, 1898-08-04
HOT BLOOD IN CAMP.
ARMY 0UARReLS THAT ALMOST END
ED IN TRAGEDIES.
The Story Of . Captain Who Had Murder
In His Heart-A Fiery Lieutenant Colo
mel Who Wanted to XIII His Superior
Oflcer-A PeacemRking A~djutant.

mel Who Wanted to XIII His Superior
Onicer-A P~eacemakinK A%djutant.
Tragedies in our own camps, out
side of battles, were more common than
the public knows, " said q distinguished
soldier.
1.-THE shooting of Major General Mel
son at Louisville by Brigadicr General
Jeff G. Davis because Nelson in Il fit of
anger had called Davis IL 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 a tragedy that it makes my gray hair
rise up as l recall it.
"While u number of officers of the
regiment were in ihe majors tent l said
something that = captain took eXcep-
tons to, and Il wai Of words followed.
When he pumped out, You are Il liar!
l struck out with my right and set him
to bleeding. He camc back ut me like Il
tiger ca. We clinched and for three or
four minutes had it hot and sharp; then
the others separated us. He made all
sorts Of threats. l was adjutant. IIo
ranked me, and l confess that for a time
l 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 Il walk with HIM. Think
ing that DER troubles had completely
healed, l consented. On the way back
to camp we passed through IN orchard.
| climbed n tree TO get some apples.
Just as | reached for an apple | saw tie
captain reach for his revolver and glare
Mt me like very iicnG. Instantly | luoS.
cncd my hold and dropped to the ground
Selling Il stake, | toGk my place ~ Lis
side and said, Now. You cowardly dog,
put up that gun or I'll brain you This
time he was kept III Il hot griddlo for IL
month, though l made no threats rid
had no thought of reporting his attaI-It
to assassinato me.
THE no.t fight VIC got into we made
up for coed and all and remained fast
friends until the final round up, when
General Joe Johnston had his l.un
throw down their guns and go home to
make a croy.' 1t happened in this way:
Tho colonel lad given the order to form
line of battle. As "Gjutant it was my
duty to SEQ that each captain carried
out tho order. When l reached the
would BIO assassin and had performed
my duty and started to go away, he
called out, 'Adjutant, coma back
When l complied, he took my hand,
looked me squlrely III tho eye and said:
Lieutenant, can you forgive me for all
of my meanness to you? l hope SO. l
have never had n 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."
"As l 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 l could
have sent him cut of the army i'll dis
grace and placed him in the peniten-
tiary after he was out, but I've always
been glad l did not. He was Il good sol
dier in battle, us brave as they made
them. but a bulldog in camp. He left
the army a major. His name? Never
mind that. 1t is Il true story. / wish it
We're not, for l cannot forget that at Il
time in my life 1 was in a fair way to
be murdercd.'
Report to your headquarters under
arrest, sir
Tho colonel of q western regiment
Missed that remark to his lieutenant
colonel rs he dismissed tho parade ome
evening in December. 1864. u few miles
back of Petersburg.
Il refuse to go. d you" was tho
reply.
"Adjutant, see that Lieutenant Colo
mel Blank goes to his quarters at once
said tho angry colonel, who was i'll the
right, for tho lieutenant colonel, who
had been drinking, had disobeyed or.
dcrs.
The adjutant knew both officers well,
and That it would not do for them to
come together that night. He had a
merry time Of it keeping them apart.
The lieutenant colonel would jump up
and start for the cabin door with Il
threat to go to the ~colCnel's quarters
and cut him down with his sword. He
was II 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 tho c%olonel's
cabin, with sword drawn. stop,
man." said the adjutant. Would You
blot your rccord 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 Il
step farther i'll that direction until you
have killed me-
Il don't wan 10 kill you, but I'm
going to Kill the colonel"
''All right, kill him. but wait until
tomorrow-until it is light. Don't shoot
n man in the dark. That is no way Tor
a brave man to do
He went back to his bunk and slept
until morning. When he awoke. he
came to me II said:
How can l get out Of this scrape,
adjutant?'
Write the colonel an apology"
He wrote it, and the ~adjutant took it
to the colonel, who read it, laughed and
said, bring Colonel Blank to my quar-
ters. They met like a pair Of brothers,
and to this day the adjutant believes
that he Drpyputpu an army tragedy. and