Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-12-16
THE BOOMING CANNON
REcITALS OF CAMP AND BAT.
TILE INCIDENTS.
Survivors of the Rebellion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Incl
dents of Marches, Camp Life, Forag-

ElONS, iuWS Oh 1UuHfEs%, aHu DfuHIs
from superior authority; but when it
comes to the actual test it is not easy
to find any practical limit TO what a
general in command may or may not
DO / am not writing just now Of the
subject of this sketch; | ar merely
introducing 1t by some striking exam
pies Of military severity. to show how
tremendous an engine this almost alb
soIute military power can be. Thus,
spies and guerrillas are supposed to
be entitled to a trial by military com
mission before they can be punished;
but all soldiers Of active campaigns
know that when an army is moving
and fighting. the most summary kind
of justice is dealt out to such people
when caught Most Of our army saw
the dead body Of man hanging to
a tree near Frederick, Maryland, in
the first days Of August, 1864, and
were told on inquiry that he had been
identified as soy and hung BY
do not now T aeinber what general.
Guerrillas in tn Shenandoah valley
charged with bush ,-haokng" our sol
diers, We're hung / think Gen, Custer
treated half dozen Of them in this
fashion near Front Royal that sum-
mer. The act Of course. led TO bloody
reprisals Gen Hunter, In the pre-
vious spring. movihzs far up the valley
with an army. found at Lexington a
proclamation from Ex-Governor Letch-
CT. calling on the people to carry on
guerrilla warfare against the invaders.
which SO incensed the General that
he burned the house and buildings of
Leteher, who had prudently absented
himself when the invaders appeared.
In retaliation for this, Chambersburg.
in Pennsylvania was in July following,
burned by the Confederate General
DlcCausland, and hundreds Of unoffend-
ing women and children rendered
homeless
In the last of September, 1864, when
our army moved up to Harrisburg, Va.
Lieut. Meigs, of Sheridan's staff, was
shot and killed at a distance from the
troops 1t was believed at the time
that this was the work Of guerrillas,
and Sheridan believed, though the Con
federates afterward insisted that the
man was a regularly enlisted soldier
on scout. IT was most harshly av-
enged by whomsoeyer committed
Sheridan ordered his cavalry to burn
every house within an area OF five
miles, aud the order was executed.
Such examples Of suffering by persons
ignorant of any direct offense, rs are
furnished BY this and the Cumber-
land Incident, are enough to make US
revolt from the very idea Of war.
These instances have called to show
what a terrible thing Is the absolute
power of the military commander. /
have not criticised them; they have
been variously treated by the military
critics depending largely on which
side OF the conflict had their sym
pathies.
And 10 not mean to put these
things order the head Of military tyr
amy / wished more particularly to
speak OF the War Department, and Of
the manner IN which the great Sec
rotary sometimes exercises his vast
power.
This is n rather delicate subject to
treat of to the American reading pub
lie, thousands OF whom are full of ad-
miration for the mans sterling pa
triotisn and sturdy honesty. That
Mr. Stanton had these lofty qualities
none Will deny. But be had also a
most bitter and vindictive disposition
toward those who had offended him.
and he was capable of pursuing such
with h., niger as long as he could
reach them.
In July. 1863. there came 10 the De
partment OF the Gulf 10 act as Banks
chief o. staff. a tail. soldierly looking
man, whose hair and mustache were
plentiful srreaked with gray, aud
whose fiae face showed signs Of acute
mental suffering He was Gen. Chas.
2. Stone. remember seeing him at
Port Hudson after the surrender. and
that | was deeply impressed with his
appearance and bearing. He had been
sent there In answer To the urgent re-
quest Of Gen Banks He was a fine
soldier. a West Point graduate. and In
late years was known as the engineer
Of the construction OF the PEDESTAL for
the statue Of Liberty, in New York
/ harbor. At the outbreak OF the war.
/ his services at Washington In re or
/ ganization OF troops. was Invaluable
He was placed In command Of a dlr
( trict along the Potomac. and the dis.
aster Of Balls biuT happened to part
I o. his command. He was not rcspon.
/ sibie FOR II. but the press demanded
victim. and Gen. Stone was selected.
! Just what the pretext WAS upon which
/ be was arrested and confined II mil
/ itary prison Is not known TO Il IL car.
f He was SO confined six months. during
/ which time not the least attention was
/ paid 70 the repeated demands OF the
unfortunate man and his friends for a
/ court OF inquiry. No charge in writ.
/ ing was ever preferred against him. nor
was he released until an act Of Con.
/ gress was passed providing for the re-
/ lease of officers who had been IN con-
/ fluement sixty days without charges
When compelled by law TO free him.
Secretary Stanton did SO Aut not the
least explanation was given him.
Gen Stone served with zeal and dis
| tinction in the Red River campaign,
! at the close of which he was eriel ed
! TO Cairo. Illinois In that unatrrac~