The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, April 28, 1875, Image 2

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The Hartford herald. [volume], April 28, 1875, Image 2
About The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926

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The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.), 28 April 1875. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84037890/1875-04-28/ed-1/seq-2/>

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THE, ELERAXJ).
"VltirxT.TrAnuirr'r.
,,jn;i.rY..rSK".- r
v a LT..CE-mrqgM,Ef7 -
Prot-nrnToss.
U . KTFOKOnil IO COUXT Y -KY1. ,
'A -i
. CIVIL AXD jriklTAltr CAJiPJSIjt
,. -iWi IX$T(IUPTJVJ2. IJLISTQRYl
OF A POniTIGAI. DEAD-WEAK
'"Til the follqwuijrfcrteclc w sliall eii:
dcavoritoluse sighi-of the fa9ttI1.1t the
subject ofit has wiginatoil and pit in
tircutitioiij ull lie :State qvcr. about
as, one of tbei basest falsehoods, -ever
joincd'Jnihc mint ofliuhiah iiralerul-ciiceiiK,-
that we, , dieted, A01" the
army hirmg;the' war and fled to Can-
Ilij 'a .Wjirj Aye cou.-frrf cd with Vfcbels
lluh-e cwanliceunpelledthcm .toseek
bbtih',a:foreigh laird: .'We propose
to rex-iejviiLimbiiiaxccr cnlmTy and
dispassiinately, diveting'oarself of
erery' feeling of private -aiid personal
resentment, as becomes ,oue who is
writing history:
3'-''rciiii iu,cc6i6 confiscation,"
,AY illiams liastold itwery where that
his'devo'tion to the Confederate cause,
ahpii&reYlc .qf.Uic 3va'rf'.cp tluni
$200,000;. .that JiU Vprincdy domain''
fijiju Vas cVKscafgd( aiid spld by
the Gtrverninentyaiul iiiJiis.peecltnt
avilW;'hVkciUrrny averted' that his
WfU an4cH.w.ere1de6tfvy.etVly
"loyrdmttb All this is buta'picture
?S2fiJ !g.PP W Vivid liuaginatiQU
inAb irrrn castle, jrho:trreU. l)igb,.
ErAiE8Te35rdcd,4indi'We-are perfectly fa-
;t ' . .1 .r .... ..j ..
Bkilldr Vith In career in that t5tatets a
' 'fanner and. ptician.-.ifrom hi Jid
verft" fn' the' Prairie State lintil'his exo.
dus1 herefrom: Apd' ijiat, career
now propose briefly to recite.
-aying;uwiri,q,dig'gusted vitii, Ken
tucky ,when. herKiioW'Nothings .dis
canld his claims to the gubernatoijal
nomination inritheir- State'-Cbnventirtn.
lrJgwtcatiie Bicker Sklte, whifK
the Know Xothlngs had carried almost
spMnc'elbctiofc", as
Uie'tnostinvitingeld for the culti-a-
Hon of-nolitical' nsnirationp. PuroHa..
big (oii, ,credit) a arge farm in l'al
county, hejbesaa business aa. a 'farmer.
TKLj1 fit did not lait 16ngcrt howcytr,
illaii the firetiviiowN'otfung tat Con
vention that met after hisarrirai, which
KSsembled iii the sprinc of 185G. He
attended this, and managed to secure
toliimself the'appointment as one of tlie
electors at the State at large, a rene
gade Dutchman of Chicago, named Da-
lienliauer; being his a$socialer He left
lut) larm m the care, ot liurea hanas.-and
rushed into politics. Of course his. bus
iness jsufiered. He liad purchased, his
place 011 credit,. and instead of confining
himself lo raisirig and &llfng crops, and
husbandmg tlie proceeds ;o meet his
obligations at maturity as prudence
i ... . . . . 'iff -
wouiapjciaune.squanaereanisnioney
ranhing over the State making politl
cl speeches. The NoTember election
annihilated his parly, And, in a financial
sensp, annihilated "WrLLiASrs;. He man
aged Jto "keep afloat after.a 'fashioii for
two.br tliree-years, but finally -the suits
onJiisii'otcs were decided airamst him iu
tfie Piatt" Circuit fJourt, and the prop
erty that he Time asserts was confiscated
and taken away from . him by; the -Fpd-
ml Government, in. consequence of his
adhesion to the rebel cause,- was quiethj
e5c2 oi 'Shepjfi tple, yi pbedience to an or
der of the Circuit Catartf Piatt county, to
jtify tlie piirthatc defy and this.occuxred
before ,
Tbi voice of the cannon a't'Snmttr
-Routed the lun of -war in 'the land. '
T . ATl'iilus-is natter of ricord, ,and tlie
full history of-the case'ean bejiscertain.
v4jy fcaoy.'no cuhqus to learn "the der
taiLvopiapplication to.the Clerk of thd
PiaU-Orctiit'CQurti at? Moritiiello, 'HI.'
H HI. MEXICAN !WAU EECOKI).
. . W;wjams; iu liis talks and speeches,
claims to. have done those things in
Mexico, of which, be was bingularly-in
nocent. And it will do no harm to the
cause of truth, and will greatly assist to
ft correct estimate of their, value, .when
it is understoodthatrthc storrof his cx-
pjoitsjat Ccrro Gordo originally pub
lished in a New Orleans paper and re
produced in Lexington Obxrter & ife.
porter hy the late Cabjiichael Wick-
MKFE, which he is now parading in tlie
public prints as testimony to his con
tpicuous gallantry, toe're but the repditicn,
ttf th.idle Oiat fell from hit 01m lips, and
had 110" other source. After Roger
Hanson's crpota of,the falsity of the
"history" contained in these newspaper
letters, they were permitted to slumber
in peace.and were not paraded for dec
tioueerins: duty until now, when tb
il ufdeath i on the gallant Hanson's
Hps. JJut now they arc brought once
lhorc.to tlie fnnt,'and the further claim
advaiiccd that Wiu.i.vMhJetl the forlorn
lutpcon the hvight.- of Ccrro Gonlo, and
jilantcd the AiiH-riniiTllltijroii the 3Iex
Will uiL. IxitpitHcnl tory. i, that
Anil keep and battlement; are only, cloud.
