The National tribune., 1906-07-12
Stories Eminenty Worth Telling of Experiences and Adventures
J. in the Great National Struggle.

to the Indiana boys he did so regard
less of fed-tape regulations. But thai
| the army was in grave danger from
the influence of Governor Morton, OF
that he ever tried to retain quasi au-
thority over Indiana troops" we have
never heard before, nor do we think
! history substantiates the charge.
Nor have we ever heard before that
| Gen. jeff c. Davis was naturally of a
sour, saturnine disposition, jealous of
his personal dignity" or that he was
guilty of such insults as throwing pa
per wads in the face of his superior
officers even In fit of rage. as he is
| described as having been in with Gen.
| Nelson. On the contrary Gen. Jeff G.
| Davis is known and remembered as q
gentleman of the highest type, a digni-
| fled, quiet man, and An officer of su-
! perior merit, as the record shows, in
every command that he ever held.
Now as to the facts that led up to
the killing of Gen. Nelson. But first
as to Gen. Nelson. History records and
! the memory of those who knew him
(and the writer was one of them) is
that he was a great hig, overbearinS
man with tyrannical inclinations: a
successful commander, terror to all
officers who were unfortunate to be
| under him, and continual annoyance
to all who were his superiors in com
mand.
At the time of the unfortunate en-
counter between Gems. Nelson and
Davis Gen. Nelson had just arrived
| in Louisville to take command at that
place. While passing through the cor
ridor of the Gait House he met Gen.
Jeff C. Davis. who had been in the city
for some time, and being anxious to
learn the number of available troops
in the city, he (Gen. Nelson) asked
Gen. Davis how many available men
he had in his command" Gen. Davis
having been taken by surprise at the
question, answered in a very quiet
manner. About 2.500."
Gen. Nelson, in an insulting, sneer-
ing manner repeated, About $500.
You. an officer in the army, answer your
superior officer About 2.500.' Go TO
your quarters and see il you can pre-
pare a more businesslike report" and
as he said this he struck Cen Davis
slap in the face. Gen. Davis was, OF
course, shocked and amazed, knowing
his ina bility to cope with Gen. Nelson
in a muscular encounter, and being
stung to the quick by the insult he had
received he Immediately armed him
self with revolver. and in a quiet bat
dignified manner demanded of Gen
Nelson an apology for the insult he had
received. Instead of apologizing Gen.
Nelson added insult to injury by sneer-
ing at Gen. Davis, who Immediately
shot him.
True it was an unfortunate occur
renee. No one realized that more than
did Gen. Davis. It is said that 1t cast
gloom over the last years of his life.
And yet what would life have been
worth to him had he not resented the
attack upon his manhood?
1t has often been said that Gen. Mel
sons death was calamity for which
the Nation suffered. That may be
true. and yet the manner of his taking
off may have taught lesson from
which the whole army and the Nation
derived adequate benefit.
Gen Davis was at the same time the
victim and the hero. He not only de-
Tended his own manhood, but he set
limit. beyond which the terrorism of
superior officers over their interiors
iE rank could not go. 1t had It's eff
feet to the betterment of discipline
throughout the remainder of the war.
and the fact that Gen. Davis was never
tried for the act, and never lost his
command, shows how public sentiment
not only in the army but in civil life
was in his favor at the time.
/ think 1t unfortunate and in bad
taste to revive these unpleasant MEM
ories of events that should be allowed
to sleep with the years that are gone
but If we must refer to them let's do II
tenderly: give the facts. but cast no
slurs upon departed comrades, es-
pecially upon such men as Indiana's
War Governor, o. P. Morton, or In
diana's brilliant General, Jeff C. Davis.
neither OF whom was the moving cause
OF this sad and unfortunate tragedy
&C. M. Parker, Co. A, 46th Ind. Lin
coin, Neb.
[If the correspondent had read the
article a little more closely he would
have noticed that the sentences to
which he refers were from Gen. Buell's
article in Battles and Leaders," writ
ten many years after the war, and rep
resenting the views he still entertained
of actors and events. 1t was interest
| ing from that fact.-Editor National
Tribune.1