The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-29
The Veteran Army Officer De
tends His Service and 10y
atty During the War.
CATHOLICS AND THE INDIANS.
They Drew Millions From the Public
Treasury for Their Missionary
Schools.

Replying to letter from the Rev
Father Yorke, rejecting on his army
record during the civil war and his admin
istration of the Indian Office at Washing
ton during Mr.. Harrison's term as
President as well, General 7. ]. Morgan
writes to THE CALL as follows:
NEW YORK, January %, 1896.
To the Editor of the san Francisco Call: l had
hoped that my brief personal note, which you
courteously published in your columns Decem-
Der H. would be regarded satisfactory by
Father YOrke but in this l was mistaken. In
your issue OF December 1S you publish a little
more than a column from him renewing and
lntensifying his attack upon my personal
character; an attack which l regard un-
called for, and which I may be pardoned for
saying think to be cowardly, slanderous and
false. A very prominent business man of San
Francisco, an army officer of high rank, who
kindly sent me your paper-which reached me
only few days ago-accompanieS 1t with the
following statement;
1 read the inclosed very carefully and have
talked with quite number of military men con-
corning your record, and am pleased TO inform you
that they universally favorable to you and
against NOrke and his methods. 1 know that you
Will have nine-tenths OF the old soldiers with you
on most any proposition against the Catholics and
their opposition 10 our grand public school system
am not q member OF the a. P. A, but they have
my un6ounded sympathy.
BY your permission ! wish to point out some
OF the inaccuracies and N iSleading statements
1uhuc III 1OThe article. In the UTSt place,
regarding the court-martial. When l took
charge of the organization of negro troops
did II with view of preparing those men Tor
good soldiers. and thought il necessary that
their white officers should set them good ex-
amples in camp and in battle, and, conse-
Quently, maintained pretty rigid discipline
over the officers. discouraged drinking,
gambling and other vices and insisted on
ndellty and courage. felt called upon to have
one OF the officers OF the regiment court.mar-
tailed Tor drunkenness and another for cow
n a ha avid
satisfy the court IL was true nevertheless.
Concerning my own testimony in the case of
the officer charged with cowardice at the
battle OF Nashville, l simply say now, after
thirty years, and with no malice toward the
officer and with regret that am forced thus to
say ii, every word of the testimony which
gave at that time was true, absolutely and IN
qualihedly. protest that am not RESPONSE
bic for dragging him once again before the
public in this unenviable light. AS a conse-
quence OF my severe discipline the two officers
whom l had court-martialed Joined with 9TH
ers and formed conspiracy 20 get even with
me and trumped up a technical charge, on
which they based their hopes of driving me
from the service. They charged me with
'ffalse muster" All there was to this can be
stated in one or two sentences: When l went to
Galaun, Tenn, IN October, 1868. to organize a
regiment of negroes l found large number
already in camp, and at once set about the
work of forming regiment was occupied
myself with administra ton, drilling, doing
picket and post duty, foraging, etc. We were sur
rounded at that time by guerrilla bands re-
curing US TO be constantly on the alert; the
work OF classifying and enrolling the troops
was done by an expert and experienced
clerk, A. ?. Dunlop, who was sent to me for
that purpose, When six companies had been
completed and asked to have them formally
mustered, question arose as to the exact date
OF muster-a question TO be decided by the in
depreciation OF army regulations and the rul-
ing o.. the gdjutant generals department rel
alive TO muster. The matter was fully and
openly discussed and there were two opinions
one that the company should muster early in
october and the other that the date should be
fixed possibly two weeks later. The matter
was lett 10 the decision of an officer of the reg
ular army detailed to muster us; his decision
however, was not satisfactory to one of the cap
talns, who claimed that he was deprived by
1t OF his place rs ranking captain which he
claimed. The matter was regarded, however
as settled until March, 1856, when the officers
smartng under my discipline, united with
this dissatisfied captain in bringing me TO trial
charged with making ''false muster" The
court satisfied itself apparently on the testi-
mony OF an army officer that the date of muster
fixed by the mastering officer was incorrect
and held that as | was the commanding officer
OF the regiment was responsible for 1t; hence
us verdict OF guilty. AT most 1t was ques-
ton OF judgment and of Interpretation of OBJ
scure rulings, and never involved a question
OF my integrity.
Mr.. Yorke says that my statement of General
Steedman's action in setting aside the YER
diet OF the court, "While not an assertion of
falsehood, suggests the thing that is not.' In
reply beg 10 quote here the entire order of
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION
DEPARTMENT CUMBERLAND
CHATrANoosA, Tenn, May 10. 1865. }
The proceedings, findings and sentence of the
general Court-martial in the foregoing case of
Colonel Thomas J. Morgan, Fourteenth o. s.
Colored Infantry, are disapproved. for the follow
Ing reasons Affecting the legality Of the seDtence
The objections made by the accused to the adj
mission OF the deposition of Captain Hough and
Private Martin was well laid. and the dispositions
were Improperly admitted. AS the facts Contained
therein were probably taken into hx.
the court their Improper admission might, of IL
self form grounds for disapproval.
The sentence OF the court.dismssal from the
service-is illegal. Colonel Morgan was found
guilty OF violation OF the fifteenth article of war;
which In itself provides the only penalty for the
violation, viz: cashiering, and the words of the
article must be strictly followed in the sentence
The finding OF guilty on the second charge-con-
quot unbecoming officer and a gentleman-is
not sustained by the testimony in the case.
Colonel Morgan is found guilty of three of the
specifications 10 the second charge and of the
charge but the cord shows that the facts alleged
in the specifications although TO a considerable
extent true are, so far as relates TO Colonel Nor
gan, devoid of crmnality, and that he acted
throughout from the purest and most conscien-
On the finding of guilty Of the third charge-con
duct preludclal To good der and military discip-
line-although made in accordance with The facts
tons of which the accused pleaded guilty the conrt
would not be warranted in passing the sentence nj
dismissal, as the record shows he acts comnIaInsd
of 10 have been perpetrated with the best ipfen-
lions and for the interest OF the service.
In consequence OF such facts and circuna ancae
(the error OF the court in sentencing the accused
so far regards the first charge being fatal and
the second charge not sustained by the evidenceS
The proceedings, findings and sentence Of the CONT
are disapproved.
Colonel Morgan viii be relieved from arrest and
returned TO duty. JAMES B. STEEpMAN
Malor-G eneral Commanding
During the progress of the trial the follow.
ing paper was drawn up and signed py eightv-
seven field, staff and line officers of nv BRIGADE
The original pap er is now before me:
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, May TO- 1859
Colonel Thomas j. Morgan, Fourteenth United
States Coored Infantry, having been arraIgned
and tried by a general court martial, and design
ing persons having taken advantage OF the crcurn-
stances TO circulate false and malicious reports
calculated 10 bis ht his fair and wel-earned name
we, the undersigned officers. who know his worth
lave seen him ia everyday life, in the officers
school and in the church. on the march and
on parade. We have seen HIM in battle
where men are weighed in the balance
and where ne never found wanting. Many
OF us older than himself have looked to him a, a
motel man amid the many wrecks of our COM
rades. His soldier has been distin-
guished for courage, energy and philanthropy. 10
TIE persistent efforts of Colonel Morgan more
than 10 any other in this department is due
the name which the black soldier earned for him
self at Dalton, Pulaski, Decatur and Nashville
such man deserves well OF his country. WHAT
ever action the authorities NAV take. we each I'M
hesltatingly express our mistaken confidence in