"'WepublUltedtf Democratic papier it
a eppnty adjoining.,tIiat ,in fcbvWu.;
rat Scorr in pcrwin,
and imidumtJtTi.it he alid
aful his men be
ncrmitted to Mrticinatefli thcsrniing
llierq of
Luiffly'sLsiteV plcnsedht such
eager
ness, promised himas liot-a-tinia-as hei
cjjuld desire, and ttaiyned him and In
mpi tidiity c.iittwwwii.t(iA General
jQiz?iir ic&otp .eoinuumiT Wornwi the
m UicvtnuilifbdoktnncfuniOHinndpJanl
al vie tarry flag of 1m -tauntru on the aty
tured breasUmrhtuidJvr UiU gaUuid ud
lie j(tm perpoiiaflg diUpUniented'By tlie Gat-
eral tomntandut'jl,-. All tliisoinids pretr
ty and, roniantiq and, heroic but it
ncvpf, occtjrrpul lrncnu. fORTiif
command- did not lstorm .theofamnu
ieiliV, a'n4 iliriju'ill where it 'did
nuJxtiie.attad;. AVcjfind th Jullowiiifr
account of' fhc bHlliailt ,'ahd Sncces.ful
assaidt on .tlie hQigh&.of, Cerro Gordb
in- BROOKs' 'Hltorv-tf! the 'Mexican
War" "Ml it ivUl he en tharColonel
(afterwards General) . Y. ,&. Habsby
now of "St Douis, commanded thd as1
sault, anditwillalsabe discprccedthat
the.colunin of assault was comtttfeed'ex-
cluiyfly ,of. reguf.trooiiut Unit
WitUAMsVLidepehdenkCompany was
corisnicuousl-!absent therefrom; ' Savs
tue jaisior,iai;t . ,
.1 1 j
Throu:fhout the riicfit there were 8.000
iejcicaif3llyingipon' a)id around tlie. Va
rious lieighu,.ipttected )by breastworks
and fortifications, nnj (urthereeourect from
3!reet9saul't"ly deep, ravines and almost
peifipitou? rockjij fkoflt sleep s((les
tlipjriiniagined a man.wouia ecarcely dare
lo felhnb. 'In addition to the force-'thuB
formidably JxiBted,' Ihcre vfas1a',resefve oT
0.UVU me4i,. eocatapca jupo..joeJpia(a.iii
i.s""- . ... --. ..''n.r ....
the iear of Cerro' Gordo,, ft ntl close, to the
ilHrTa'roadl.'- ! " w ,
. -. , r i- i,j . I
ile'iilwbrie'.IIjtE'.S'Eir waS organizing tfe
etorniirig party. This consisted pi the 4th
a 'l-- lr.! t ' ..
of-the 1st artillery under. CpL Cnico; and
eix companies .of "the 3rd infantry- under
Captain Alexander.' A.llof ,t'iiese gonjpb--
sing tuejorioru jiope wcre regular?, ptcke
men, daring and resolute. Jlnnj-laftbcm
were'.' veteWhs' vrEb had passed--not1 un'
bcatjlle' through 'tji despe'raeatle's pf
1,'loAItp and, fU9; .f flip Kjiyuiq and, tlr
still more deadly storm of Montana; Now
they" were about'fo-wres'tlewitti a'klaifger
perhaps more immifleril tuah any ihey'liad
muerio encpuntered
Onward they rnshe'd, impelled by the
double cooscioueness lliaf, the eyes ofthe
Ueperal-in-chiff. were upon, ,hem;ando(
the terrible conncquencca that would follow
a 'disastrous jssue: 'ilARSEY'led the1 way
conspicuous aboye all others by 'hW full
military uniform and his commanding
stature. Waving hi sword and calling
on his men 'to follow, he'rapidly ascended
in full view of the enemy while his1 cheer
ing voice infuped into the breasts of his
command the same energy and dauntless
enthusiasm which animated his own.- It
was a race for gloripus .renown wherein
each strove to be. orciDpet. The front
ranker-fell, hut the survivors still pressed
on, and still above the th'nnder of the war
rose high, distinct and clear ,the voice -of
tbeir. .intrepid leaden,. The; key to the
whole position -was ours, captured under
the eye. of the General-tn-chief, by an as
eanlt .that stands out as onef the most
(iery andJesperatc onsets of modern. war.
General Scott; in his report of the
battle to the War Department, men
tions two subordinate officers as'hav
injr been conspicuous for eallantrv' in
this iherpic onset,, and .Captain Wil
liams' name is not oneof those, simply
becausc'heand bis cpmnaahd were witlj
tlie rgpulsod under , General W.outh
Who, then, were those gallant' joung
subordinates?, One .was Lieutenant
RoBUifP E. Le, who was in Plymp-
ton's Fourth Infimtrj;, and Lieut,
Deaueegaed, who was Wth the artil-
lery under Child, the former of whom
and iof Captain Williams, planted
the nog of conquest 011' the .earthworks
wrested from' the enerify.'1 All this is
part of our. cmuitrj.Iusio'ry, and the
heroic -deed of Xee. in planting bis
country's flag on the eneni works is
gathered with tfie other laurels of a
chivalric life in the -sainted sepulchre
al Lexmgtfln'j'Vrrima, and it is not
m uie power . 91 ayjluajis to wrest it
therefroniind emblazon it on his own
obscure escutcheon. ' 1Kb, no; the
Iustnous Paladin, whose life proved
that the virtues belonging to the heroic
myths ;of the chivalric age live not
alone in inspired fiction, but may be
worn. ,by one made of finer clay than
his fellows, is .beyond the .vandal ex
ploits' of a pretender who would rob
the grave of the glory that sanctifies
the corpse and embalms it forever in
the hearts of those who .love daring
deeds and honor ,au illustrious and
unstained career.
