Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-08-13
THE THIRD REGIMENT.

L n
The court Of inquiry appointed by
Adjutant General Corbin to investigate
the alleged disorder in the Third Vir-
GINA regiment was convened at First
Division headquarters at Camp Alger
Yesterday morning.
The court is composed of the follow
ing officers Col. George P. Gross, Third
Missouri volunteers; Lieut.. Col. w. f.
Eigerly, inspector general, United
States volunteers; Lieut.. Col. W. F.
Duval, chief ordnance officer, United
States volunteers: Lieut. Charles p
Summerall, Fifth Artillery, recorder.
10 its report the court OF inquiry will
present its opinion OF the merits OF the
case as provided in the 119:h article OF
war.
As counsel for the Virginians there
were present Attorney General A. +
Montague, of Virgins; Congressman
John F. Rixey, OF Virginia, and Messrs.
George f. Hamilton, R. Walton Moore
and B. K. Peters. Gen. Butler did not
have counsel to aid him, but put ques-
tons to the witnesses when he deemed
it necessary. While Col. Nalle was
present through the day and appeared
an interested listener, his case was con-
Quoted by the civilians.
The witnesses examined yesterday
were Genesal NJ c. Butler and Major
F. S. Strong, adjutant general of the
First division.
General Buffers testimony was q
repetition of the statements already
published. He stated that he was
informed that number of men
were indulging in disordery and
riotous conduct on the day in
question near the First Division
hospital and that he was re-
quested to suppress them. He sent a
detail of twelve men at once, and at
the request of Major Cooke, chief sur
geon OF the First Division hospital, an
additional detail of one battalion from
The First Connecticut was sent to the
scene.
Gen. Butler then rode over to the
road and found crowd OF soldiers
running wildly around and yelling like
madmen. He was informed that there
had been disturbance over negro.
When Gen. Butler ordered the troops
back to their quarters they went very
reluctantly, and some of them hooted
as they went away. Ole of them yell
ed that they would have to arrest 500
Virginia boys if they arrested one. The
conduct OF the men was "riotous and
disorderly 10 the extreme" None OF
of the regimental officers was around.
The cross. examination was conduct.
ed by Mr.. Hamilton.
Mai. Strong was the second witness.
He did not see any Of the disturbance.
He is stationed at headquarters, and
his testimony related to the telephone
message. Nothing especially import
ant was adduced by this witness, and
he was summoned merely to link the
chain Of evidence as begun by the
Major General. Witness said the tele
phone message announcing the dis
turbance reached him about o'clock
Msj. Merriman was next placed Oh
the stand and he, too, gave evidence in
confirmation of Gen. Buffers state
ments. His testimony brought out
the fact that be had tried to stop the
rush of soldiers, but that the latter had
refused to listen. The major described
the disturbance as considerable, and
proved strong witness in support of
Gen. Butler. This closed the morning
session, The court adjourning at one
o'clock for an hour At 2 o'clock the
court reassembled and Lieut.. Summer.
all again acted as recorder.
The first witness of the afternoon
was Major Cooke, who testified that
threats were made by some of the men
chasing the negro, to the effect that
they would lynch the man. The men,
he said, seemed to be instigated by Gu
riosity, which prompted them to en-
gage in the disorderly pursuit. Wit
ness saw two officers running along
with the crowd and apparently making
no effort to stop the pursuit. a cor
poral was in the crowd, but witness did
not know him by name.
Mai. Wright, chief commisaary of the
division, then took the stand. Major
Wright said when he was at the First
Division hospital talking to ply
stefan an attendant came up to tell him
that fight was in progress nearby be-
tween a soldier and teamster. Wit
ness went down to investigate the mat
ter and saw a large crowd, evidently |
n an excited state, coming from the
direction of the Third Virginia camp.
The crowd ran through the field.
loud cries of "Where 10 nN? Lyncn
him. intermingled with profane ex
filed the air. Maj. Wright |
went ND to she scene OF disturbance.
He met a number OF soldiers, who said !
that they were from the Third Virginia |
regiment, and saw officers who said it
was too bad" and that they could not
control the men. Witness testified |
that he saw Dr. Merriman, who was
trying to stop the crowd, and that sew.