Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-03-30
Mad Anthony Wayne"
From Pittsburg Press.

tiers, and to punish the Indians for
the outrages they had committed.
Wayne's reputation for dash and dar-
ing insured him a hearty welcome.
The rude fortifcation, afterwards re-
built aud known as Fort Fayette,
was made the headquarters for organ
izing the newly enlisted soldiers.
There was lively time with drilling
during the day and feasting, drinking
and frolicking at night. 1t was
more like a hoiipay gathering than a
banding of men determined on re-
venge for murdered women and chill.
dren.
The departure of the troops was de
layed from various causes. chiefly
lack Of discipline, the result of the
nightly carousals. The boldness and
inhuman cruelties of the Indians were
the themes Of conversation around
the camp fires and served for time
to keep alive the enthusiasm of the
men, who had most of them enlisted
! during the first excitement. But
these delays and realization of the
dangers and hurdships ahead had a
demoralizing effect. Desertion and
failure to return from leaves of ab-
sence became numerous An offender
in the latter particular was young
man whose failure to report on time
was more particularly noticed from
| the fact that he was noted for his
cheerful disposition and prompt obedi.
| ence. He had unfortunately remain
ed over night with bis family. and in
the early morning returning met with
an evil genius, a citizen who sullenly
listened to the young soldier as he
jokinglv related his neglect to return
as he should have done the evening
before, and declared that he was GO
ing to make it profitable by reporting
the desertion and getting the reward
When the soldier had entered his
| quarters the citizen of whom he bad
rashly made a con6dant sought the
officers of the day, reported the young
soldier as q deserter end demanded
the reward for his treachery. The
, captain had seen the two men come
to the fort together and had watched
the soldier go to his quarters with
guilty looks. He took the mans
statement and Immediately reported
| the case to the general The latter
had not yet recovered from the prev
ious nights debauch, and being un-
reasonable, arbitrary and passionate
| from the effects of drink, ordered q
drum head court martial. The aston
ished soldier made "a statement,
| truthfully relating all the eircum-
stances of his triaing lapse of duty.
The finding of the court martial was
against him The general. without
further investigation, signed the pa
per, and preparations were made for
| the execution at 2 o'clock. Had the
officers dared approach the impetu-
Gus Wayne they would haye interced-
ed for the youthful offender, who was
general favorite, but in the gener.
al's maudlin condition it was useless
to intercede with him. The sentence
| of the court was carried out, the vic.
tim meeting his fate bravely, but
protesting to the last that his exc
| cution was murder, unjust and uncall-
ed for. There was no carousal that
night. The next morning a council
was called to complete the details of
the delayed expedition.
During the council Gen. Wayne
mentioned the executed soldier as q
fitting person for some important SER
vice The officers exchanged glanres
and remained silent. The execution
had provoked bitter comment and an
outbreak among the soldiers had with
difficulty been suppressed. Had
there been an engagement at this
time Gen. Wayne would probably
have met the fate by some believed
to have overtaken. Gen. Braddock,
and been shot by own troops. Con-
tinuing, Gen. Wayne apologized for
his condition of the previous day and
again repeated the name Of the execu-
ted soldier. There was still no an
swer. The General, looking interro-
gatively from one to another, saw
that their glances were full of mean
| ing. Gentlemen what's amiss? /
do not understand this mysterious ex-
change of glances," he demanded an
grily, jumping to his feet.
The captain who bad served as
officer of the day stepped forward and
stated the circumstances of the execu-
ton.
Wayne gazed at the officer in be-
wilderment for moment. Then
sinking slowly into seat, in o voice
scarce above whisper. he murmur-
ed: "Shot to death by my order"
Tears were in his eyes as he repeated
again and again. "shot to death by q
drunken mans order" Suddenly he
rose from his seat with dangerous
CLEAN in bis eye and cried out with
an oath-"by the eternal God, if
ever again an officer executes an or
der OF mine when drunk | will hold
him personally responsible. Where
is the miserable hound who made the
information Where is he ? Have
bim arrested at once, at once l say !!
Where are the records of that court
martial ?" He tore the leaves from
the book and scattered them right and
left, rapidly issuing orders the while
to complete the preparations for de-.
parture Concluding, he said to the
surprised officers: "See to it that
this thing is explained. That mans
reputation must not suffer Deserter
Nol mol 1t was my-drunken
folly. We must make oil the repara-
tion possible"
The passionate words of the gen.
eral had attracted the attention of the
soldiers who had gathered in groups
outside. The self.denunciation. and
the destruction OF the record bad their
effect upon the men, who returned to
their duties, sorrowful but no longer
reveDgeful
Shortly after the incident related
above, the troops were hastily march
ed to the newly-erected fortificatiou
called Fort Legion" where they
spent the winter of 1898. Legionville,
part of the Economic settlement,
commentaries the spot.
| Tho man uybo danon,oed tho vouno