HIS CONFEDERATE RECOUI).
The State is being flooded with
handbill, headed, "To the People of
Kentucky,"- which purtwrts to be
Gen. Willlvjls' Vindication," from
the charges preferred against him by
Col. J. Stoijdard Johnston". To
the superficial reader, tho long arrav
of letters and certificates he parades do
appear to vindicate him. ilut a care
ful reading discloses the fact that the
.most imptrtaiit'ofllieni.'iiidin'ctly.'but
actually, confiiia; TpiisioNa char-
lie went to Irene
Williams, hi Ins card of April i , j
ihlisEmrFin thh CSiiriJtmrijZ. di?
rtnictrSstnteLarl ir&hese! words: L'l
jM.VA ui uiiu:ii. .fuuuw UUllif
f'HlrearraTldirmtTtnbyfhe order oft
General BRAno-(wlKrseemed to-hateH
'ay..Kcntuekians), fyr leaYing iQR
'Dcpartnient. without .orders, and go?
iiainto anotljcr to ineetBiuiBuxyj,
ht Saltliller Rjt thisteitARj -pit
'T'rrrrlfrrrssrr-ttMnhB
'.Congress 'gave iind a'vote of :thanks."
Again "VfvLtTxas : says' that he-he'Veir
saw 1 tlie cliargcs, pf drunkenness aui
nnofficcCdikei conduct preferred against
din liy Ca)t. Blackburn, 'based upon.
his conduct at "Kheatown, Tenn. arid
yas only awarj) of their; cxisfenco frphi
hearsay lha't.he endeavored iiLvain to
get a trials and volmirarily tendered
lis resiguaironfjiicouimandandvas
transferred' Ur- the Department A of
Gcorsiia at hia'owil' reqnest, bbfcaitsc'of
his failurestu obtain aniuiyesiiwtionof
saidx'harj'es. .ICojv, look at the tlL-
crepanci'; bptwcew tpb statQinqujt anvl
letter he'wrote Hon:' HENiivL.lBun
nett, at the time,, and it . Will scqil
abonce that be-states'iui untruth-fin
order to telibv5 oufsclf: from ahy'iih
putation ; ot Jitisshituig! )ViLu.VMi
c c5pt his ' cxa'Ct language' as
ascd .iiLtiic'liaudfiilit'li, c.irc'uhUeA.! ;jj
ogln county; fodr days j)ripf' to'lth'e
asicinuiing .01 its conYPUHPUi wmcji
was published ih;tho'Rnssellvill6.1ft;i
tffl. and which is embodied' in-the
handbill' witli;wlncb.hc;has)f)opdcd 'this
county ill the last few days: He says;
. 'The Captain Blackburn of Carter's
regupent, referred to. in Uituer f Je(.ter,
is the gentleman I' suppose .who ra4
leading'the pafiicr-'stricken'raefi 'of' that
reeiracnt b'en tney were stampeded at
Uhea(ovyjrit fo "rally jvhpni "w3 corj
oelled to throwipufjii lincot-akirniUhera
wilh orders tqehoot'tbeifugitives if they
could "Mot be halted 'othefwlse; In my
met .said
Captain Blackburn of Carterla regiraenj
iiiirloribuelv fleelns at the 'top of his
horses speed. In vain I appealed, to hii
lOnor an4 dutyasj.a genUe.iuan, ana soj;
dier. and finally was; forced to 'and did
strike hini with" my 'a'word, and' thus
turned him back. This man,,! afterwards
heard pteferred Charges agaiqst m.c whjch
I never Saw and'n'eVer heard 'fronj,if in
existence, anil'tne' n'ever wefe ffied.1'Tli(J
wiuigufiiK)ri,ai)ii.coni,"'ii.u ivuicu iue,au
thor of themsiiias. treated, I, was after:
wafas!infdriitedJ"drore' him ill 'disgrace
arid ignominy fom tb'ecorrimarid: I was
reneyeu irom cpmmanu 111 ine iepari'
tnent of 'Western Virginia and, transferred
to the. 'command of Kentucky troops iri
Gen. Jo". JouhSton s army al my otcn re-
quest. .
This is plain and unmistakable
language. It cannot be, misunder-
stood or misinterpreted. Ho, 'says in
so many. words, -"I Ins man,, 1 altef-
"wanls beard, preferred charges
"against me uliieli. I tieier ip," &c.
The italics are ours.- iow read tins
letter to Mr. Btiftxirrr, which he pub
Iished as a rebupil of Col.' Jons;i:b,s
chaise that sucli a, charge1 uvw prefer
red ajrains't lum, "and notice the" ex
pression Ave-'wUl itahciseih it:
4 " 'Wvtheli.e.T Jan. ", 1801
Dear Sir: Early jn November last, a
Captain-Blackbarnj of the tfiratiTenncs-
see cavalry (my brigade), preferred char
ges' aafnst me 'jfor .cursing and abusi'n"
oSicers.apd pien, and for. drunkenness.
These chtit-gcs caine'iomy lnaduarters, and
wtreseni to Maj. Gen 'Sami Jones, urith' the
inJ'orsenient ujipn ikiri tai they wtrejalse
ana malicious.
