A little occurrence
of a very unpleasant nature, today. I have, for a long time, felt that my
Colonel was interfering with the Medical Department of the Regiment, to an
extent not warranted by the rules of war, and greatly to the prejudice of the
health of the men. Seeing so many sick around me, I became excited, and said to
him that his interference must stop; that I would submit to it no longer. He
considered this insubordination, or something worse, and used language which I
construed into a threat of Court-Martial. This was not very soothing to my
excitement, or my excitability, and I wrote him a defiant note, inviting him to
put his threat in execution. I know it is an offence against military law to
use either insulting or disrespectful language to superior officers; and I felt
that it was against the law of self-respect to submit to be forever trampled
on, so as one of these laws had to be violated, I took my choice. Perhaps I did
wrong. The result will show.
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, p. 48-9
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