Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-09-03
Civil War Stories
..shot to Death with Musketry.' -


about it than the cold, stern enforce
ment of military law in the execution
OF an offending soldier.
Such scenes were not rare in our
great armies; but the men never be-
came familiar with them. On such oc-
paraded at the place OF execution. in
order that they might be impressed
with the solemn example. Nobody
craved such exhibitions, and the in
Fiction of the dreadful penalty was
always regarded as painful neces-
sity.
Many a bad soldier who richly de-
served such fate was saved from 1t
by the clemency of Abraham Lincoln.
His great sympathetic heart could new
er resist the fearful but pathetic ap-
peals made to him for condemned sol
diers by their wives, mothers and chill
dren. There are men living to-day
who owe their lives to the pity Of the
great man who became himself the
victim of blind hatred to the triumph
ant Union.
But while the trade Of war taught
soldiers to be kind and charitable to
each other, the martial spirit and the
soldiers regard for honor and duty led
them to despise a shirk and to hate
deserter
During the last year of my service !
was several times member of gen
eral court-martial; and / do not hest
tate to say that in more than one we'll
proved case of desertion I voted to in
fiict the death penalty. 1t usually hap
pened that the necessary twO-thirds
vote for this purpose could not be OBJ
tanned; but that a majority of dozen
officers could be brought to favor 1t,
shows how quickly the spirit and ira
ditions of the old army were imbibed
by the volunteers.
Those of my comrades who knew of
such things during their service, as
we'll as those who did not. will be in
terested to read how military justice
overlook one bad soldier in Louisiana.
The facts were perfectly familiar to
me at the time, and the official record
is before me as I write, together with
a description of the final awful closing
scene, taken from the New Orleans
Era of Dec. 20, 1863. The name Of
the man who thus suffered will be
slightly disguised as Private Charles
Turpin.
The man was a bully and lawless
fellow from the start. The idea that
such characters make good soldiers
was very quickly dissipated In the
early battles of the war. The bruiser
and rough, whose prowess with his
fists is the pride of his own class, will
grow white at the smell of burned
powder. and will run from the battle.
field, while the slim, weak boy with
soul of courage in him can be trusted
every time to stand up and face the
storm of destruction.
Turpin showed the white feather in
the very first engagement at B1sland,
western Louisiana, in April, 1853 The
pounding of the artillery sent him fee
ing to the rear. He was found hidden
in a ditch
In the midst of stirring and fierce.
campaign, cowardly soldiers often es-
cape punishment, because in the midst
of the marching and fighting, there is
not time nor opportunity for a court
martial. Should such soldier redeem
himself by good conduct before the
campaign is over, he is pretty safe
from punishment. Turpin's captain
probably thought that 1t would be we'll
to give the delinquent another chance.
The chance was not long coming.
On the 31st of the next month the
regiment reached the lines outside
Port Hudson, where one bloody and
Intellectual assault had already been
delivered We all knew what awaited
us there Brave men marched into the
rif1e-pits, knowing that the chances
were large in any case that the soldier
would never see home again. The pros
pect was too much for Turpin. He de-
serted on the way. l have seen men
who were In the crowded hospitals at
Baton Rouge at this time, who tell me
that Turpin was skulking about the
town More than one who knew him
warned him of what was in store for
him. and advised him to return to the
regiment But he did not.
Port Huron fell July 3. A few days
after Turpin was arrested and sent
to his regiment under guard. During
the balance of the summer. and in the
fall to near tAe end of September, he
was prisoner under charges. Then
be was brought before oourt-martial
and tried 1t Is a popularity Of the
administration Of military justice
that, after his trial, the accused is not
permitted to learn his fate until a
long interval has elapsed, when the
order of the commanding general Is
published, reviewing the case. This
painful interval lasted, In Turpin's
case, till December It'll Then the
order of General Banks was promul-