I demanded an immediate investlga
lion, but uo.notjce. was taken,, of there-
quest. Some-days after thtsil requested
again'-in "Writing that the' eharged be in
vestigated or dismissed as groundless
feeling that, I could.noi continue, in com
mand while, these- charges were hanging
over me. Neither -was d6ne. I then
asked to' be relieved from command until
an investigation ;couli he nad, which'vvas
done.! I have continued to press for,
investigation up to ihis'time buthvithout
success. Since .1 quit the command
most of the'pflicers, have written ray vol
uutary letters, .asserting in most positive
terms that the charges were fahe.- These
letters I have shown to' General Sam
Jones, who promised to dismiss the 'char
ges as groundless, or order an 1111 medial
investigation:, but has doneneithcr.
am, Ihe'refbr'eJ constrained to send them
to you,arid'ask that' yumav unofficially
draw theJfresidcntX attention, to tuem
and ask lh& justice, may be done me,
The, question naturally arises, Vi hat
duced Ga'ptain' Blackburn to " make these
charges? I-will tell you. At a fieht we
had iear phe'atownythis Captain ilack
burn, with his men) fLed' from the' field
and was halted by'hie and my staff, and
forced back', with fmany cot very com
plimentary cjcpressions on my part in re
gard to his dastardly conduct
The Captain, feeling the sting ofthis re
buke, was easilyjper6uaded by designing
persons to bring -these charges. This
Captain was dismissed the service for
cowardice at Rogereville, a few weeks
ago, as I have, learned from General
Jones ami others.- Yours truly,
JOHN S. WILLIAMS.
Hon. Henkv C. Burnett.
Ifow what becomes of his assertion
that these charges never saw
and
neverTJieard- from, .if in existence?
'fahwii 'in' iino; fahum in omnibu, is
law maxim Williams ha probably
forgotten, but which fits in here
louuli it were dovetsiiled for the oc-
His aefertion that he was arfestea hv
onter ot ueneral JJR.vtJti is equallv
01 uenerai jmiauu is eruai
worthless, froni the fact that Bra rif bad
Jj'O comtuand at the time, that' officer
having been relieved by General J.
E.-Joiinston.- who-in. tirrm h:ul lieen
superseded by-General Hbo'. -But
Wn.nrArsimrne:'
diate; sunerior, was the ofliecr who
preferred charges and placed him tin
der'arrcsf fir ''disobedience of orders'
tlnd reader, that disobedience did, not
consist in Williams' running bff, to
baltyille "icUliont orders to mcpt J3.UR
RRiDOE, for- he did oio.sueh thing.-
W"EfK had 'ordered Williams to.
inarch to a certain,, point 111 ..Middle
Tennessee, mid he 'failed to obey the
qreiyaud for. tins .hc, , was put under
drfeit. i'A)itiliedidiiot'rnIi to Saltville
mitU hMutd bcmprikreS Vififc ifcrce fever-
al..t'une.i, by Gen. John C.-JBrecklvi,
ntDdE'who comnVaiided' the 'Depart
ment ofiouthwest . y irguuiin which
the fight,at Saltville occurred. And in'
tlus connection, yt will state .tins lisj
tori&factxii After AVuU.nvMa' fanty, "apt
rivhl fiif 'ifh'o hatl: oboved
Bn.ECKiNifiqtJES. firsl ..order J10 lould,
have'-arrived at least' a dav sooner,'
6iLTEi' little,' 'force having, checked
the' advancp of thc-onemv foPthTti
i lie was" sayt'd .from disfjier.jpy
tho -timely arnvali-ofGens BitEfCiN.-i
RrriUn Ifpon the. field,trj ria'odc ainohl
m$mii ami .jaiucn qnf uxi wcjii wncjr
thoAvere dn thb noint ofUiemcronfed
gluriousi- chiefUdns ietxaniplej-1 turned
ui)on the enemv'and 'con verted tlireat--
... awsi '.J I . 'v.- H
eneu uisastcr into, victory, it ..was
while endeavoring t6 restfaintthe'rasl
HiDOE,that'Lieut. G u3lAaEE,of Cyri
hidha'and other MllhVit' sonls1 threw;
tiemswcs.pQiwcen .ui.eir moiizea teaaf
erandthe -enemy's 'bullets, 4 And ihvti
$ ' '-.' I- '. ,
uieu tne ueatn oLiierocs io.say,o,nim.
ImnTBdiately.4 after itho' battle AVil-
f.ttMS was' pladeu under arrest,' hU ge
nial to tho , contrary, notwitlistaudihgti
and it was at his-.sOlicitatibn, and ah
actt,filipreme,gopti-naiure.inac umi
Breckinridge wrote the letter to.the
Richmond paper JWmjfe" is ho'
parading.as a tribute, to bimselL' Iho
letter Published ih 'the Rtchinonrl "Sen
dad,, which failed-to make. Williams
the hero of the figh't, wii3 Written by
the lato Chas.. D.-Kirk, (fgo De
Kay"), arid'put the credit of the fight
exactly where it belonged. And it
was after Williams was reiievedi of
his command, and, sent ,to' Georgia,
that he got up tho "indignation pa
pers he is now parading, by representing
dial lie wan tlie victim, of a conyriracy in-
Ktigated by HuecklvriDge, ir10 ivas
jealous 'of Ami J.J Could impudence
further go.' Keau the 'indignation
papers' read them carefully, and then
point put where they disproye a singl
charge Col. Joitnoton made' against
their author for the 'most ' unreflect-
uig reader can. distinguish Williams
hand them in all. But Gen. Gjltner
has been forced, to the front again, aw"
this time he maizes. an exhaustive statc
ment; It is baekod up by 5aj. Henry
Tl Stanton, the'gallantVsoIdier'aijd
distinguished poet, Wennclude! our
article by.reproducUislneir statements,
which we, find appended fo Colonel
Johnston's rejoinder to AVili-iams
"Viridication," that appeared in the
0urier-7b(nw of- last .iFriday. N
one who "knows Giltneh and Wil-
lujis. will hesitate a ihoment m ac
cording creditto the statements of the
forhi'er over those of the' latter, and the
testimony of Major, ST.NrON,,w.h'o was
Williams cluet-ot-stall, ,13- certainly
Of more value . than' that of a hundred
men wlio only write, "I.dii uoee.you
drunk. Here are the, statements.
They but confirm' the opinion wc hav
frequently expressed, of "The Hero,1
an opinion based upon a pcrscoial
knowledge of the man
foe thel of half an ordinary lifetime.
Read them: 1 '
.r. .
