The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-03-09
SAYS conBIN IS A COWARD.
An open Letter Concerning His Rec
ord in the Union Army.

ord in the Union Army.
NEW YORK, March ST. ]. Nor
gan. colonel Of the Fourteenth United
States colored Infantry and brevet
brigadier-general United States Yolun-
teers. has written an open letter to the
Tribune with reference to Adjutant-
General Corbln's military record dur
ing the civil war He states that he
Is prompted 70 write the letter 9y the
resolution mentioning Of his name In
connection with the senate resolution
Of inquiry as to the military record OF
General Corbin.
Colonel Morgan's letter deals princi-
pally with the battle Of Nashville,
Tenn, December Il and Is, 1854. during
which he was IN command Of an i'm
provised division Of white and colored
troops. The officers commanding regi-
ments under him included Lieutenant
Colonel Charles II. Grosvenor. now
member OF congress; Colonel nov
generaD W. r. shafter: and Lieuten-
ant Colonel Cnow generaD Corbln.
Writing OF this battle. Colonel Nor
gan says;
Colonel Shafter and Colonel Gros-
veror acquitted themselves with great
credit. Shafter showing special actiy-
ity and courage. and suffering the loss
OF many Of his men.
Il was not with Lieutenant Colonel
corbin during the fighting. but officers
reported to me after the battle was
ended that he had betrayed such cow
ardice as to excite the ridicule OF both
officers and men. spoke to him about
II ard he at once rendered me his re-
signation, subsequently, however. with
drawing IT,
In my official report of the battle,
said that thought that Lieutenant
Colonel Corbin did not have the cour-
age requisite TO command brave men,
Many years afterward, when the re-
bellion records were about to be pub
lished, was urged to expunge that
sentence before the report was pub
lished. This / declined TO do on the
grounds--frst, because / did not feel
at liberty to alter the records. believ-
ing that such action on my part and
on that Of other officers would not only
tend to destroy their historical accur-
acy and value; and second, because
with my report and my record would
be without proper explanation.
Il preferred charges against Lieu
tenant Colonel Gorbin based upon the
Information l had received and be-
lieved to be correct, and on -hese
charges he was brought to trial by a
court martial which however, ac-
quilted him.
subsequently he united with others
and preferred charges against me on
which | was brought to trial. The
findings of the court martial were SCI
aside. was given the command of a
brigade by the personal act of Govern
or Thomas. was subsequently promot-
ed by the president as Drevet briga-
der general and was confirmed by the
senate. In August, 1865. the war being
over, l left the service; Lieutenant.
Colonel Corbin became colonel of the
regiment, and il l mistake not he has
remained continuously in the army
from that lime to the present, period
of nearly thirty-five years.
Il regret that anyone has seen fit
to bring up this matter for | am of tn.
opinion that the Nashville incident
ought not at this time to have weight
| in determining the question as tC
whether the adiutant- general Of tn,
army should be made Major Genera
Corbin and | were at that time both
very young volunteer officers with but
little experience in either life or SER
vice and it seems to me that neither
his act as soldier or mine as a COM
manding officer ought to be judged by
the severe military standard of the
regular army. l believed at that time
that Colonel Corbin had betrayed cow
ardice, so reported and felt it my duty
to court martial MIN. But the judg-
ment 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 he mai
or-general is one to be determined by
experts. and 1 do not feel called upon
at the present time to pass any opinion
upon it. MY object in writing this
communication is to state the facts as
they occurred, so as to remove from
the public mind many misapprehen-
sions and misunderstandings