The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-04
CAPTAIN BURAE'S RECORD
Colonel Ripple Iicfn:es Grossly
Slandereus Attack Upon 1t.
EXACT FACTS IN THE CASE
The Charge OF Dcscrtcr Made Through
Mistake Which Involved Captain
Burke in Cruel Injustice-A
Ercach of Confidence.
EXACT FACTS IN THE CASE

The Scranton Republican yesterday
made an editorial attack upon the war
record OF Captain William IT. Burke,
of this city, accusing him of having
been deserter. Concerning the mat
ter Colonel f.. Il. Ripple yesterday
made the following statement:
This is, of course, an attack on me
over Captain Burke's shoulders, and l
feel sorry for the captain, because he
was one of the most loyal men that
went to the front during the war. Will
give you the facts in the case and then
the decent people Of Scranton will be
able TO judge for themselves.
Captain Burke enlisted in 1851 in 4
Schuylkill regiment as q private in the
three months service. He returned a
sergeant. and gave valuable assistance
in organizing regiments in Schuylkili
county. Finally he enlisted again, this
time in the Ninety-siXth Pennsylvania
| Volunteers, Captain Cake, of Pottsyille,
commanding He served with marked
ability in that regiment and was made
first sergeant. At the bloody battle
of charlottesville he, as sergeant,
commanded his company. all the other
| officers being disabled or on detail. He
was at that time only nineteen years of
age, and his bravery in that battle was
highly commended by his superior Off
GERS. He was with his company on the
march which ended in the battle of Get
tysburg He was i'll on the march, but
refused to go into = hospital or to ride
in an ambulance. AT last. being con-
sumed by fever he dropped out of the
march and sought shelter in house
along the road. He became uncon-
scious and delirious and when he re-
| gained consciousness a month had
! elapsed, the battle of Gettysburg had
| and tbp ARMY Of the .SD-
tomac was back in camp.
Made "A Prisoner of War.
squads of rebel cavalry were scour-
! ing the country thereabouts and one OF
these squads visited the house where
! CAPTAIN Burke lay i'll. He was cap
tured as a prisoner of wGr, but his cap
| TORS recognizing his enfeebled condition
| and the fact that he could not traVe!
with them, paroled him on condition
| that he would not again take Hp arms
| against the confcderacy until regularly
exchanged The cartel of exchange was
broken soon after the battle of Gettys-
burg and no exchange of prisoners TOOK
place from that time. except IN rare
| cases, uatil the war ended.
AS soon as Captain Burke was able
| he started for home on foot. When he
reached there he found his father lying
disabled with broken shoulder as u
result Of an accident in the mines, and
his family in deep distross-one of his
brothers having few days before been
killed on a gunboat in - Mississippi,
and another brother having been cap
| tured in the South and being then in
| the hands of the enemy as prisoner,
| Irpon the advice of his pastor, Rev.
| Father Mclaughlin. of fremont, man.
| who did noble service for the Union by
keeping alive the spirit of patriotism he
| remained at home tosupport his iather
! and mother in their deep distress. 1t
rnust be remembered that Captain
| Burke was but boy at this time, and
! was also n prisoner of war, ana what
ever misglvings he had as to the proper
| action to take were relieved When ne
was advised by his pastor to remain at
home until his regiment sent for him.
II was i'm this way that Captain Burke
came to be marked as a deserter after
two wears of gallant fighting at the
front
scrartor's Abuse Of Confidercc.
Now for the dastardly part of this
attack. As Captain Burke advanced in
wears he felt the necessity of Wiping out
this stain against his name on the
records. His services entitled him to
| honorable mention on the roll. In order
to have justice done him in the matter,
after working earnestly for the election
of the Republican congressman from
this district, he placed the entire matter
| in his hands to have it righted in Wash
ington. The result Is the dastardly
abuse of confidence which you see in
! this mornings Republican. If Captain
| Burke on his way home from what
came near being his death-bed and while
| still a prisoner of war. had reported
at the nearest military post or provost
| marshals Office. the record in the War
| department would be straight, but, as
| said before. he was but boy, nineteen
or twenty years of age, staggering un-
der the effects of Il severe Illness,
brought face to face with the great dis
tress of father and mother. and advised
by man whom he knew to be loyal
and who had a deep interest i'm him.
Captain Burke's lieutenant is George
G. Boyer. of Harrisburg, past depart
ment commander of the Grand Army OF
the Republic for Pennsylvania. He is
still living and ready and willing to
attest Captain Burke's soldieriy quail
ties"
Further Testimony.
The following letter from Captain +.
W. simpson. of Olyphant, who carries
one of the two First Defender medals
held in Lackawanna county, explains
itself:
Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: As a member of the same regiment
to which Captain william II. Burke be-
| longed, ana as cOmrade who, for nearly
two years-thot is, from September. lSii
| to June. lS63-fOught alongside him IN .ha
! Peninsular campaign, | want 10 bear
testimony to his efficiency. courage and
manliness as a soldier. ! was in Company
| and he in Company X of the Ninety
| sixth. and the very first winter / know
! that Private Burke was promoted to or
| derry sergeant because he was the best
tactician in the company; in fact, he
drilled both its privates and its officers
| Later, when we entered the PaninsulIr
campaign, Sergeant Burke conducted him
self uniformly in a brave and soldier-l;e
manner. In the battles of Antietam, South
Mountain, Fredericksburg and second
! Bulls Run he was. at certain times viz
| tually in command Of his company. He
led his company at the charge Of ST.
Mary's Heights, Fredericksburg. and was
| conspicuous for bravery or many other
occasions. lie commanded the respect and
| the personal esteam of every man in his
| company. and got better results from the
men than many officers who outrankcd
| him or were promoted over his head. 1t
was well krQwn in the regiment that if
he had received his just deserts he would
have been made captain of the company.
That he was not made captain was due TO
his own rloGesty. and to the fact that he
made no effort TO push himself forward.
| I can cheerfully say, what every other liv-
ing member of tine Nincty-sixth regiment
| will back me M in. that Captain Burke's
record as soldier was first class in every
| particular and that there was no better
soldier in the Union ranks. The circlim-
stances which led to the charge against
him on the records of the war DEPART
ment. which Colonel Ripple explains cor
rectIy in tonights Truth, leave no taint
on his manhood. The man who assails
Captain Burke on this account does him
gross and contemplate injury.
F. w. Simpgon,
Late First Sergeant and CAPTAIN of Com