To the Editor Of the Courieir-Journal.l
T Louisville, Kr April .21, 1875
,Gn., JohnS. Williams, through a card
and by au exhibit of.certilicates in the
Courier-Journal ot April 17,' .has underr
taken to relievo himselfof the odium
. -.. .... ... t
which attached to uaa actions ny contra,
dieting some statements made by me In ;
letter to Col. J. Stoddard Johnston, dated
March 11, concerning my association
with him in the Confederate army, an
particularly of au affair at Bheatown, in
t 1 1 ino
uciooer, jooo.
While I cannot claim that 111 v recollei
tion is superior'fo liis own, or that of any
other comrade, upon' matters pf ordinary
interest at a period now so far removed.
I am free to say that fhe'inc,idents pf that
disgraceful and terrible "disaster are as
fresh and strong in my memory as if they
1 1 1 1 fratia rt a1 Itti t voolnr.Ia a r A t rtit
ever many and honorable may be the wit
nesses he brings to his defense', I will never
yield the evidence prmy own ee'nses to the
memory 01' any living men. The attitude
in which I 'stood on that memorable oc
casion, as second in command to Gen.
Williams, and the grave responsibility
resting.upon me for the fives of the men
of a gallant army and the Interest's of a
great cause, were amply sufficient to cause
me to uote with great particuhirity every
diiiicuity by which 1 was, then environed,
and with no malice toward Gen. Wil
liams, aud uo desire to do aught but- my
dutv to truth, I cave Col. Johnson, at his
request, afcTierepitome.ftftlie evettta thern
iransnirmg. 4
51 nnvt uwutiirc lorconiroversyi 1 aoi
nOt a Dolriicianiand I ViirTfilr at the nnto-
jUtXy which must. attach ta.tuc fretdiscue:
sion or this affair; but having given my
statement, and being assailed by Gen.
Williams as a ,man of faulty mempry,
"without oaucrs." I am bound to amwar
my own defense, and howeveT disa-
lrtrnotTiecessirrtrrBpcalcof the eal-
gant fight at Blue.Sprirtos on the, day be-
lore, or the crnshing-or rolers superior
force oii the same m'ornine. because there
is no material division 'of opinion with
regarii 10 iiiese engagemenis, ann no con
llict of memory or imiwr, but 1 will only
treat 6f what occurred ?uleqiVai1tly. and
particularly at about It o clock 011 the
lltli of October1, when-Gen. Williams or-
dt red-the command Into camp at the scene
orthe disaster. .
The force consisted of fwa brigades of
cavairy, in ai not myre man eiguieen
hundred nlen. under command Of Col. J.
E. Carter and myself, I. l('eibg tlie highest
ip rank, and a brigade of TnlUnfry1, nnm
bering, about., tour hundred "men, under
aP'e'rtlieengagement',at' flenderspn's mill,
iiau ueeji oruereu pu ,iu,iue rigu,i wcuu
tiniie 11.4. retreat' bv1 a road r'unnini uaral-
let with' olir line and seuarale'd froni us
bv a .distance.of several mites"; so aldthea-
lown we uau noiumg uui wit; cuvuiry anu
iJed .
that" '6f . the. .enemy 5; puriiiif .oriour
left. We' hail' friUn'tjr'$ee:n!tf)e''enthty
n. thi.yariPus ps q$
dmos't as s'oOa as we h
erv o'f'tlie'
a' eab commandin?'Pu'r vosition.- The at
. It.:". - ' ...1.'. -.3J tilV..!..;!.. :'-. .'S
icuiiuu ui iiic uuiq aritiYn its iu.
me tjiiie, before it opene'd.jire' up'Pri,!
ednl jta eXisnc because' T went.tb..b!m
iSysclf dnd's;aid:'','G'eri. W"dliams'lhe cu-
x uiu ture utui. vr.iiiiauis v w luiurui-
UUUII.UUl
h
to
b the fr,6f)( this morning," " Arid'hean
wejeJ: ."I did'rio such a damned ttdiiz."'
sw,exei
I'd
U-iij: -il ii.-'f li.-L--- -1 J'lZl
'"g rph .with Him,, for the battery
was then .at the' front, and he 'had parked
if on' tlle'left bf'the road fn a kmall' field.
uiscuvereu men tutu ti ere waa euiue
ing Wrpng" .with him,, .for the Latlerj
as then .at the' front, and he'haitparket
BsiJs.yjisjj.rrjiri'our position beneath'
thbjilpu'flan' it was utterly impossible for
lis iu rcilI uii; lire ui ciiuuiv, uiv
una rtriiuLTiiiir luuurcui uii duvuiuu lyr
hlii
irade. The men were all- hioiinte'j
middle ofa'' road". 'I believe inclosed or
b'o'th'.eid.e.'s' wilh a fepe'e'. I" had' lia'rdty
enemy
,V.I
andlsJ; 'CijTinneriyb.ulwill 'jjave b''
assii'mSi comina'nd ",oi";his ' ,'arinv; The
Cantain. I cad
marid- uiitjl Geii. VilliamSielipiiuishes
11.- 1
T tii en proceeded to execute G cm Wil
hams'" order- bV mdfrinjt-mv'ijren into
camp on' the' ngnt fheynBu' already
dismounted; amt 1 wasin tueaccoi going-
to remonstrate with'Uen V1ll1ams on the
iinpropriety of goiriginlp campin the face
of.the enemy, when uapt. is. w. .lenKins,
who was then acting on Gen. Williams'
staff, as aide-de-camp, galloped. up to m
,1ml said, -"Whereare yon eoing?" I told
him' I was eoins'to see Gen. Williams an
try and prevail upon him to place his
men in nbsilibn td 'defend themselves.
He said: "Well, come quick. Williamtf
is lis drunk as hell, and you-will have to
take care of your own men." I rode with
Jenkins about one hundred .yards, when
a heavy volley Was heard on our lett and
the enemy charged into Carter's camp.-
This produced the lirst stampede. The
Tennessee cavalry came with a rush. aud
in utter dirforderin oar direction. I. hur
ried back to.iny brigade, mounted it, arid
pushed back about three. or four hundred
yards, .where I. dismounted it again and
formed line ot battle 1 3 engage tne enemy.
