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Now it was rare that one of these brigands was ever taken alive, and thus regular soldier after soldier who was a prisoner of war, and entitled to consideration as such, was taken from prison and murdered by the Commandant without even a court-martial. It was such a death that Dan Dean and Rebel Jerry had narrowly escaped.
His real crime at Minden was admirably exposed by the court-martial which found him 'guilty of having disobeyed the orders of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, whom he was by his commission bound to obey as commander-in-chief, according to the rules of war. This court also found him 'unfit to serve his Majesty in any military capacity whatever'; and George II directed that the following 'remarks' should be added when the sentence was read out on parade to every regiment in the service: 'It is his Majesty's pleasure that the above sentence be given out in public orders, not only in Britain, but in America, and in every quarter of the globe where British troops happen to be, so that all officers, being convinced that neither high birth nor great employments can shelter offences of such a nature, and seeing they are subject to censures worse than death to a man who has any sense of honour, may avoid the fatal consequences arising from disobedience of orders.
And then the recollection of that day on Devil's Hood Island, when he had deliberately risked his life to save her reputation, would return to her with overwhelming force mocking the verdict of the court-martial, repudiating the condemnation which had made her thrust him out of her life. So the pendulum swung, this way and that, lacerating her heart each time it swept forward or back.
I have been sorry ever since that I did not copy the whole of it. It ran, however, much in this way: "Sir, You will receive from Lieutenant Neale the person of Philip Nolan, late a lieutenant in the United States army. "This person on his trial by court-martial expressed, with an oath, the wish that he might 'never hear of the United States again.
"I'm afraid," she said gently, almost deprecatingly, "that there is no questioning the finding of the court-martial. Garth must have lost his head at the unexpectedness of the attack. And panic is a curious, unaccountable kind of thing, you know." "I don't believe it," reiterated Sara stubbornly. Elisabeth bent forward. "My dear," she said, "there is no possibility of doubt.
Yes," fervently pursued the excited prisoner, stamping violently with his foot upon the earth, "he robbed me of my affianced wife; and for that I resented an outrage that should have banished him to some lone region, where he might never again pollute human nature with his presence he caused me to be tried by a court-martial, and dismissed the service.
More extraordinary still is the fact that during this same period not one of these men ever went before a court-martial. This is surely a striking illustration of what can be done by colored officers.
At this juncture, Emile Zola, the celebrated novelist, stepped into the fray as a defender of Dreyfus, writing a notable letter to President Favre, in which he accused the members of the court-martial of acquitting Esterhazy under order of their chiefs, who would not admit that a military court of France could possibly make a mistake.
There a court-martial was held, and four of the ringleaders were condemned to death. But these bold bad men were loath to die. "Comrades," said one, turning to the loyal soldiers near, "will you stand by and see us die thus shamefully?" "These," replied Laudonnière, sharply, "are no comrades of mutineers and rebels." All appeals for mercy were in vain.
"Then I'll warn the President " He held her with cruel force: "You understand that if it's true, my arrest, court-martial and death follow?" "No. I'll warn him not to come. I alone know " She broke his grip on her arm and started toward the door. He lifted his hand in quick commanding gesture: "Wait! my men are in that hall it's his life or mine now. You can take your choice "
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