From The People

Adrián, OCT. 29th, 1883. Ed. ('oirRiER : My attention Is called to an alleged leltcr frora one Van Vliet who claim to have been late adjutant, 1 lili cavalay regí ment, and wliose letter is publtshed In you paper last week. Ir you care for the nnswers In your editoria relntive to my explanatlon I herewitü fur nisti them you. Mr. Van Vliet goes very much out of lili way to write a letter full of mallctous and wicked falsehood to defeat a oaudidate nol li Ij is dist nel. The tone of hls letter shows the matice he holds, not personally toward me but ugainst the democratie party. Van Vliet was not long the adjutant.be cause of lneompetency but being a wlllln tooi of Col. HiMwii he was late In 1864 mad ailjutant, but hls dutles were performed al most entlrely by Elroy Avery, and one of th orderlies, who took care of the major's norse There could be scarcely more falsehood crowded i rito an artlcle ihan thls man em bodlea In hls letter. Mr. Brown and myself did have a quarre and I used the language to hl in that I clalmet and neither he nor Van Vliet had the cour age or manhood to resent it. I repeat th charges tlien made, now, and include Val Vliet in v-illi Brown, though I wlll not say b was a drunken coward for I do not recall hl being lntemperate. There lsn't probably three officers of the ol ltttl WlïO Wlll nmy H KMKl wolU loi uilLur o these two cowardiy ofllcers. They are the two who do not altend the reg mental reunió- ""ho "' -. inrhriiiB dia approve my course and I have a specia recommendation froin hlmt as to my erl clency and merlts as an officer. Van Vliet knows that a large number o omcers reslgned and gave as a reason " fo the good of the service.'' He knows Brown approved them. He knows these restgnations were all re turned not approved by the general comman ding the brigade. Theattack of Capt. Bowe Is as cnwardly as lt is false. It Is known tha Van Vliet and Brown dld attempt to forc liim and every other democrat oftlcer out o the service. Oen. Hurbridge quietl squelched both, and threatened lirown wit charges. Brown then changed his tactics. Brown was never In action wlth any regí ment. He never could be got lnLo action. AtSaltvllle he was hid behlnd a tree, an Van Vliet was shlverlng by his slde. I never claimed to command Co. 1 ., at Salt vllle. An order was sent to consolídate Co H, on Co. L. and for Cutler to take command. I refused to glve command of Co. H, but Co L. with a few men was upon our left. Capt. Howen wlth 40 men was on specia service. Lleut. Decker with 84 men was wit i itn. Burbrldge as guard. I had the balanc of the Co., and coramanded it during the en lire engagement. I j-iit Cutler was wounded early In the ac tlon and thecompany was scattered. Col. Mason commauded the regiment. It was from my canteen he recelved wate wh. 'ii I found imn falntlng near the breas worksoftlie enemv's battery. He was en tirely exhausted. He had scarcely revived when Lieut. Burger Co. C, who had been sho through the body was brought to the Colon el' side and to him was glveu the balance of th water from my canteen. Col. Mason led the second charge up th mountaln, in person and Co. H was wit htm but only seven men were left unhurt. On the retreat, the next day Co. H was In the rcar battalton. The tlrst altack was upon Co. O. Col. Brown and Van Vliet were not to b seen. They had put spurs to thelr horse and fled leavingthe regiment to the careo Col. Mason. 'ol. B was in the rear also. I wa placed by Col, Mason in command of the rea with orders to letno soldierspass in the road We had the pack mules and baggage an moved forward only as Col. Mason persoually ordered. Col. Mason was giving dlrections abou ciitting trees, and dlrectiug the flght agalns the last charge made by the rebels, líe hac sent Capt. Bowen ahead for help, and th Colouel of the regiment who had sneakei away and deserted hls command could no bc found. and adetachment of the 12 th. ühl t 'avalry, dlsrnounted came to our relief. Col. Mason was shot from hlB horse by th last rally flred and he was very near me. detalled oneor two men to asstst In hls re inoval to the foot of the mountaln. One o these men I think was Joseph Sinltb o Kranklin. one of the new recrults, who hat foughl 1 ike a hero all the time. I thenlorc limnd this Van Vliet as a wllfu Har. He was too much of a coward to eve smell gunpowder. Col. Brown had to reslgn The gold capturad on the last raid I thlnk at Salsbury, was the cause of hls resignation The fact that the men were with me during the Sallvllle raid and each of the actlons now live near here. and Ihough republlcans stand ready to vertfy my statements. Private Sam Shurernan of Home was the only man of the Company who remalne wlth me at the close of the second charge an left the field wlth me. Orderly Flenney now of Osceola county, stood by my slde wlien Col Mason feil - Capt. Kirby of Petersburg, Lt Avery of Monroe, Lt. D"cker now at Seattle, or any member of Co. JI. can verlfy my statementR. The offleers of the old llth don't iisk this Kliek Van Vliet todefend thelr names. They don't want any thlng to do wlth hlm. He and Brown can enjoy thecontempt that the entlre regiment bas for them ir he destres to defend Col. Browu, he will always flnd me 'at home." You wlsh to know to what post G. A. R. I belong. I belong to Woodbury Post, No. 45 Adrián. I "got there" In the regular way, and same as only an honorabl dlscharged soldier could get there. I trust you wlll find thls explanatlon worthy a placo In your columns, If you deslre fairneusand honorable politie! warfere. Respy. W. Btkauns. Frank B. Pettee of this city, was in the same regiment with Willard Stearns, and eorrohnrates the Ptatement of Adjntant Van Vleit that Mr. Steiirns wat not ut the battle of Saltville, and that Mr. Stearns was not with Col. Mason when he feil, but Unit he Stearns, before the battle had been placed in charge of the ratiles and bajrgage, and was some three miles distaüt from the Hghting.