I' had no chance to fight at the cam p
eround,- and. moved back to obtain -posi
tion; and prevent-asimilar disaster" to that
whtch hfld overtaken Carter. Alter form
ing, I move forward and. met the enemy'i
advance, aud checked them: We had 1
hot and'closeengagement! here for near
ly an hour." I lound the enemy .rapidly
re-enforclnc and pushing snccesslnlly up
on my Hanks. I knew that. I could not
hold the position bnt a- short- time, an
rode back td select another to fall back
upon. On my way to the rear.
passed Gen. Williams, who asked me
where 1 .was going.- I told, him 1 was on
my 'way to. select a position to fall back
upou that 1 was being llanked, and could
ngt hold my present ground.- tie -Bald;
'.'HoldiOn, and, I will eo with you." 'I did
not Btop,.but simply said; ,"1 have nq tiine
to. waste, and rode. on. Finding a po:
tion in a .short distance, I returned and
again met .Gen. Williams, who .said;
''Have. you relecled a position?" I said
"X have;" and . turning In my saddle. I
pointed. put the; place to .him, He then
remarked to me; ''If you. send the artil
lery back' I will place it" I sent back
the fjuns as soon as I reached the line
and in a short time after withdrew the
line and Xell back with it. Geo. Williams
did place tbcartillcry. I found it in po
sition wnen x came up, anu lormeu my
men. without delay," When'l saw'Gcn.
Wiliajhs.again'Tie was lying on liis .back'
with his head on a fence rail. He raised
up as I approached him and remarked
"I am very sick and cannot help you oul
ofthis trouble. You will have, to' work
out of it the" best way-you can." '''This
was the last I saw of Gen. Williams or
heard pf him during that 'day until late in
the evening when the fight was over and
the retreat being successtujly conducted.
The last and only order that I received
trom him. was tne order to go into cam);
at Kb ea town and-'fe'end out forage parties.
I -went into camn as he directed, bul
would- nof send ont forage- parties when
I knew the-peril of the army to be immi
nent I did not assume command until
I was forced 'to 'do. so for the protection
of. my own 'men, and iintil-I was fully
convinced of tlie General's incapacity to
do So.
,rVt tins second position I was very soon
attacked. .and nearlv everv piece of roy.ar-
lillery was, disabled. The six-pounder
rilled pieces were out 01 ammunition, ana
the twel.ye-paunder howitzers were, dis
abled, bv shots and, otherwise, ihe ene-
mv came iu stronc force, and in less than
thirty; -minutes Lwas obliged to retire
from this, position, 1 ordered the flanks
to-retire. tirst. .sendinu the order, to th
left bv mv own. Adjutant, Captain Free
man, and-UUbe right by the Adjutant of
r-. 1 -.;.. 1 : 1 ' nr.. .1 ,;.... Q
ysifif Viilfccr b auri.uif:., v,4i uto.jji.
that, the "flank should form and protect
two,smair,battcries ot artuleryf. 1 lie com-
,f,fr4.fe',JP,h' ha !HRr.
was ordered to halt in a, road., jiist nfider
tlisliado 01 W. ringej af5moiintain8,
which"' iliviJeil . bur. line of1 retreat from"
ilSft'ayd will jiri upprj us in a' levy hi0-j
im'ehta.f' ."To" 'wtiich'.he ,reptied:,'VGo'and
viuv arc. uittimiijr tiicir aiiiiicry
plantypur arlilfery, by God, I said to.
uii: "l"iave iio artillerv':"v6u Ordered it
lajeiv,. aiju every soi. ueipg prigsiiy com
nkiieiToy th'e eneiiiy's"' Tjattery. ' I left
ii'uprje.fe68ly jabd.went.back to.."m'y bi,
:"!n the
reacn eu my comqaiiu- w;ien uie
53 xvtP' ?hufP'y',,,pn
Geri. Williams clnef of staff, came to m
LTCllcril IEI nh iu nwuuiiiuif w manage lb,
and Us s'ajety 'depends, upon vqu.'" 1 said
to bihii. "Captain. I cad ,'noi 'take com
the center as .it withdrew, and after that
to fightTnonntcd-mrtil TTff-COTld:obt8in a
more secure Jjbsitiorj. rnJtlreaclof wth- j
then ensued 'S perfect stampede of every
rawing were;uny aiiacKea, aim 1
thing jexcerjtjiiie rjjurut6rventucfcyregi
ment anda small batalion under Wifclier.
The-retreat vas continued in- great corr-
luion for several miles, until we reached
this edge ofa piece of heavy timber, where
we succeeded in rallying a few men and
(orniinr those that were in order. We
checked the advance of the enemy tft'tlTis7
Doint.and the retreat front- there'bir was
8ucccjrtfuHr-tiiducteptbe-rierihth)W
11 line anil trom their saddles.
At nightfall theen'emygavdnpthepiur
snit, and we'were'free to continne ourre-
treat until after we went into camp at
Devalt'a Foftl, and in the vicinity of
L'eesUlinr.
.1 have thus undertaken to gtvd a: some-
hat fuller detail or tlni disaster than
that contained in the letter to Colonel
Johnson, but. I can aire no correct, idea of
the mortifyins and'diszraceful condition
or-affrtirM-Bfril really existed, (fthe re-1
spotisibility'for'it belongs to anybody, it-
oeiongs 10' uenerai imams, tie was
urged by all the officers by whom he was
surrounded tr abandon the idea of going
into camp directly m the race and under
the gurrs of'the enemv, Capt Jenkins, in
his letter to Gen. Williams, makes' sub
stantial statement -to this effect, as' tar as
he nnrl Colonel Morrirt are' efineernni--
Captain Stanton told: me that- he had
urned the ueneralto move on, and all the
otneers with whom I talked were- aston
ished and alarmed at the condition' of
things the- Jterrible ' imperilmenfof the."
annv at that time. I give an extract-!
