The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1910-01-28

GERS names, like the names OF those officers VINO
served in the revolutionary war and winch nave
a nlace on the walls of the old chapel, probably
will appear in letters of gold upon a black OASIS
School histories as a rule, in giving an account
Of the Detroit surrender, state simply that Gen.
HuDrs action was considered cowardly. The fact
that he was tried and sentenced to be shot for cow
ardice is generally omitted. Hull was ordered to
go to his Massachusetts home and there await the
execution of his sentence. Old age executed"
him many years afterwards. 1t is probable that
the concentrating society will content itself with
simply emitting Hull'e name from its list, by which
Hull's conduct. characterized as cowardly by a
competent court, could be made to stand as a
! warning to all the generations Of young soldiers.
Occupying a considerable part Of the wall space
of the beautiful old West Point place Of worship
there are already many black marble memorials
bearing the names of all the general officers Of the
revolutionary war from Artemus Ward of Con-
~necticut to George Washington Of Virginia. Upon
one of these tablets the cadets as they file In on
Sunday see something which tells better than the
words Of trumpet-tongued eloquence of the black
ignominy which attaches to the name of a traitor.
On one of the slabs occupying a place between
two honored names there appears a black blot
Above and below 1t show the tips of gold letters.
Enough of the lettering is visible to let the OBJ
server know after a moments study that which 1t
is intended in the main to conceal. A black block
Of marble set in transversely across the golden
capitals blots out forever from the roll OF honor
the name of Benedict Arnold, traitor.
Touching on the treason of Benedict Arnold.
there is a little-known story which had for the
scene of its action the four years Of the war OF
secession. In response to the first call of Abra-
ham Lincoln for troops a young man appeared at
a Detroit recruiting office and enlisted. He went
to the front and In the course Of six months was
made a commissioned officer. He was of a retiring
disposition, always courteous to his follow officers
and just to his men. but he sought no close friend
ships. He was noted throughout the command as
a man whose devotion to duty amounted to a pas
sion. He once sought and secured a change In
command in order to have a more frequent hand
In the heavy fighting.
This soldier rose to the rank Of a major. He
was offered at one time a colonelcy. He declined.
He fought in every battle of the later Richmond
campaign and was In at the end at Appomattox.
The major headed his battalion in tho great pa
rade Of the returning victors up Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. Then there came the final mastering out
of the troops. Less than a month afterward the
colonel of a fighting regiment received a letter
bearing a Toronto postmark: II served all through
the war under an assumed name. / trust that l
did ny full duty. I wish you to know that did
what ! did In order that I might in some way
make atonement for the deed OF one Of my family.
Sir, ! am a Canadian by birth and my name is
John Benedict Arnold"