The National tribune., 1886-04-22
A PRANK OF CUPID.
How 4 Deserter Was Saved.


To THE EDITOR: The vivid portrayal of a
military execution as contained in No. 236 Of
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE recalls to my mind
similar scene which came near taking place
/ think it was in the month of August or Sep
TENDER, 1863, at camp near Hardwood Church,
Va, when one very fine morning Col. Freder.
lex Hecker, of the sd Ill., (the same who was
the recognized leader of the German revolution
in 1S49,) told me he had to go to headquarters
to attend the court-martial of a deserter of our
regiment. He said, in his drastic language
Doctor, you can believe me, when such an
Internal fellow has left girl behind him the
devil is up, and one particular hair of such a
girl pulls more than 10 horses. For the sake OF
discipline an extreme example must be made
all such fellows must be shot,"
When the Colonel came back from head
quarters he was q little milder humored. He
was tender and kind hearted man, although
sometimes very rough in language as we'll as in
appearance. He came to me and said: Well
l am very sorry that fellow will be shot to-
morrow morning at II a. m. He does not seem
to be all right in his head. Doctor, will you
be kind enough to go over there and make an
examination of his mental faculties2 Perhaps
we can save the life of that unfortunate man.
galloped at once to headquarters and asked
the Provost Marshal to be conducted to the
doomed man. The soldier was good looking
man, not quite 40 years old, and l believe by
u
Cincinnati.
1 asked him many questions, and saw that he
was stolid kind of fellow, and that if every
one had been like him gunpowder would never
have been invented; in fact he did not seem
quite responsible for his acts
In going back to our camp / considered the
matter over and over, and finally it came to
my mind to bring in my report some items
which would put the members of the court
martial in good spirits, and / made at once
about the following report:
CAMP NEAR HARDWOOD CHURCH, VA.
To Col. FREDERICK HECKER SD H..
have the honor to report that, in obedience to
your order went to headquarters to examine the
condition of the mind of the condemned man, in
relation to his intelligence and his responsibility
for his acts.
found him in the guard house, and had about
half an hours conversation with him. found that
he was feeble minded and of not much intelligence
in short that he had not invented gunpowder, Gnd
could not be held responsible for his acts, he was
from Schwabenland (Wuertemberg), and not being
quite 40 years old, he is not in full possession of
his mental faculties, rs everybody knows that the
Swabians only with their 10th year come in full
possession of their intelligence.
Very respectfully, GEO. SCHLoETZER, NJ. d.,
Surgeon, SD Ill.
When handed my report to Col. Hecker he
smiled big smile and said :" Doctor, that's
good, that's right; that is just the thing to
bring the Generals in good humor." At once
he gave his horse the spurs and went to head
quarters again.
He came back with the pardon of the doomed
man and about the effect of my report he said ::
THE Generals came in good humor at once,
and almost split their sides laughing"
/ never saw or heard of that man afterwards.
Should he be alive would like to hear from
him, if he should catch sight of this article
GEO. SCHLoETzER, M. d., Surgeon, SD ILL.,,
Highland, Madison Co., Ill.