from CaDt: 'Jenkins' letter urxra tlnsooint:
''Sbtm "aTter-'roahad indicated where-
1-1 I.T--.-JI.I. .JJ Lj-,.. T...
tne iioeriy, wunoui oruers. 10 naeaown
.l,..ll ..-., ..1.--"' ., -1 Y .
to'CorGiltrter's"bfigad, and to ear loH
hini that Col. Morris and mtself belieTed
that'weTvould be attacked in a little while
and. we haderideftOred td lnudee en
Williams to bobtlmJe'tlii. retreat; and that:
I'warited liim'tp come-with- me ond:seeiif
he cttuld- not? iriddce 'the General. Col.
liltoer arid my self were' on pur -way to:
JetiTnifiam3",-ttllell Ttbd attack was
liddc." -'.1. 14' -J3-M
"Phave1 ndthin to eiy about the maV
certificates gathered' byGen! WilliamlfJiC
in,6 lime cuurge'neri; prcierreu agaiosi
him, except thit'they 'astoriish me be
v'on'd extrreSsion'. 'I am sure many of th
office,rs.wh'o-sougbtlo8bield him from the?
action1 of a court-martial wereimpBlletl by
1 1 . i .. i 1. : .1 w xrls.u .
e CoT; Morns nortJapt. J enkins) to Whdm
Geril1 Williams' refers as' having ,cotn-
pletely overhelmW and crushed, my
statement, hasasserted . tbat Gen. Wih-
liams' was hbt'drunkvbn'tliat occasion, nor
do-I befieve'either of thein would bcwil-
ling 'to make an-' unecjuivocal'Jassertion'to
thatetlect. I cannot-see now. anr man:
office'r-or soldier'-why participated 1a that
affair can Jill re failed' to know-or liis cons
lition.
A dav or tw'o"after these'eventa. -whn
we wt're-kt AbinedOni I calledUo'seeUhe
(ierieral with a' 'view of talking! of- ouh
Rheatown troubles. Itoldailm s"achtwas
th? tabiect of iriv'visit. He reumrked:
rfishvou to talk to me, not'as uoi; wtlP-
Tf-r'tri rn Witliam hnt-n Henr flilt-
ner to J,ohn Williams we are both" Kdtv
tuckians and onght tobe fnemts."-'' 1 thei
said to him, "General'when.my command
was brisaded under you. 'We were alrlnsh
ly delighted, perfectly satisfied both otli
cers and rhtn;' 'but 'since our Rheatown
troubles -great dissatisfaction' has existed.
The-commahJhas lost confidence in-yoir.
and I wish to say to you that Irom fhi
time forth, so-long as 1 am a member 01
vour command, 1 shall totally disrezar.t
any order that you may give me whils
under the. influence of whisky, unless
such order u in conformity with my own
judgment. He then denied beingdrunk;
said he bad taken but two dnnK&oi Whis
ky, that morning. To which I replied, 1
thought it would be to his credit to ac
knowledge th .t he was drunk. That. 1
he was not drunk hewa3 not compeie.u
to have the lives of. men intrusted to his
judgmmt. Whilst if his inefficiency -wan"
caused by drunkenness,, that could, be
remedied byhbstainmgfrom liquor. This
interview-was temperate and without any,
unpleaeantnesabut Gen Williams main
tained that he was not drunk.
'qnostion of .veracity I am perfect
ly willing to place my character iri.. the.
scalefiwith that of General Williams' or
any other man. I do not fear the truth
in its effect .iippp mc, and I regard it al
ways best (o apeak .plainly.. I have not
thought it necessary toaccujnulati papers,
as Gen. Williams has done, upon .this
point,., because, I thaye no occasion to
bolster ray memory upon any poinrof this
kind, or to sustain niy assertion by docu
mentary proof in any community whtatfT
am known.
The clearest : witness for Gen. 'Williams,
and the man who ought to have known
his coiiditlo'n as well or better than any
other, is Ur. 'Basil- C. Duke (not to -be
confounded rwich Dr. John M. Duke, or
Gen. Badil W.-.'Duke.) his brigade sur-'
geo'n, but, unfortunately for' Gen.- Wil
liams, the'chara'cterof Dr.-Duke is such
that, aihong those-who know him, his
testimony in (av6r of General Williams is
enough la itself" to convict' that igentle-
man.-
T have addressed a letter to Major
Henry T. Stanton-, jvho was Chief of staff
under-'Uenelral Williams during these
scenes, and append his reply.
H. L. GlLTNSS.
STATEMENT' pE 3LW0R STANTON".'
, ,Xocisv'i.i.b, April 21, 1S75.
Colonel H. LSQillntr
Deab Sir: In reply to your Ielter of
this morning, 1 nave to say my recouec-j
tion .is distinct as. to the affair, at ltb ea
towns I 'asked,.you to assumeepmmadd
uecause, aa. i,siaieu 10 you piairu atiis
time knew.Generfl'. illiamsip'bcjln
capajqitated by intoxication, 'and was ap-
prehensive'of the trouble which ultimate
ly ensued. JEtried every way in njy power
to induce him, tc continue his retreat, but
1' It '.' . i-'I. 1 . .-..'1 tr'.
ue wouiu up listen 10 me, vpi., iorris,
Capt.' Jenkins, or any .m.erobjer of his, staff.
I urged him to at least, move, from under
the enemy's guns, hut he Would not do so,
and ordered all the dispositions made for
an, encampment. The rest you krlbw
I thought every officer la the command
was familiar with, this circumstance.
Yery truly yours. H. T. JSiantox.
". i r-
Lietchfikld boasts of a citi2cif 'b
the, name ofTunB.. Whenever he step4
on ahythmg slippery and sits down to
rest, the small boys begin to yell, "Ev
ery tub must- stand on it own '
and then Tubb rises' up- wrnthy, and
the small boys lope off like frightened
gazelles. . ..I
J 1 v.l..- 1 ... . l
The Philadelphia Prtss.Isays that it
still'trusfs inoband'therRadicalpai
ty, wliich i equivalent to .an acinovvl-
edment that it trusts equally in mod
iuidthe'Dc.
