The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-11
COURTMART|AL OF
 GENERAL TURCH|N Memories of President Garfield
 At Athens WELL LIKED BY PEOPLE Old Headquarters and commissary Are Still Standing in North Ala
 bama Town-Abuses of
 the Federal Officer.
BY ROBERT M. RAWLs.


 Athens, November 10.-(Special.) )-Mem- ories of historical importance hang around the beautiful home of Athens re- spected fellow citizen, Thomas Macklin Hobbs. It was there the lamented James A. Garfield made his headquarters when ill Athens during the civil war, and just across the street stands the old residence of Capt. T. H. Hobbs who was killed i'll the war, in which house Garfield pre- sided at the courtmartial of the federal general, John B. Turchin, who was tried and dismissed from the service of the United States for allowing his command To pillage, destroy and insult the people of this town Dr. Macklin's home was made the headquarters of General Gar field and the other prominent federal of ficers during this interesting historical event; while the Hobbs home across the street was used as commissary for the Union soldiers, and was the scene of Turchin's trial. General Garfield, whom none of our citizens then dreamed would ever be President, was well liked by them. He impressed all as a Christian gentleman and an honorable soldier. He was especially courteous to ladies, and supplied those who needed assistance greatly appreciated provisions from his commissary. The General was also q minister of the Christian (sometimes called Campbellites) church, and several times preached to congregations in Attn ems and the country. One of these re- ligious meetings was held in the Gamble grove, and was attended by some few thousand people
 Turchin Was Disliked.
 The prisoner at the courtmartial, John B. Turchn, a German, was cordially dis liked by our citizens for allowing his sol diers to violate the general and special orders of the army of the Ohio in disre- garding discipline, overrunning private citizens, and appropriating or destroying property, wantonly, dlshonestly, without warrant and against the laws of war
 The matter is one. really, of more than local interest. It attracted the attention of the nation; and Matthew Carpenter of Ohio, in his speech for Tilden before the high electoral commission which seated Hayes, referred to the German colonel, who, on entering Athens, Ala, said to his soldiers: Boys, I close my eyes for three hours.
 Therefore, your correspondent has taken pains to learn from the printed records of the rebellion. the accurate facts about Turchin's conduct. the charges against him, the specifications on which they were based, and the findings of the court There were three charges brought First, neglect of duty, to the prejudice of good order and military dis cpline; second, conduct unbecoming an officer and gentlemen; third, disobeden e of orders He plead not guilty to all but the last charge, which accused him of violating a general order of the Army of the Ohio fOrhid6inp officer gOldipv to bring his wife into camp or to have her accompany him about. Mrs. Turchin was with her husband at Athens, coming and going with him. This he did not deny The following specifications from the re- port of the trial so made by the federal officials to their superiors at the time. will throw much light on the interesting episode of local war history. There were charges of insulting language to white ladies on the part of the soldiers, and of some cases of debauching the colored families, but these are here omitted.
 General Orders.
 General orders No. s. Headquarters,
 Army of the Ohio, in camp, Huntsville
 Ala, August 6, 1862.
 l. By a general courtmartial which convened at Athens, Ala, on the 1th day of July. 1862, pursuant to special order
  journed to Huntsville. Ala, by special or der 10S of July 20, 1862. from the head quarters Army of the Ohio. and of which Brig. .-Gen. J. A. Garfield, United States Volunteers. is president, was arraigned and tried, Col. J. B. Turcinin of the Nine teenth regiment, Illinois Volunteers. Charge 1-Negleot of duty to the prejudice of good order and military discipline. Specification to first charge. In that the af1 n1 I ~f A.. Illinois Volunteers, being in command of the Eighth brigade, Army of the Ohio, did, on or about the End day of May. 1882. march the said brigade into the town of Athens, state of Alabama. and having had the arms of the regiment stacked 'n the streets, did allow his command to dis perse. and in his presence, or with his knowledge and that of his officers, to plunder and pillage the inhabitants of said town and the country adjacent there- to, without taking adequate steps to re- strain them. Among the incidents of said plundering and pillaging are the fol- lowing; A party entered the dwelling of Milly Ann Clayton and opened all the trunks. drawers and boxes of every de- scription, and taking out the contents thereof, consisting of wearing apparel and bed clothing, destroyed, spoiled or carried away the same. squad of soldiers went to the office of R. C. David and plum dered it of about a thousand dollars in money and much wearing apparel, and destroyed stock of books, among which was a lot of fine Bibles, Testaments. which were defaced, torn, scattered about the floor and trampled under foot.
 A party of this command entered the home occupied by two females, M. F. Malone and s. B. Malone, and ransacked it throughout and conveying off the money which they found, and also the jewelry, and also the plate and orna- ments of value and interest to the own CTS. and destroyed spoiled the furni- ture of said house without couse.
 For six or eight hours that day squads of soldiers visited the dwelling house of Thomas s. Malone, breaking open the desks and carrying off or destroying val uable papers, notes of land or other prop erty. to the value of about $450O more or less; this last was done chiefly by the men of Edgartons battery. The plunder- ing of saddles. blankets, brides, etc. was by the Thirtyseventh Indiana Voun- teers.
 The same parties plundered the drug store of William D. Allen, desroying com pletely a set of surgical. obstetrical and dental instruments, carrying them away.
 Store Piundered.
 The store of Madison Thompson was broken open or plindered of a stock of goods worth about 5000. and his stable