Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-06

putations that have been made against his
military record by persons who are endeav-
| oring to defeat the proposition to raise the
| office of the adjutant general of the army
| to the grade of major general. That he has
accepted the issue raised by his enemies is
shown in the following correspondence:
Gen. Corbin's Letter.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Adjutant Generals Office,
Washington, March g. 1900
| Hon. Cushman K Davis United States
Senate:
Dear Sir: My attention has been called to
! certain newspaper reports purporting to set
forth extracts from q memorial that is
said to have been transmitted to you. which
are in the nature of charges affecting my
record as an officer of the army.
So far as these statements. or any others,
may be deserving of considera ton or at
tentiOn l desire to place myself at your
command in aiding you to make search
ing examination of my record soldier,
with view to ascertaining all the truth,
and / wish to say in all earnestneSS II a
search reveals to you a suggestion of un-
worthiness I will close the discussion, so
far as l am concerned, by authorizing you
to present my resignation from the service
to the President.
i believe in disposing of radical evils with
quick remedies; and, so far as lies in my
power. this rule is followed in the admins
ment. and l shall not shrink from having
the same rule applied to my own case.
1t is my duty as adjutant general of the
army to afford you. and through you, the
Congress, all facilities for full and complete
information on any question affecting the
efficiency of the military service in part or
in whole.
1 have the honor to hand you herewith
an official copy of general orders No. 6,
headquarters. LIST Sep. Div. Army of the
Cumberland, dated March IA, 1865. promul-
eating the proceedings and findings of the
general court-martial resulting from trial
on all allegations; and your especial atten-
ton is invited to the unusual expression of
the court in its findings to wit: Most hon
orably acquit." That the court was COM
posed of officers of experience and high
character goes without saying and that its
proceedings, findings and approval were in
all respects regular and lawful has never
been questioned.
Your attention is also invited to copy
of the official report Enclosed herewith) OF
the engagements of the 14th United States
Coiored Infantry, in and about Decatur,
Alabama, during the latter part of the
month of October, 1864 (printed in vol 80,
part 1. PIP. IA to 716 of the Records of the
Union and Confederate Armies, War of the
Rebellion), which report is signed by the
officer who later preferred the charges upon
which / was tried, of which related to
that time and place.
/ feel confident that to one of your long
experience a public officer and your
high sense of justice. the official records
herewith brought TO your attention will not
permit you to be misled nor to accept as
truthful the statements which are reported
to be contained in the memorial referred
If. however, you desire to make further
examination into my record l will gladly
give You any assistance in facilitating
examination of the records made, day by
day, from the time when as a lad of nine
teen, left my fathers farm in southern
Ohio and entered the volunteer army. / am
now closing my thirty-eighth year of con-
tinuous service-a service. modest though
1t has been l claim to have been honest and
faithful My service in the volunteer army
covered nearly four years, having in that
time held commissions of six grades, from
second lieutenant to and including that of
colonel with brevet of brigadier general.
From all of which / was honorably dis
charged. not only this but Gen. Grant,
while Secretary of War ad interim 1.-TWO
years after the trial herein discussed had
been of record in the War Department.,
conferred upon me by authority of the
President two brevets, one of major, for
gallant and meritcrious conduct in the bat
tie of Decatur, Ala, and another of lieu
tenant colonel for like service in the battle
of Nashville COPIES of which are inciosedD
covering the exact dates set forth in the
specifications to the charges tried. Follow
ing my discharge from the volunteer serv-
ice | was appointed second lieutenant in
the regular army, and in July. 1865. was
appointed captain in one of the new
re giments. and SO far as / am aware, with
out the solicitation of any influence outside
OF the military service l had been Off
Ger of the army more than fourteen years
before l had the honor of the personal ac-
quantance of any member of Congress or
any one else in touch with the authorities
in Washington. My first ten years in the
regular army were spent with my company
in the then remote western states and ter
ritories of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico
Arizona and Texas, having in that time
marched in different expeditions against
In md hon Of S+a ttnp frOr
Fort Riley, Kan, (the western terminal of
the railroads leading to the wesD. to Fort
Brown at the mouth of the Rio Grande-
the distance traversed and the difficulties
of this service being fully understood only
by those who have had the experience.
During all these ten years / was never
absent from duty for a single day from any
cause whatever. l served fourteen years
captain of infantry and in the ad-
jutant generals department. nine years in
the grade of major. seven years in the grade
of lieutenant colonel and two years in the
grade of colonel. and at the time of my APP
pointment as adjutant general was the
senior colonel in the department. Your at
tent1on is also invited 10 the fact that the
President rendered me the commission OF
major general of volunteers, which / had
the honor to decline. so that all these offices
Cimited in number by law might be given
to officers serving with troops in the field.
l have now served in the regular army
more than third of century, and have
been absent from duty from any cause less
than thirty days.
This appeal Is made to you in the name of
| justice. and 1 am confident that 1t is not
made in vain. Very respectfully,
Fl. c. CORBIN, Adjutant General.
The Court-Martial Record.
The Enclosures referred to are as follows:
HEADQUARTERS 1ST SEPT. DIV. A. c.,
| CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, March A. 1865.
| General Orders No. 6.
l. Before a general court-martial which
| convened at Chattanooga, Tenn, pursuant
| to special order No. 20 from Headquarters
| 1st Separate Division A. c., and OF which
Colonel L. Johnson, 44th Regiment u s.
\ Colored Infantry. Is president, was ar
| raigned and tried First Lieutenant Colonel
~ A 4" ~"