Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-09-09
CAPTAIN DUNCAN
EXPLAINS.
HK HOLDS HIMSELF GUIITLESS AM
PRAISES THE SOLDIERS WHOSE
GRAVES WERE DESIGNATED.

GRAVES WERE DESIGNATED.
Captain Duncan has written as 70 :
lows TO the New York World in
reference to his alleged completely In
grave deseeration;
"While in the hands Of the milf
tary authorities l did not deem 1t
proper or military to make any state
mont for the press, but now that l
bays been delivered to the civil au-
thorities, l feel free to speak and
deny the many false and malicious
statements made against my name
and character.
GAS to my connection with the
dissertation of the grave of the Con-
| fcderats soldier Duke a court-mar-
tial, composed ola brigsdicr-general,
four colonies, four majors and four
other officers, has already sdjudged-
Two of these officers are ex Con-
| federate soldiers.
"Ovor sixty witnesses testified and
800 pages of evidence were recorded,
and what was the decision? That |
took no part in these dissertations;
that was gnilty Of neglect of duty
only because l did not arrest privates
who were digging in the grave. Ny
part in the deplorable affair, as testi-
fed to in the court-martial by myself
and borne out by other evidence,
was IS follows
'On the morning of August 6,
while the Second Division was camp
ed near Bull Run, | was out sketch
ing, as is my custom when | have
leisure. While strolling about the
battlefield l came upon body OF
men digging in a little hole, about
2 feet across.
81 had already seen dozens of men
all over the field searching for relics
and not few digging, so | thought
nothing oft. l stayed some ten min
ute,, watching the digging aud talk
inc to another officer who was pres
ent. Then | learned that gravsstons
was thereabouts, and found it lying
out some fifteen feet from where the
men were digging.
Il learned what WAS on 1t, but as /
had been informed that all the bodies
of soldiers thereabouts had been re-
moved to Arlington and Manassas l
did not think much of the matter.
However, l saw = hospital corps man
there, and ordered him back to camp
(he was the only man there over
whom | supposed had authority
The other men there were not under
my commandment even of my regi-
msnt. As am a surgeon, have no
command.
81 started to go away, but stopped
to think the matter ever, and then
came back and told the men to quit
digging and 60 away. They did SO,
scratching in every direction. The
excavation at this time (Hbout $50
A. NJ. was about one and a half feet
d sep and two feet ACROSS, and moth
ing whatever had been removed, sI-
ccpt dirt and small stones.
"After ordering the men away l
left the spot at once, and have never
seen it since. That is the sum and
substance of my guilt. And there is
no evidence to prove that ! was there
again.
"Now, as to the dissertations. 1t
was shown on trial that some parties
began digging again, but we're i'm
mediatsly stopped 10y a captain of
the Third New York about 1890 A.
81. At that time the excavation had
reached a depth of two feet, but
nothing had bsen taken out except
dirt This captain stopped the dig
cling, had the hole reflled and the
stone replaced.
"The evidence further shows that |
returned to camp before i A. NJ,
and was there the remainder of the
day; t at some time in the afternoon,
probably between 2 and 3, other
parties again opened ths grave, and
this time took out the skull and ono
or two bones, but that nothing was
taken away.
Another officer came up, replaced
the bones, iehlled the grave, and
placed a guard over it. This ended
the deplorable affair.
81 have one thing more to say. 1t
has been charged that / was the
leader of this, and that did it out of
feeling toward the Confederate dead.
| want to deny that accusation, | do
not believe that it WAS made by ex-
Confederates but by reporters who
wish to ingraliate themselves with