Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-04
SOME ARMY TRAGEDIES.
Events That Have Never Been Re-
corded In History.

From the Chicago Times-Herald
Tragedies IN our own camps-outside of
hattles-were more common than the public
knows" said distinguished soldier in at
tendance upon thu recent reunion of the
Army Of the Tennessee.
THE shooting of Maj. Gen. Nelson at
Louisville by Brig. Gen. JEFF c. Davis, be-
cause Nelson in a fit of anger had called
Davis long string of hard names, is one
Of the few that came to the surface. You
couldn't think 1t probable, but 1 myself was
once so close to tragedy that it makes my
gray hair rise up as l recall it.
While number of officers of the regi-
ment were ia the majors tent said some
thing that captain took exceptions to,
and war Of words followed. When he
pumped out, You are a liar! l struck out
with nay right and set him to bleeding. He
came back at me like a tiger cat We
clinched, and for three or four minutes had
1t hot and sharp; then the others separated
Us. He made all sorts Of threats. l was
adjutant. He ranked me, and / confess
that for time / did fear he would make
me trouble in the way of court-martial
but the matter seemed to blow over.
'One fall afternoon the captain invited me
to take a walk with him. Thinking that
our troubles had completely healed, L con-
scented. On the way back to camp We pass
ed through an orchard. l climbed a tree to
get some apples. Just as l reached for an
apple l saw the captain reach for his re-
volyer and glare at me like very fiend
Instantly I loosened my hold and dropped
to the ground. Selling a stake / took my
place by his side and said. Now. you cow
ardly dog, put up that gun or I'll brain
YOU This time he was kept on hot grid
die for a month, though made no threats
and had no thought of reporting his at
tempt to assassinate me.
THE next fight we got into We made up
for good and all and remained fast friends
until the final roundup. when General Joe
Johnston had his men throw down their
guns and go home to make CROP 1t
happened in this way: The colonel had
given the order to form line of battle As
adjutant it was my duty to see that each
captain carried out the order. When 1
reached the would-be assassin and had per-
formed my duty and started to go away
he called out, 'Adjutant. come back When
1 complied he took my hand looked me
sQuareIy in the eye, and said: Lieutenant,
can You forgive me for all Of my meanhess
to you? 1 hope so. have never had good
hour since that incident in the orchard
with all my heart, captain. No one
but you and myself knows anything about
that little affair
LAS said, nothing else came up to sep
arate us while in the army. We never met
after being mustered out. He died three
years ago. OF courseI could have sent him
out of the army in disgrace and placed him
in the penftentiary after he was out but
I've always been glad did not. He was q
good soldier in battle, as brave they
made them but bulldog in camp. He left
the army a major. His name? Never mind
that. 1t Is a true story. / wish 1t were not
for cannot forget that at one time in my
life was In a fair way to be murdered"
captain on the staff of division COM
mander at the battle of Gettysburg, who
afterward became general and command
ed a division himself for a time. once told
me that IL he had IL he would willingly
give a million dollars il he could forget aud
never recall Gettysburg tragedy.
We needed every man In line" said the
general. Orders had been given TO let no
well or unwounded man go to the rear. Our
general had told the whole staff that IL we
couldn't stop stragglers any other way to
shoot them down. As soon as the firing be-
gan a certain class fed from the front. and
the star few at them on their horses and
pushed them back into the ranks. It was
always job hated. 1t made me mad to
see q fellow run away from his comrades
when they were In trouble. and I used to
be rougher with them than wanted to be
with any class OF Gods creetureA The en-
envy was pressing our line very hard A
break was greatly feared. Back came an
other cluster Of stragglers. big. hearty fel-