Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-08-19
THE THIRD REGIMENT.


Attorney General Montague, of the
Stale of Virginia, appeared as counsel
for Col. Nalie, while Gen. Butler was
represented by Brig. Gen. ]. P. S. Go
bin. a leading lawyer of Pennsylvania.
Both morning and an evening session
were consumed in listening TO speech
es. Mr.. Moore spoke an hour and
twelve minutes, Gen. Goblin forty seven
minutes and Mr.. Montague fifty mil
utes.
MIR. Moore pointed out out that Gen.
Butler had not brought evidence as to
specific acts that would justify the
Terms rotous or insubordinale, as aD-
piled to the regiment. The Third Vlr-
GINA officers and privates, counsel
stated, should not be made to suffer be-
cause some one of their number yelled
You can't put down Virginia" Mr..
Moore, in opening the discussion, pro-
duced Gen. Buffers order No. IS, con-
flung the Virginia regiment within its
lines. The order, he said, must strike
any who reads it as remarkable docu-
ment in many respects. The punish
ment Inflicted was of questionable le-
gality, and showed the extremes to
which Gen. Butler would go. The Or
der referred to riotous conduct of part
OF the regiment, but the punishment
was inflicted not on the part, but upon
the regiment as whole. The clauses
combining the men to the camp and de-
priving them of the privilege of passes
and furloughs, we're, in the opinion OF
the speaker, without precedent, and, in
his opinion, he said, military authorl
ties agreed with him. eff the men
among whom General Butler discov-
cred disorder" said the speaker,
'did wrong, Gen Butler should have
seen that they were properly punished,
but the whole regiment of 1000 men
should not be made to suffer for the Of
tense Of the few. Under no circum-
stances could the court sustain
The order unless it believed that the
most extraordinary state of affairs exist
ed. Dots any one want Gen. Butler
stripped of his uniform and have his
sword broken because he has violated
any army regulations? Should, then,
| punishment OF the same nature be in
llicted upon the Third Virginia Regi-
ment? While it has been shown by
the testimony that the hospital corps
had been parties to the disorder, the
Third Virginia were the ones upon all
the punishment inflicted. In closing
Mr. Moore referred to the looting of a
store in Fairfax county and to the rob
berry of grave, where, in neither case,
sucn orders had been issued.
Gen. Goblin, in replying, said,
in substance: sit requires more
manliness than most men can
comprehend to issue the orders No. is.
The latter was occasioned by the ne
cessity OF the occasion, as mill
tary discipline required that every regi-
ment should be kept in order. Military
discipline is a serious matter; military
existence depends upon its maintenance
to the fullest degree, and it is not for
civilians TO Judge by the practices of
civil procedure an order which may ap-
pear harsh in consideration OF the
wrong committed. "As for the Third
Virginia, be it said, they should have
:aken their medicine like men, instead
Of making State issue of the affair.
Congressman and Senators have no
place in the inquiry of military mat
ter First and last, the case o! the
General rests opon the simple fact that
military discipline must and shall be
maintained"
Attorney General Montague stated it
Is his opinion that Gen. Goblin had not
read the testimony in the case. He
would be glad to be corrected, he said,
and looking at Gen. Goblin, paused for
an answer. The General gave no an
swer. Mr.. Montague then continued
1T has been said that the evidence pre-
s,nted by the defense has been negative
Not at all. The evidence was to the effect that
no disorder and no disturbance was witness.
ed On tie other hand, there has been evi.
dcnce to show that the officers Of the Third
Virginia Regiment acted promptly to quell
the disturbance and tho men obeyci when
commanded There is evidence also that no
force was needed to bring the men back, and
that all returned in short order Again, we
h .vs the statement OF General Butler him.
self that he saw ten or twelve men. to whom
he referred. Only small number of Vir-
ginians, as ali the evidence has shown, were
engaged in the trouble. If it should 90
abroad the country, gentlemen, that the
many arc punished for the wrongs of The few.
it will throw wet blanket over the entire
volunteer service"
At o'clock when the arguments were
completed Coils. Cross, Edgerly and puval
went into secret concaye, whore they con
tinued to sift and judge the evidence, which
they had read over the day before. Il is said
that they have already begun to prepare their
report which, it is believed, will be completed
to-day.