The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-07-19
HOT BLOOD IN CAMP.
ARMY ouARRELs THAT ALMOST END
Ed IN TRAGEDIES.

Tragedies in our own camps, out
side of battles, were more common than
the public knows, said distinguished
soldier.
"The shooting of Major General Mel
son at Louisville by Brigadier General
jeff @. Davis because 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 wouldn't think it
probably, but / myself was once SO close
to q tragedy that it makes my gray hair
rise up as l recall it.
"While number Of officers of the
regiment were in the majors tent l said
something that a captain took excep-
lions to, and war of words followed.
When he pumped out, You are liarP
struck out with my right and set him
to bleeding. He came back at me like
tiger cat. We clinched and for three or
four minutes had it hot and sharp; then
the others separated us. He made all
sorts of threats. was adjutant. He
ranked me, and I confess that for time
I did fear he would make me trouble in
the way of court martial, but the mat
ter seemed to blow over.
Zone fall afternoon the captain invit-
ed me to take q walk with him. Think
ing that our troubles had completely
healed, / consented. On the way back
to camp we passed through an orchard.
/ climbed a tree to get some apples.
Just as / reached for an apple saw the
captain reach for his revolver and glare
at me like very fiend. Instantly loos-
eDed my hold and dropped to the ground.
Selling stake, took my place by his
side and said, Now, you cowardly dog,
put up that gun or I'll brain you. This
time he was kept on a hot griddle for
month, though / made no threats and
had no thought of reporting his attempt
to assassinate me.
1.-THE next fight we got into we made
up for good and all and remained fast
friends until the final round up, when
General Joe Johnston had his men
throw down their guns and go home to
make a crox. 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 reached the
would be assassin and had performed
my duty and started to go away, he
called out, 'Adjutant. come back.
When / complied, he took my hand,
looked me squarely in the eye and said:
Lieutenant, can you forgive me for all
of my meanness to you? hope SO. l
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.
GAS I said, nothing else came up to
separate us while in the army. We
never met after being mustered out He
died three years ago. OF course I could
have sent him out Of the army in dis
grace and placed him in the peniten-
tiary after he was out, but I've always
been glad did not. He was good sol
der in battle, as brave as they made
them, but bulldog in camp. He left
the army q major. His manner Never
mind that. 1t is q true story. l wish it
were not, for cannot forget that at one
time in my life was in fair way to
be murdered F"
Report to your headquarters under
arrest, sir. F"
The colonel Of western regiment
Kissed that remark to his lieutenant
colonel as he dismissed the parade one
evening in December, 1864, few miles
back of Petersburg.
II refuse to go. d you, " was the
reply.
''Adjutant, see that Lieutenant Colo
mel 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 disobeyed or
ders
The adjutant knew both officers we'll,
and 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
and start for the cabin door with a
threat to go to the colonel's quarters
and cut him down with his sword. He
was powerful man, able to carry out
his threat unless the colonel should get
the drop. Once the arrested officer got
away and was half way to the colonel's
cabin, with sword drawn. ''Stop,
man." said the adjutant. Would you
blot your record of three years by COM
uniting murder? Think Of that. Think
of your wife and children. Come back
to your quarters You shall not go a
step farther in that direction until you
have killed me-.
II don't want to kill you, but I'm
going to kill the colonel"
"All right, kill him, but wait until
tomorrow-untili it is light. Don't shoot
a man in the dark That is no way for
brave man to do"
He went back to his bunk and slept
until morning. When he awoke, he
came to me and said:
"How can get out of this scrape,
adjutant?"
Write the colonel an apology"
He wrote 1t, and the adjutant took it
to the colonel, who read it, laughed and
said, "Bring Colonel Blank to my quar-
tiers" They met like pair of brothers,
and to this day the adjutant believes
that he prevented an army tragedy, and
guess he did-Chicago Times Herald