The morning times., 1896-02-17
OFFICERS FOUGHT 1 DUEL
They Were at Once Cashiered
by a COurt-Ma!tiaI.
FINDING BEFORE CONGRESS
Bill TO Clear the Record of One of
the Principals Favorably RECON-
mended by the House Committee
on Military Affairs-Some Extenu-
ating Circumstances Shown.

The sentence OF one of the most peculiar
court-martials held during the war is be-
fore Congress now.
The Committee on Military Affairs in the
House has just favorably reported bin to
clear the record OF Major nj. r. William
Grcbe. formerly aide-de-camp on the staff
the major general commanding the De-
partment of the Tennessee. On December
IL. 1864, he was cashiered for accepting
q challenge and fighting duel.
The cause OF his dismissal was so novel,
and there were found To be so many miti-
eating circumstances that the committee
unanimously recommends that the stain OF
dismissal be removed from the name of
Major Grebe on the official war records.
Just after the duel efforts were made to
have the findings OF the court-martlal set
aside by the President, but he did not have
the authority to do So.
1t was in December, / S64, that the dnel
was fought. Major Grebe, who had en-
tered the service as n first lieutenant,
was at that time an aide-de-camp on The
staff of the major general commanding The
armies of the Tennessee He was cial-
lenged by Capt. Ferdinand Hanson, then
Il captain in Company d, Fourth Regiment
Missouri Volunteers, and the challenge
was accepted.
WHY THEY QUARRELED.
Major Grebe had won his promotion
while serving in the Fourth Missouri and
felt perfectly at home in that regiment
Some criticism he made offended Capt.
Hanson, who was fiery foreigner, and as
f.r hrn no I'm cic
on the field OF honor. The injured officer
found "a friend in the person of Capt. Gott-
lelb Rose, OF the same regiment, and Major
Grebe was duly challenged.
Major Grebe was Il fighting maniIimself,
and when he found Capt. Hanson so deter
mined on fighting, he was ready 10 sd tisfy
him. Pistols were The weapons chosen,
aud one bright winter morning they met
just after daybreak. Two shots were
fired by each officer. Such an affair could
not escape notice, and court-martial fol-
lowed.
In his defense before the courtInartai
Capt. Hanson stated that he was OF foreign
| Birth, that the custom and practice of the
dnello obtained generally with the officers
OF the army of Schlesswig-H olstcln. his
native country, in which army he had form
erly served. While a duel was forbidden by
| the laws; .,et the fighting Of one seldom
deprived 4 soldier of rank or the privilege
| OF defending his country in the field. He
| called attention to the fact that the practice
existed TO some extent in this country, ana
instanceI the case OF Gen. Sumner and Gen.
Harney.
Ma ior Grebe, in his defense, stated that
be wa educated in Europe, and that, accord
ing 10 usage in his country, he was obliged
to accept the challenge; that ne was still
| III the service of the King of Norway, and
was only on leave of absence to fight for
The union. ana expected 10 resume his rank
| as first lieutenant in the service of his king
lie added that, according to his education.
he woI'l have been considered infamous had
| he not accepted the challenge, and other
| Officers would not have associated with him.
THEY WERE CAsHIERED.
But Notwithstanding these ingenious pleas
the two officers were cashiered, though all
the members of the court earnestly recon-.
| mended ajor Grebe to the lcnency OF the
| commanding general in consideration OF the
! statements made by him. Application was
| made to the President for review of the
findings of the court. 1t was signed by
nov Il ielcneEo oI MiSsouTl, DTIRieileId debeTdts
| 5 "A Meredith. /. 7. Copeland, John Mcneil,
| Thomas Ewing, Jr., and George II Hull, by
all the members OF the court, and 10y the
adjutant general of Missouri, but it was
| denied on account of want of executive au-
thority.
| Major Grebc was mostintelllgent officer.
lie was brave and efficient, and made such
a record that Gov. Fletcher made a gain a
special application TO have Major Grebe's
disabilities removed. United States Senator
John B. Hensierson indorsed the petition by
writing TO the President this message:
These men have no fault except that they
want TO fight too much. 1t is a good fault
at present. Please restore them"
Instead of going back to his old home in
Norway Major Grebc became citizen of