The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-18

one t!r,e In my he ! vas In ralr war
20 DO murdered" @ So
(; a captain on the stnif OF n division
! commander at the battle OF Gettysburg.
who afterward became general and
! commanded division him5elt for a
time, once told me that II, he had II M
would willingly give a million dollars II
he could forget and never recall Get.
tysburg tragedy.
I'VE needed every Manin llne,n said
the general. Orders had been given to
let no>well or unwounded man 10 10
the rear. Our general hald told the
whole staff that II We couldn't stop
stragglers any other way 10 shoot then,
| down. As soon as the firing began a
certain class fed from the front and ths
staff flew at them on their horses and
pushed them back into the ranks. II
was always Job hated. It made me
mad to see n fellow run away from his
comrades when they were In trouble,
and ! used TO be rougher with them
than l wanted to be with any class St
Gods creatures. The enemy was press.
lrS our line very hard. A break va,
greatly feared. Back came another
cluster OF fellows, who never stay under
fire second longer than they ure forttd
to stay. l made direct for three OF them
with my drawn sword. Two o, them
went back to duty. The third told ne
10 go where 1t was hotter than II "a,
that hottest day at Gettysburg. ,rd
said he was going back no matter iftae
whole STAFF stood in the way. Go bacf
to your place instantly 1 demanded \
At that he cooked his rifle and was FL.
Ing the barrel so that could seet;s
contents. Down went my sword 10 lie
ground and out came my revolver.
Quicker than can te!lI you It cracked
and the man fell dead. Yes, It was
case Of shoot him or be shot. | oily
wanted TO disable him. but that wasio
time to hunt for 4 good place 10 dis
able without killing. a second more
and he would have killed me-" iFf
Then why do you say YOU would give
a million dollars to forget the Incident,
IT is an awful thing 10 kill 4 huEaat.
being. ! can see just how that man fei
back with an oath on his lips. dons
like Il. You wouldn't. l have com
mandel companies, regiment, bri.
Sade ard a division 20 do wholesale Kill.
Ing in battle. That was what we en-
listed to do. That is different from
shooting a man, one of your own sol.
diers, at your side. shall always re-
gret that II became my duty to have o
hand IN that army tragedy"
Report to your headquarters under
arrest. sir!'
The colonel Of a western regiment
Kissed that remark TO his lieutenant
colonel as lie dismissed the parade one
evening in December, 1864. q few miles
back of Petersburg af
y refuse to go. d. you" was tbs
reply. ,..t
.Adjutan;, see that Lieutenant
Colonel Blank goes TO his quarters At
once" said the angry colonel, who was
In the right. for the lieutenant colonel,
who had been drinking, had dlsobsyed
orders.
The adjutant knew both officers well,
ard that It would not do for them to
come together that night. He had
merry time of It keeping them apart.
The lieutenant colonel would jump UP
threat TO go 10 the colonel's quarters
and cut him down with his sword. He
was powerful man, able to carry out
'iio IA Sut uilItSs inc CUlOiei SIiouiN g.
he drop. Once the: arrested officer Got
away and was half way TO the coloHsss
cabin, with sword drawn. Stop. man.
said the adjutant. would you blot
youc record OF three years by commit.
Ing murder? Think of your wife and
hildren. Come back to your quarters.
:ou shall not go n step farther In that
direction until you have killed me-"
Il don't want TO kill you, but I'm So
1g to kill the colonel"
AN right. kill him, but wait Unit! TO,
1iorrow-until 1t Is Light Don't shoot
man in the dark. That Is no way tos
! brave man TO do" He went back 70
his bunk,and slept until morning.
How, can l get out OF this scfape'
adjutant?"
Write the, colonel an apology q.
lie wrote It, and the adjutant TOOK !!
10 the colonel. who repd II. laughed anu
.ia!d, Bring Colonel Bank TO my quar-
sSrs," They met like a palr-of bro,hets.
and to this day the adjutnnt believes
that he prevented an army TRAGEDY
and l guess he did.