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[836]
I told them.
“He says you have shut him up, and starved him, and all manner of things.”
“I beg your pardon, gentlemen,” said I, “we will settle that in two minutes.”
I sent for Colonel Serrell, and asked him about it. He said: “He has been more comfortably situated and better taken care of since he has been in confinement than I have.”
I turned to these gentlemen and said: “Now, gentlemen, I should not alter my treatment of Chaplain Hudson but for this: I am here, and God knows when I may get away.
Chaplain Hudson has been kept in confinement without a trial a considerable longer time than he should have been.
I will order his close arrest to cease, and order him to stay with his regiment, and I will try him when I get the opportunity;” and I sent an order accordingly.
Two or three days after I had returned from the Wilmington expedition, General Grant told me that Chaplain Hudson had written him a letter, and he had sent for him, and seen him. I gave General Grant the facts that I have now given here, and he appeared to be satisfied.
That is the only arbitrary arrest that General Grant ever spoke to me about.
If that was what I was removed for, I can only say that I would do the same again in like circumstances.
There was another thing alleged against me, which I heard of afterwards.
It was said that I punished officers wrongfully.
I will say here that I will agree to suffer any punishment if it can be shown that I ever punished a good officer; but I was not very chary when I got hold of a bad one.
On one occasion it was reported to me that an officer had tendered his resignation for frivolous reasons.
This having been done in the face of the enemy, the regulation required his dismissal.
His colonel called the man up to him, and told him that the reasons were frivolous, and that he better not send forward that resignation.
The man said he would be d------if he would not get out of the service either honorably or dishonorably.
The colonel did not send forward the man's resignation.
A few days afterwards the colonel gave the man some order; he threw his sword down, with a flourish, before his men, and said he would be G------d------if he ever did
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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