The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-03
Whitelaw Reds Quasi Military
Record While q War Cor
respondent
Some Of His Trickery Put Rose
Grams Command In
Danger.
Tho Vice Presidential Cand idate Sent Out
of > West virginia Camp Under
Military Escort.

WARRINGTON. eept. 2-The correspond
ent of the 81. Louis Republic tslegraphs q
follows to that journal: A'Rood deal Of an
effort has been made TO Rlorify Whitslaw
Reid as war correspondent during ths re-
bslion. A sort Of quasi soldier record
has bsen given him for his Journalistic
work during the war. The fact 10 shat
Whitelnw Reid on several occasions did the
union army actual harm BY his pressnes
within the union lines. At the CLOSE Of the
war hs was cordially dstsstsd BY most Of
the leading officers with whom he had soms
in ssntact. Grant disliked him and Rsse-
orans simply abhorrsd him. He was tricksy
and trsaohorous, and earned the dstestation
which he secured. The feeling of Reid to-
ward Grant was enc of hearty dislike. and
il cropped ont in many ways during the
late war. Later, whom Reid was managing
editor OF the Tribune in the Grant-Gr reelsy
presidential campaign, he attempted to
even M with General Grant by printing the
n ont abusive editorials about that COM
mandsr..
specimen of Reid's trioksry was fur
nished after the battle of Carnifex Ferry.
At the conclusion of that engagement Rose
orans held his conn mmand at Gauley Bridge.
w. Va. to refresh and pay tho men. II
was discovered that the enemy was secur-
ing good deal of informat alton about the
movements of Rossorans from the Cinoin :
natl newspapers. 1t was therefore ordered
that tho provost-marshal Of West Virginia
should supervise all dispatches sent from
the union lines, the particular object being
TO keep watch on Reid. who represented the
Cincinnati Gazette. On one occasion Reid
failed to show up At headquarters. and il
was presumed that he had sent nothing. a.
he had promised to submit to scrutiny any
dispatches forwarded by him. A day or two
later Rosecrans was amazed to see in a copy
of the Cincinnati Gazette a special from
Reid, in which he showed how readily the
confederates could out Rosesran's COM
nualeation BY disabling teleQrah wires.
Rosecrans knew that this informa-
ticn would reach the confederate lines.
He made an Investigation which disclosed d
the fact that Whitelaw Reid had surrspti-
tiously sent tho message, not submitting il
TO inspeotion as he had promised. Ths tel
cQfaph wires wore cut and communication
destroyed by the confsdet ates. just as Reid
had planned out ii 0ou!d be DONE i he
union officers were indignant at Reid's in-
discretion, az the whole command was in a
position Of danger. Whitelsw Reid was
summoned to the headquarters and notified
that hs must leave and keep out Of the stat to
of West Virginia 90 long a. Rossol ans was
in military command there.
There waa a numbering coach in camp.
-Four horses were hitched to it and Reid was
ordered to get inside, and with an escort of
soldiers who were instructed not to permit
him to escape, he was sent to Parkersburg.
The . he was put on a government steamer.
and the captain was ordered to dump him
anywhere. so that he was outside OF West
Virginia territory. This order was obeyed.
and after stsaming down the river Reid was
put ashore. The union officers never for
gave Reid for this piece of trickery. which
10 Il sample of his so-eallsd GLORIOUS mill
tary" career.