The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-03-27

sec. In the reorganization Of that
army, then taking place, | had just
been appointed to the command of one
Of the regiments Of the new organizl
ton, but was still on duty at Gen.
Johnston headquarters. was one
Of the three assistant adjutant gcncr-
ais. and while ny duties in the field
were the same as any other staff off
Ger, my Office business was, in part, to
revise the record, or the courts martial
held in the army, and to furnish Il re
port on every case to the commanding
general
The army at this time was in and
about Smilhiicld, \. &. In the march
through South Carolina there had
been numerous dcscrtions from the
ranks among the South Carolina
troops, who naturally felt that fur,h-
or struggle was hopeless, and saw no
reason for leaving their homes behind
them. This evil in all parts Of the
army was so great that Gen. Johnston,
always very strict disclplinarian,
was determined to deal with it with
great severity. Among the eases tried
by one Of the military courts while the
army was in and about Smithiicld was
that Of youth whose name do not
,o.,1l ,,l.> L,, ,locn.,oJ ,,nJo, .Ioco
circumstances from South Carolina
regiment, but had been captured, re-
turned to his regiment, tried, con
victcd, and sentenced to be shot.
had revised the record and found it
technically correct, which was my sole
duty in reference to it, had made my
report to Gen. Johnson and received
his order, directing the execution, the
next day: of this young soldier. l
Immediately prepared the order nc
cordingly, and sent it down to the
command to which he belonged. IN
little while delegation of officers of
the regiment came to Gen. Johnston
headquarters with a petition for the
commutation or suspension the SEN
tcnce.
At that time most of the army was
in motion on the march toward
Raleigh. Gen. Johnston had not &C.
tually left his headquarters, but his
and his staff horses we're all saddlcd,
ready to move. This was about the
10th or 11th of April. Already there
we're vague rumors throughout the
army Of the disaster that had over
taken Lees army, though Gen. John
ston's movement was then for tho pur-
pose Of effectiug junction with Gen.
Lee. The General sat on the piazza
of little house, which was his head
quarters, evidently in deep, anxious
thought. He had way when thus
preoccupied of jerking his head slow
ly from side to side as if he had very
mild case Of the palsy. We of his
staff all knew that it was not we'll to
interrupt him at such times, but the
occasion was such that I fell that l
must approach him, though l did SO
with much trepidation and many mis-
givlngs as to my reception. I said to
him, in effect, that soldier of the
regiment, which l designated, had
been sentenced to be shot the next
morning for desertion; that had in
my hand the application Of officers Of
his regiment for Communication or sus-
pension of the sentence; that several
officers of the regiment had brought it
up and were in attendance to receive
his answer to that petition. At the
same time rendered the petition to
him. He declined to take il, but ask
ed me if had not reviewed Il record.
When answered in tho affirmative,
his next question was: SIS not the
record correct?" To this 1 also an
swered that in my opinion it was. He
then asked: "Has anything new oc-
CURED since?" I told him: "Not to
my knowledge" "Have l not, then,
ordered the sentence to be carried
out?' l told him he ha1.
At that he became silent, and evil
IDENTIFY resumed the train of thought
which was occup. ing him when had
interrupted him. I stood for some
time in his immediate presence, hop
ing that he would say something. AS
he did not, l spoke to him about as
follows: General, l beg pardon for
interrupting you, but this is matter
of life and death. 1 have not had
your ans yer to this petition, and I
ought not to assume the responsibility
OF giving an answer to the officers who
bought it, and l beg that you will tell
me definitely what I shall say to