Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-30
CARD FROM CAPTAIN HARRIS.
He Reviews the Facts in Connection
with His Delayed Report.
blackstone va. May q, 1871.

Blackstone, a., May - Ao'''
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Ths order dissolying the court-maruai
APPOINTED to try me for failure TO man
nv quarterly report on the day required
nv law was received by me through
,ilitary channel several days ago, ana
promptly gave to your correspondent
statement of the facts in the case
I'm. as this has not been published,
ard in view of other publications when
have appcared. J. in justice TO myself,
ask YOU to insert this card. when 1
win make as brief as possible.
The substance OF most all the orders
as well as my oiiicial excuse Tor delay
of report. were given out TO the Rich-
mond papers; and for that reason, anu
the further reason that the oHlcial cor
respondence ana orders were rot pub
Iished in full. il is due me and my
friends that | make clear the extent
~ nv responsibility for the charges pre-
ferred against me, as well as the nature
NJ tine offence that | was supposed 10 De
guilty Of. . g.. ana
showing the number of officers and en-
listed men on the muster-rcll. and the
attendance at drills during the three
! Notwithstanding more. Ii takes just ten
minutes TO prepare this report
General order 30. !, Brigade Heai-
orqrters. directing the colonies of each
Ie,i.nelt to place under arrest ana pr
fer charges against any company COM
mander who failed 10 forward this report
on the urOper date was very peremp-
tory order. but WAS one applying TO each
cautaln I'm the State service. My colonei
! had no discretion In the matters He was
J directed TO execute the order, anu al
! wise his next superior headquarters. ms
| he did, and the receipt OF the papers pre-
ferring charges, etc, was the nrst IN
/ formation that l had OF the mistake my
military clerk had made In reading the
! date for mailing report the loth insteau
| Of the 5th OF April The fact That l had
| secured the services OF an exceeulhgy
competent ard reliable officer. and called
! his attentioa TO the report about the time
IL ought TO have been mailed, made me
| feel sure that had taken sufficient eau
| ton TO avoid any oversight that would
| have the appearance of disobeying or
| deys. Having been relieved OF my COM
mand. | could not make an official ex-
| PLANTATION but wrote personal letter 70
| my colonel. which he took the liberty oil
| forwarding to his superior headquarters.
| 7 supnose the explanation contained In
| that letter caused the issue OF Spcciai Or
! der No. 81, Breaking my arrest etc.
''in order that ! m ght have an opportunity
| to make an official explanation but this
order was not issued until the court had
been appointed, ala. the news given TO the
Richmond papers. then. as directed
forwarded the same explanation over my
| official signature. and the court-martal
was ordered to be dissolved and the
matter ended.
| have no reason whatever to believe
that there was anything personal In thu
proceedings, as the officer upon whose re-
quest the court is said to have been ap'
| pointed, and upon whose recommends
ton IL was dismissed. Is personally un-
known to me. 1t appears to have beer
an oversight on the part OF some one In
not giving me an opportunity to make an
! explanation. which was Afterwards deem