The National tribune., 1906-12-06
PROvoST-MARsHAL'S PASSES.
A Comrnde Treasures Coupie ns Rel

Editor National Tribune: | have no.
ticed in several issues of The National
Tribune articles referring to relics OF
the civil war l send you this: In 1863
my regiment was stationed at Mem
phis, Tenn. and while there an order
was received to detail a Sergeant ami
IL men to arrest several deserters who
had left their regiments lat NicksburE.
Miss l was one of the detail. We ar
rested some six or seven men. and took
them up to the Provost Marshafs office
who sent them TO Irving Block, = Mill
tary prison. One of the deScrterS,
named Mullins. got away. and my COM
rade. Baker. and myself were blamed
for it. The Provost Marshal told MS =
go to the first boat leaving for the
North, and if we found the man to bring
him back. If we did not we were to
be sent to the military prison to serve
the balance of our time. Baker and
| went down to the landing and board
ed the boat While looking the boa;
over it unexpectedly started. giving Gs
no time to get off. Baker and | We're
sitting on some wood talking over ON
troubles when the man we were after
came along. We did not know what
to do as we had no gun nor badge OF
authority to show to arrest the man.
so concluded to watch him till we ga:
TO Cairo, ILL.,. when we would report the
affair to the Provost Marshal there and
ask his assistance. Baker and | sam
tered around over the boat, and OF the
hurricane deck found a Corporal and
two men guarding a prisoner they were
taking to Cairo. I told the Corporal
our predicament, and offered to take Il
turn guarding his prisoners if he would
assist u.s. He accepted my offer. aaI
with his help arrested our man AMI
took him to Cairo. / reported to the
Provost Marshal of that place, and odr
man was placed in prison there. Til"
Provost Marshal told lis to report at .
o'clock the next morning. when ne
would give us transportation 10 Mem
phis. We did so. and this is the order
for transportation:
Headquarters, Post of Cairo, Aug
z. 1865
general Order. No. 1853.
III George W. Richards, Co. X. i56th
ILL.,. with one man as guard. will take
charge of one prisoner. deserter, pro-
ceed at oSce to Mem phis, Tenn. anc
report to Military Provost Marshal of
that post. The Quartermaster's De-
partment will furnish the necessary
transportation.
by order of J. f. Cornelius. Major.
18th Regiment, " r. c.. Commanding
Post, John T. Talbot, First Lieutenant
and A. a. A. G."
We took our man to Memphis and
reported to the Provost Marshal. who
gave us an order to take him to the
military prison. After doing this, Ba-
ker and / went back to the Provost
Marshal and stated as we had left our
company without orders no doubt VIC
had been reported as deserters. and we
wanted something to show We had been
away on duty. so the Provost Marshal
gave me the following excuse:
"Ofice of the Provost Marshal, Dis
trict West Tennessee, Memphis, Tenn.
Aug. 3. 1865.
&C. o. Co. K. 156th Ill.
Dear Sir: The bearer. George w.
Richards, and A. Baker. privates Of
your command, We're. while attempting
to arrest deserter. Gnavoidably car
ried off on a steamer to Cairo, Ill. They
have just returned with the prisoner,
and 1 would recommend that they go
unpunished for absence, etc.-John G.
McDermott. Colonel, 18th ILL.,. and
Provost Marshall"
I still have these orders, and would
not part with them for anything. If
Comrade Baker should see this, ]
would like to hear from him or any
other member of my company.-Geo.
W. Richards, Co. a, 136th, and Co. X,
156th ILL.,, Anna, Ill.