Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-29
SHIP SURRENDERED TO CAVALRY.
And This Is Why Lieut.. Col. Weston. U. S. A.,
Wears Medal OF Honor.
(New York SUM

Lieutenant Colonel John +. Weston.
assistant commissary general of sub
sistence, with an office in the army
| building, has received the medal of
honor, recently awarded TO him by Con-
gress for bravery during the civil war
a New York Sun reporter called on Col.
| Weston to find out what the particular
act Of bravery was for which the medal
/ was awarded The reporter did this On
/ the supposition that Col. Weston knew
| more about the facts than anybony
! else
It was found that the officer knew
/ the facts well enough, but he was quite
unwilling to give them out for publica-
! ton. Finally, however on the under
standing that the whole story would
/ be used in his obituary, if not before.
Col. Weston gave the reporter enough
facts to write a story around the
medal.
1t seems that this particular act of
| bravery was perfol med in 1861, Shor; =
after the battle oE I,esaca Lieutenant
Colonel Weston WAS then major Il
cavalry attached to Gen. Wilson's di-
vision. He and his men We're in Ala
bama, about 40 miles above Montgom-
cry. Word came to Gen. Wilson that
there was a rebel transport. laden with
food and supplies, somewhere near the
junction of the Tallapoosa and the
Coosa rivers. Major Weston was or
dered 70 proceed up the bank of the
Talapoosa to locate the transport cap
ture il if ne could. and if he couldn't
to report the best way OF capturing it.
After a march of several miles along
the shore Of the Tallapoosa. Major
Weston saw on the opposite bank Of
the river, two or three canoes. which he
thought might be more useful to him
in hunting up a transport than caval-
~ horses. The river was high, how
ever, and there was no bridge in sight
Some Of the officers under him told the
major that fording the river was out
Of the question and that there was no
other means of getting across. The
major had a different idea however
and promptly acted upon it. Hating
his command, he left most of his men
half dozen others walked along the
bank. looking for a place where the
water was not so high.
Such q place was found after q short
time. Swapping his own revolver on
the top of his head. and ordering his
men to do likewise. the major with his
six followers. plunged into the river.
swan TO The opposite bank, secured the
& al Of
the rest of the command, save just
enough to guard the horses. and went
On vi stream. Reaching the mouth of
the Cousa and rowing up stream q little
way, Major Weston sighted the trans
port in Il little bayou only Il short dis
tanCc ahead.
Pulling to the shore and Bleaching the
canoes. Major Weston began making
signals which might catch the atten-
ton of some one on beard the trans
port. Presently he had the pleasure of
seeing Il gig push off from the trans
port and come toward shore When
the gig ran up on the beach who
should step out of it but the captain of
the rebel supply boat.
What 90 You want with me?" asked
the caItiiin.
And Who may you be-" asked Major
Weston.
Il am the captain of the transport
out there" was the reply.
"Ah, then you are just the man !
wanted to see said Major Weston,
Il am the major commanding the ad-
vance guard Of Gen. Wilson's cavalry.
which viii be along here in a few min
utes. several thousand strong, and 10
save YOU any .unpleasantness l would
ask YOU to surrender yourself and Jour
transport
The captain thought the matter over
tor while, noted the determined eX-
preston on Major WeSton's face, and
concluded to oblige hinr Leaving the
captain under guard with two of his
men, Major Weston and the rest of his
command got into the captains gig
and one of the canoes and roWed out to
the transport where Major Weston told
the officer in charge that his captain
had surrendered and that he had come
to take possession of the boat.
The transport was promptly turned
over, was taken down the river to
and there destroyed. For
the success and daring of this under
taking Congress awarded to Lieutenant
Colonel Weston a medal of honor
For whcls," said the lieutenant col
onel, Il am very grateful. But had |
not succeeded | would have been
promptly court martialled and proba-
bly, cashiered from the army for prac-
tically abandoning every blooming
horse and all my equipments So far
as | know. this is the only instance
during the Civil War of cavalry com.
inand capturing q rebel ship"