SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. FORT DELAWARE, DEL.,
Numbers 213. July 8, 1864.
Captain Alex. Smith and Lieutenant J. F. Daton, of the One hundred and fifty-seventh Regiment Ohio National State Guard, and Lieutenant William Hall, of Battery G, Pennsylvania Artillery, will constitute a board of examination, to convene without delay at the garrison guard-room, and inquire into the shooting of Lieutenant Colonel E. P. Jones, One hundred and ninth Virginia, C. S. Army, a prisoner of war, by Private William G. Douglass, Company C, One hundred and fifty-seventh Ohio National State Guard, while on duty as sentinel on the night of July 7, 1864. They will report the full facts in the case to the commanding general.
By command of Brigadier General A. Schoepf:
Private William G. Douglas made the following statement:
I am a private, Company C, One hundred and fifty-seventh Regiment Ohio State National Guard. On yesterday was acting as sentinel at Post Numbers 20; went on guard between 7 and 9 p. m. Some time between those hours a rebel came out of the sink-the officer's sink-and stopped about ten minutes. I told him to "leave; " think he was twenty or thirty feet from me; went and turned the light; came back and said "Now, you must leave. " Then I said the third time, "If you don't leave, I'll shoot you. " The man still stood there. I said again, "Leave. " He muttered something, and then I shot him.
William Huscroft's statement:
I am a private, Company C, One hundred and fifty-seventh Regiment Ohio State National Guard; was on guard yesterday at post 19 between 7 and 9 p. m. ; heard sentry of post 20 say, " Move on; "
the second time he said, "Move on; " again the third time he said, "Move on, or damn you, I'll shoot you; " saw sentinel raise his piece; heard him cock his piece, when he drew it up he said "move on" again, and then he fired; he challenged him distinctly. I heard the sentinel distinctly.
James Adams' statement:
I am a private, One hundred and fifty-seventh Ohio State National Guard; was on post Numbers 21, July 7, 1864, between the hours of 7 and 9 p. m. ; heard the sentinel on post Numbers 20 say the first time to somebody, "Move on; " the second time he said, "Get out there; " the third time he said, "Damn you, go on; " the reb. turned around and said something; don't know what it was; after that I saw the sentinel jerk down his gun; didn't see anything more till I heard the report of the gun; heard sentinel challenge him distinctly three times; there was quite a pause between each challenge.
John Zinc's statement;
I am a private, Company F, One hundred and fifty-seventh Regiment Ohio State National Guard; was on guard at post Numbers 22, on July 7, 1864, between the hours of 7 and 9 p. m. ; heard sentry at post Numbers 20 say to somebody, "Go away from there; " think that was the expression; heard sentry say second time, "Move on; " heard sentry say third time, "Go away," or "move on," or "I'll be God-damned if I don't shoot; " didn't hear anything more after that; heard report of the gun and corporal of the guard Numbers 20 called; heard the challenge distinctly.
Richard W. Woodward's statement:
I am a private, Battery A, Pennsylvania Artillery, was on guard yesterday between 7 and 9 p. m. at post Numbers 23; heard sentry at post Numbers 20 say to somebody, "Go in; " heard him say a second time, "Go in; " third time heard him say, "Go in or I'll shoot you; " just before the sentinel called the fourth time somebody said something, and the sentinel challenged again; this was the fourth time; sentinel said this time, "Go in," and immediately fired. I heard the sentinel challenge him distinctly each time.
The circumstance occurred at half-past 8 p. m.
W. G. Nuget's statement:
FORT DELAWARE, July 8, 1864.
I examined the wounds of Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, One hundred and ninth Virginia, C. S. Army, on the night of Thursday, July 7, 1864. The ball entered the right, shoulder, fracturing the humerus about one inch below the shoulder joint; penetrated the chest and made its exit therefrom at the junction of the fifth rib with the sternum of right side.
The pleura was wounded, but there is no symptom leading to the belief that there was any injury done to the lung. There were two wounds in the shoulder, one made by the entrance of the ball, the other in all probability by the exit of a buck-shot, or a fragment of bone shattered from the humerus
The hemorrhage from the chest was very profuse, and although very seriously wounded his symptom are this morning favorable.
W. G. NUGENT,
Acting Assistant Surgeon.
HEADQUARTERS FORT DELAWARE, DEL., July 10, 1864.
Colonel WILLIAM HOFFMAN,
Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:
COLONEL: I have the honor to report that one of the sentinels here, in the faithful performance of his duty, on the night of the 8th [7th] instant shot and mortally wounded Colonel E. Pope Jones, One hundred and ninth Virginia Regiment, who died from the effects of the would on the night of the 9th instant. As a justification of the act I submit the report of the court of inquiry, which clearly exonerates the sentinel from any blame. Many of the prisoners have been accustomed to insult and trifle with the sentinels because they are militia, and this shooting is one of the results of it.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. SCHOEPF,
Brigadier-General.
[First indorsement.]
OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
Washington, D. C., July 16, 1864.
Respectfully submitted for the consideration of the Secretary of War.
The within proceedings do not snow under what orders the sentinel acted, or that he had any orders to meet such a case. There are many ways of punishing a prisoners for disobedience of a sentinel's order when not attended with a demonstration of violence without going to the extremity of shooting him down; and in the case reported there seems to have ben nothing to call for severe measures. If the sentinel was governed by his orders, as from the proceedings it may be presumed he was, he is excusable, and the responsibility rests upon the commanding officer.
A copy of instructions on this point addressed to Brigadier-General Schoepf is herewith inclosed.
W. HOFFMAN,
Colonel Third Infantry and Commissary-General of Prisoners
[Second indorsement.]
WAR DEPARTMENT, July 19, 1864.
Respectfully referred to the commissioner for exchange of prisoners for remark.
By order of the Secretary of War:
LOUIS H. POLOUZE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Third indorsement.]
JULY 21, 1864.
If prisoners of war obstinately refuse obedience to the orders of a sentinel, as appears to have been case in this instance, very unfortunate consequences are to be expected.
E. A. HITCHCOCK,
Major-General of Volunteers.
Author Note. If you would like to read more about Col. Elliotte Pope Jones and his life take this link.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=2536929
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