WHER EJIESIST t OE-R Ffl t A
M"-MeMmJ&OdA.
no people 01 Lexington anrlLonconl,
mas.; raartrrrDgate to their tcATDther
mnor of-being- thaneene of the- firrt-
cbrrflict' of u ihe Ataerjcdn"-reyolutiorj,
but history, a Wo Understand- iLoJocs
not, bear flic m put jn celebrating . the
19th day of April, 187q, atlie cen
..... " ... '.' n . '
tenniai 01 mat events The first armed-,
fcdhrlict .DctwteriJtbH regular soldfe'ra
aRdinedr4ontstj-in-a-- Ixxly,-occur
red in Aorth wroltna .n the I6th of
May, 1771, at Alamance creek, in- Al
amance county, in . this, .way.' The-
governor of the col'ony,,TR?6s,T)uin for
himself a magnificent, mansion, costing"
some 875,000", Wpay for which luxury
he asssesacu a tax ou the people; They
resisted the payment of this levy, and
formed a military- crgapfiation to pre
vent its collection. These Jcoloniate in
force were assemhletl at Alamance
creckand a force .oJ;Bfit6h tegulax3
were sent todisperse them,- which they
did successfully, Ttffling ancT wounding
a hundred or mor&xff uie' brave men
who were Tvillirig'td ry,,?d(5ni' their
lives itf' tho- purposfer to successfully re-
rsisttthisiKcarly: eacroachmcut on their
rights. Had our" brethren' of the "old
!JfojthState'' shown as much persistency
as their! orUjern.incighbors, who the
other da-,engaged in aymanficeht'cel-
ebrauou, the openin Of the grand ball
of the revolution wputdiaveTJeen.coBi-
niemuratell' four' Ycarsync7 tThese
facts can.be venfietl hy'in examina-
tion' "of Williams'' TEstory.oforth
Ciirnlinn T ' "!-.-
.'
Rev. Wfom 'Sarrrri 'ofDenver,
is another ciirgynian onlhc ragged edge
of 1
wni
brpugb t him to grief; andnptliing short
ut$p$ patci'tlKTrent? ja' Ouw
VEaS:hJilor."" f
The guileless pibrie'ls now threat
ened wilh, a trucniarifness ioyel,iu.
which the Plymouth Parsoiv and Til-
TbK's'wife wiirenact' their guilty loves
tp thc npnaiipn. of .allmorals. When
the'agent comes arbarid with the nasty
book, shortihon'.i.sppt,
- In hU-Rusaellville circubr old Sor
rtrtujrd cclares that he never uses intox
icatingheverages. Ananias wa- knock
ed into'a' cocked-hat on less'provocation..
Kvei'.y tormorrow has two. handles.
We can takcholdof it by the handle of
aiixfe'fy, or.the.'handleof faitli.
W2f. f; C1RKGOUY.
(ConntT' Jndg.Y
AT TQR $EY A T Ii'A if,.
V
ILVRTFOEDKY. .
-nnpt. ttantioa sivraitq tho collection or
claim OflTi-. In 'he,innrthous.
JISSI I. root. - .1 , W. X. AW 113 IT,
llartfo i,.Ky.. r ,Ownborot Ky.
- u-...i : A 1.- ir
Ij6. itSn"jE.ElV
A TXOR 2l'.YS, AT IA .W,
IIAKTFORDi KT."
Will praelieo their profwlpa In Ohio mnil
idjoJninrrooQticsaTiilililis Cvartuf-AupMU.
QC.ejn,MMcMtrn'.tf n9re".irllnire.
r. r.ioscLx, , j- ' . c. cwidpijo.
-MUltC-lX dt WEBDCVCr,
TT01i:XE,T$ A2,ZJ.,f?,'
HARTFORD, KY.
(Office wesl of cotrrthoaio over Hkrdwlek Jt
Ndl't star.
Will practice in inferiermd loperior eouts
ofthU tojnmonwealtb a - 1
Special attention iron to.tnei in bank
ruptcy, "F. P; Morgan is. also examiner, and wil
taie' depositiiins cJrr'ecflj will' be fedy to
oblige all parties t U timej. -'"' '
uiair n-sicuccaT,. . .. sam. x.'bill.
McHEXKY.a: IU1X,.
2xTORXErS&.CbVXSELLdBSAlJi W
. ., 3IARTTOIU), KY. ,
:.i i 1' j . 1 ..iiti . ' -Will
practice ia Ohio and adjoiaing oonntiss.
and ia,the Court of Appeals f JCeoiuekj.
X. D. WALKXS,
x. c. Btnsaxs.
lVAIJKER-s&r ntBBARB,
, Jvl 1. i:i O ' U '.
.i 7 -. 1 . .!? if : -i-i .
.:. . i . . i:.,
nARxroRDi kesttjcKyV'
. .; ." b.v,-; Jj .9l&: ..
aotl1-
. o. j. a ..
. JOlIX CTOWSSEXB.
1 . ." -"'-
(Pormerly Caunty Jadg'O- "-
A TT'O R N-E-Y AT LA W
nAI.TFRD, KY.. . '
WUlriraetiee lp aU tho eonrtsdfOhto eoantj
anil the errcdH"eoartj of th"5ti. judidal dis
trict business loHclted 'andrompt attsatloti
guaranteed. '"-
.AT.T0R XE.Y A Tj.L A. W,.
.... . '. -.1
.and RtalKitaU Ajtat, .. -
J ' -
-; HARTIXDRDj'KENTnCKY.'
to .i: t.ai-..
" Prompt atteritlrin fcive'n.' to thi"eoeetlon of
-erairits.'S Will "But,- sell,' lease,' or rent UhMot
mineral privileges' oi 'reasoaatile urn, win
-irritBideedsiaorfgages. leases, e and at
tend to. Hdinj; and- pay.iBg;tje.Oftlada ba
oigjng'to non-'silnis-k -
A

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About The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926