The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-08-16
COZ. wAsH1NGToN,s pEATH
Tha sinrr e Told hr ". !. RIrner.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Maj Weller,
Co. E, 18th Ind, who recently wrote OF the
death of Col John A. Washington near Elk
water, w. Va, errs so radically, notwithstand-
ing he says his report was made under oath,
that ] send you the true account. The MAYOR
is correct up to the point where Capt. Stowe
was ordered forward with Co. E, 18th Ind, to
reconnoiter; but here he seems to have be-
come demoralized, and as his story seems TO
indicate that ne wishes the exact account, l
will give it.
When Capt. Stowe had reached point where
! prudence made Is necessary, he detailed Corpl
| William L. Birney with two men to act as ad-
vance guard and ordered him to proceed along
| the base of the mountain to the right OF the
road to guard against a surprise. Vim. john
| son and VIM. Sumaney were the two men de-
! tailed. Serg't Weller here made a request that
| he be permitted to be one of the squad. Capt.
Stowe then ordered Sumaney to remain with
the company aud Weller to tako his place, and
! ordered also that Birney retain command OF
| the advance-gu guard, because he had had con-
| siderable experience.
We moved forward at once rapidly, yet eau
/ tiously, until we reached point where the
road, after crossing the stream, made sharp
| bead to the right toward the foot of the mount
/ ain and came very close TO the line OF our adj
vance. Here, while we halted to examine
| what we took for brush tent on the opposite
| IluHIb@li, No uSdIG lidJ WIS JpOSCA ~ DO a
squad of cavalry coming down the road toward
| where we were standing. Corpl BiTney or
/ dered his men to take position behind bank
of earth formed by q tree having been torn cut
! by the roots, ard whore we were completely
protected from observation and within 30 TO a.
| feet of the road. In few moments three
! horsemen appeared in view over rise in the
road not more than 100 yards distant, advanc-
| ing SO leisurely that at first we were puzzled
as to whether they were friends Or foes. BY
the time they got nearly abreast of our position
| we had discovered by their uniform that they
were enemies They were now so close We
dared not move for fear of being discovered
They were evidently all officers, aud the Cor
porai was anxious to get all three aud quietly
whispered to Serg't Weller, who was on his
LETT, 10 take the left-hand man, who was large
and well proportional and wore gray uniform
| with red sash. VIM. Johnson, who was Oh
| the CoTporal's right, was ordered TO FIRE on tht
! right-hand man, who also wore a gray uniform
| the Corporal saying be would direct his fire on
the man III the middle, who wore blue uni
form with white cloth sewed across the tor
Of his blue cap. When directly opposite oul
position they turned square to the right, leav
ing the road, with the evident intention O
riding out in the valley to take a lock at oui
works. This brought them squarely in oul
front with their backs to US and about 80 to Al
yards distant The Corporal gave the word
and the nre was delivered. The man 10 TN
right was untouched, the one in the center fel
from his horse, the one to the left appeared &
be slightly wounded in the left side or shoul
der. The Corporal instantly ordered the gum
reloaded. By the time this was completed TIT
man who had fallen from his horse WAS max
ing come efforts as though he was trying to &c
his revolver. Serg't Weller jerked his gun t
his face snd fred, piercing the mass body
with another bail. Corpl Birney then anC
there reproved Serg't Weller for firing on
man too seriously wounded to rise to a sitting
posture, and directed him to reload and return
TO the company and report what had occurred
Now, Major, your points of error are az fol
lows: serg't Weller was not given two men
neither did he give a single order, caution o
direction. CoTp'l Birney was in charge from
beginning to end. There was no point desig
mated 70 meet the company. If We got int
trouble we were to fight and fall back TO tn
company. Serg't Weller and his men did 10
meet three men on horseback. While Corp
BiTney and his men lay in ambush for three mel
who rode along the road. with the result detailet
above. The accuracy of the aim may be judge,
from the fact that but one man out Of tire
was endorsed at the short range Of 40 yard:
Johnson declared he misunderstood my orde
and fired on the middle nan.-W l.. BfRNEY
Co. E, 18th Ind, Chief of Wilder's Scouts Oak
wood, Mo.