The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-09
aesthesia, February IT. Robert NJ Part
iett' Forty-second Infantry.
GEN. CoRBlN's RECORD.
MS Former Commander, who Pre-
ferred Charges Against Him.
Writes an Open Letter nm IL

NEW YORK, March ST. ] Morgan
sate colonel of the Fourteenth United
adler general United States volnn,ears
mas written an open letter to the Tribune
VIII VIII reference to Adjt. Gen. Corbin's
military record during the civil war He
states that he is prompted to write mo
letter by the frequent mentioning oF MS
name nam, IN connection with the senate res
or d'' % ~ inquiry as to the military rec
Col Morgan's letter deals principally
WIN tne battle OF Nashville. Tenn, De-
cernper IA and Is, 1854. during which he
was in command OF AM Irnproytsed djvis
ION OF white and colored troops The Of
,,s commanding regiments under him
new member of congress: Col (now gem
sraD VI r shafter and Lieut. Col. (now
generaD Corbin.
Writing OF this battle Col. Morgan savs.
Col. Shafter and Col Grosvenor ac-
Quilted themselves with great credit
shafter showing special activity and cour-
men.
u was not with Lieut.. Col. corbin dur
ing the hghting, but officers reported to
had betrayed ouch eowardice as TO excite
the rtdicule OF both officers and men I
spoke to him. about it, and he at once
rendered me his resignation, subsequently.
however, WITHDRAWN II.
In my Official report OF the battle I
said that | thought Lieut.. Col Corbin
did not have the courage requisite to COM
mand brave men. Many years afterward
when the rebellion records were about
TO be published, ] was urged 20 expunge
that sentence before the report was pub
lished. This | declined to do on two
grounds-frst. because did not feel at
liberty TO alter the records, believing that
other officers would tend TO destroy their
historical accuracy and value and sec
ond, because subsequent events. closely
connected with my report and my record
would be without proper explanation.
Il preferred charges against Lieut. Col,
Corbin, based upon the Information / had
received, and believed to be correct and
on these charges he was brought 10 trial
by court-martial. which. however. ac-
quilted him.
Subsequently he united with others
and preferred charges against me on
which l was brought to trial The ind
inss OF the court-martial We're set aside.
! was given the command OF a brigade BY
the personal act OF Gen Thomas. was
subsequently promoted by the president
as brevet hrigadier general. and vas con-
war being over / left the service; Lieut..
Col. Corbtn became colonel Of the regt-
ment, and II mistake not. he has re-
manned continuously In the army from
that time to the present period OF near
Iy thirty-dve years,
II regret that any one has seen ft 20
bring up this matter. for l am OF the
opinion that the Nashville incident ought
not at this time to have weight in deter
mining the question as TO whether the
adjutant general OF the army should he
made major general. Corhin and were
at that time both very young vols .tcer
officers, with but little experience IN
either life or service, and IL seems 70 me
that neither his act as a soldier nor mine
as a commanding officer ought 20 be ludg-
ed by the severe military standard or the
regular army I believed at that time
that Col Corbin betrayed cowardice. 40
reported and felt II my duty TO court-mar-
tial him. But the Judgment Of the court
did not sustain me, and the incident
should be regarded as closed.
THE question whether the adJutant
general OF the army should be a major
general Is one 10 he determined by ex-
perts, and | do not feel called upon NJ
the present time TO pass any opinion up
on a. MY object In writing this com
nunicrtlnn Is TO state facts M they oc-
cured 40 as TO remove from the public
mind many Interpretations ana misun-
dersta ndings "