The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-11-12
A CURIOUS CASE.
A SUPPOSED DEseRTER BEFORE A
FEDERAL COURT MARTIAL.

1t was in the spring of 1865. Desertion
We're frequent from the rebel lines in front o
Petersburg. Hugh Nor is, II sergeant of
New Jersey regiment, had been reduced I,
the ranks. A detail for fatigue duty fv,
miles away included Hugh The following
night deserter who came in said he had
brother in the Union army, and on invcstiga
ton it was ascertained to be Hugh. He wa
permitted to wait with Hughs mess until hi
return. Meantime. the commanding Officer
of Hugfs regiment had been detailed away
from his command, and his successor was ig
norant of the facts above narrated He re
ceivel, shortly after assuming command, al
orde' from headquarters to send Hugh
Norris brother there. He reported that
Hugh was away OH detail, and had no brother
In yhe regiment. In doing so he enormously
Nfned the colonel's name in place of his own
he colonel had previously reported the
deserter and obtained permission for him tc
Wait for his brothers return. Meantime one
of Gen. Meade's spies had come across the line
7 and reported that Hugh had deserted and was
! giving the rebels all the information he could
as to the Union army and position. The pre-
tended brother was doubtless rebel spy. 1t
would seem, Also doubtless, that the colonel
was in the game.
CHARGED WITH DISCRETION.
Meade quietly ordered Wilcox's division to
surround the New Jersey regiment, and
placed every one in it under arrest. The
rebel deserter could not be found The Off
GERS of the regiment were furious The next
morning Fort Stedman was surprised and
captured by the rebels, as is known in history
On the same day Hugh Morris returned to
his regiment, and was Immediately arrested
and brought before court martial for trial,
charged with desertion There was no evil
dence against him except the spy of Gen.
Meade, before mentioned. But that was
di"c't and conclusive. He was on the rebel
o;t when Morris came in, himself seeking
',r,ortunity to reach the Union lines He
~ anied Morris to the rear and slept
w.. him that night in the prison barracks
near Petersburg While Morris was asleep
he took from him his diary, and also cut from
his head lock of hair both of which he
showed before the court. The last entry in
the diary was mention Of the fact of detail to
repair locomotive engine. The clip of hair
appeared to exactly match a sheared lock of
Morris head. Other than this and the fact
that Morris had been reduced from sergeant
to private and had expressed emphatic dis
content, there was nothing against him. This,
however, was absolute and convincing. Nor
ris, in his defense, produced the four me-
chanics who were detailed with him to repair
and replace the railroad engine, which had
been thrown from the military railroad and
seriously impaired. They testified that he
was with them continuously and only left for
his company when the job was completed,
short time before he in fact rejoined his COM
pany He admitted the diary was his and
made no explanation of the lock of hair. The
mechanics who worked with him identified
him particularly by the hat he wore, which
had peculiar feather in it, and also his Goa,
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 soldierly conduct through |
many campaigns and battles, and it also ap-
peared that he had been deprived of his SER
geant's rank because of communication with
the enemy against express ORDERS
EXPLAINED AT LAST.
The court ;of which the writer was presi-
dent was nonplussed by the evidence. 1t ad-
adjourned early until the next morning.
Late that night they came to my tent one of
the most reliable and conscientious captains
in the whole army of the Potomac. l be-
leved in him next to my 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 blanks and one "Not guilty." and so the
fin ling was recorded.
Two months after, when the war was over
and the army at Washington, was invited
to take supper at the Washington house, cor
ner Third and Pennsylvania avenues, by this
man Morris. There were assembled every
member of the court martial, besides citizen
friends of the accused man from New Jersey.
He then made the following statements
"When the war broke out my brother was
in business at Atlanta. l 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
a 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 1 had made arrangements
with the rebel picket to meet my brother be- !
,ween the lines you can imagine had no ]
aste for that locomotive detail My chum
ooked almost like my twin brother He
NEW little something about machine iron
work. told him the facts He refused to
20 in my place unless the captain would con- y
ent. 1t was asking good deal of the cap
ain. Well, we snapped clothing and he {
vent in my place. My brother missed me
nd came over to our side. | missed my I.
rother and went over to their side The
federal spy met me just as he testified, and l
old him all the cOck-and-bull stories / could Z
hink about the Union army. The assault on
'ort Stedman was wholly unknown to me, \
ut got away in the melee and returned to q
~ company. Then came the court martial.
lad l told my story then as l do now l
lould have been shot at sunrise. But the
acts you now know"
This man is now manager of the Michigan
outhern railroad. Officer in Milwau- +
ee Telegraph.
Dom Piatt as Postmaster.