Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1902-06-07
WHO aPETER DOUGLASS IS.
The Story ofthe Origin Of an Army Term
Meaning De ID Mar

I'm garrison life Peter Douglass
means dead man-that is, officially.
not really dead" observed an army
officer. 1T had its origin at Fort Mon
roe quarter of century ago, though
there are a number of officers who
knew the original Pete and quite 2
number more who knew the facts in
regard to his case.
'One of the leading officers of the
artillery service today, then a lieuten-
ant, was sent from Governors Island,
in New York harbor, to Fort Monroe
with a detachment of .2ineteen soldiers.
They came down by the sea, and the
first night out the soldiers got on to a
barrel of fine whisky which was in the
hold, and by the aid of a gimlet and
some straws the most of the nineteen
men were in very hilarious condition
before midnight. On the second night
out some of them tackled the barrel
again, and in a short time they were
again intoxicated. Among the number
was Peter Douglass. When the time
came for them to land at Fort Monroe,
Peter Douglass could not be found. 1t
was generally believed that he had
fallen overheard or, while intoxicated
had jumped overheard. Anyhow, the
4lSulSuduI ONSI UuL S1SAlSSn
men. He reported Peter Douglass as
having been drowned, and the record
was made accordingly. Three days at
terward, when the ship that brought
the party down was unloading some
freight at Charleston, S. c., Peter
Douglass crawled out of the hold look
ing somewhat worse for his experience.
After bracing up he managed to work
h n Monroe whore
supposed he would join his company
but upon presenting himself to the
officer in command there he was told
that as the record had shown that
Peter Douglass had been drowned they
were required to consider him dead,
even if he was not dead.
Douglass admitted that he was
pretty nearly dead, but that he had
managed to pull through. Anyhow, he
was not admitted to the quarters = the
garrison, and was told that he sad
better move along; that he was out OF
the army as surely as he had ever been
in it.
But Peter did not go far away. That
evening he met some of his comrades,
three in number, from Governors is
land, and they celebrated his comlAg
TO life in true soldierly manner. The
celebration wound up in the guard
house there, as did the celebrators.
The record of the guardhouse showed
that, though Peter Douglass had been
reported dead a few days before, he
was very much alive. Two days after
wards the names Of the four were sent
to the officer in command as pre3.:n-
mary to have them contaminated
and punished for disorderly conduct
and other violations of the laws OF the
garrison The officer, who was
strong advocate of the power of record.
ruled that as Peter Douglass had never
entered the garrison, he could not be
court-martialed and that, in fact, Peter
Douglass was dead beyond resurrec-
ton. He was, therefore, turned out
and again told to move on, but as he
cid not realize that he was dead, ne
did not do so.
He hung around the garrison for
some time, but finally wandered away
and got back to New York. Officially
he has remained dead ever since, for
the record has never been changed.
The officers preferred to let him re-
main dead and get him out of the army
in that way than to try and reform
him by court-martial, for he seemed to
be beyond reform. Washington Star.