho presi-
dent. ''in my twenty years experience
in the army. l / have served on numer-
Gus courts martial, and have heard all
kinds Of ingenious defences put for
ward by men in your present position
in excuse of the offences with which
they were charged; but your line Of
defence is the most remarkable that
has come under my observation. Who,
do you think, will credit u story of that
descriptions Assuredly not. !, for one.
Now, prisoner" continued the major
in q kindly tone, II must advise you
that your action is submitting to the
court a statement of that description is
extremely injudicious. You will do
yourself a positive injury by persever-
ing in it, not only with regard to the
probable extent of your punishment,
but also to your reputation as a SOL
der. 1t will be far better for you
simply to wi that you were asleep.
You are o young man who has
served bat six months in the regiment,
so. under the circumstances, assuming
that you adopt my suggestion, which
is assuredly meant for your good, the
court may think fit, consistently with
the duty demanded of it by the hard
and just requirements of military law,
to recommend o much lighter sentence
of imprisonment than would be ad-
ministered to an older and more OK.
perienced member of the service"
81 can only tell the truth, sir" l
urged.
"That. then, Is your ~defence-that
you were frightened by the figure you
awp" asked the officer, in a tone of
vexation.
"That is my defence. sir."I replied.
Every WE'LL" said the president,
writing down my statement. escort,
remove the prisoner. Stop! About
his character Call the captain of his
company"
My captain. answering tho sum.
mons, stated that my conduct had
been most exemplary; after which !
received the commando: LEFT turn,
quick march!" and was removed to the
guard-room; and the members Of the
court-martial began their deliberations
on the duration of the period of i'm
prisonment which they meant to ad-
minister to me.
l shall now relate the facts in con.
nection with the appearance Of tho
Figure" before alluded to. At one
o'clock or the morning Of my arrest, /
was posted on sentry in front of a
wall which had been built on the
face OF q Cliff over-hanging tine
beach. Why that particular spot re.
quired guarding. when any attempt
on the part of q soldier to break out
OF barracks would 10 equivalent to
committing suicide, az the rock had a