"You will see when I make out my charges and specifications. Guards, take them back to the guard-house."
When back in the guard-house, and left to reflection, the words, "I shall use my utmost endeavors to have you shot," seemed to force themselves upon my mind with vivid impression. What could it mean, that an officer in the United States army should express himself so emphatically, as committed against us, when justice every-where holds a man to be innocent until he is proved to be guilty.
While I had been in camp getting my dinner, the Provost-marshal had released Mr. Perry, and had administered to him the oath of allegiance, and returned to him the property that we had taken. On being released, Mr. Perry found Doctor Russel Parson Hamers, and Mr. Lawhorn—who happened to be in town at the time—and, in company with them, went to the Provost-marshal, (who tolerated their complaints,) and fabricated such statements as they chose to make against us, and upon those statements the Provost-marshal based his charges and caused our arrest.
It was humiliating in the extreme, for us, after having served our country with devoted patriotism, and imperiled our lives for its preservation, to be thus made the victims of revenge by those whom we knew were at enmity with the Government.
Two days after our imprisonment, we received a copy of the charges against us, of which the following is an exact copy:
"CHARGES AGAINST CORPORAL RUGGLES, AND TEN OTHERS,
OF THE 20TH OHIO INFANTRY.
"Charge.—Indiscriminate plundering and pillaging of citizens in the country.
"Specification First.—That Corporal L. Ruggles, Corporal D. W. Huxley, Sergeants W. G. Downs and Thomas J. Watson, and privates John Lawrence, Jacob W. Snook, H. Chryst, S. Rosebaum, Granville Cassedy, John Sessler, and B. F. Wannamaker, did, on or about the 14th day of October, 1862, enter the house of one W. S. Perry and break the locks of two trunks, and take from them W. S. Perry's clothes; also, the clothing of his children, some finger-rings, some jaconet cloth for children's clothes, and rummaged through every part and portion of the house; also taking two mules, one horse and one saddle, and one double-barreled shotgun, both tubes being broken.
"Specification Second.—That Corporal L. Ruggles, and ten others, named in specification first, did, on or about the 14th day of October, 1862, enter the house of one Mrs. Tabitha Perry, took from her possession two bed-quilts, one sheet, a pair of pillows, and a bolster; also, one mule.
"Specification Third.—That Corporal L. Ruggles, and ten others, named in specification first, did enter the house of Mr. Lawhorn, break the door of the ladies' wardrobe, searched through the whole house, brandishing their pistols. Mrs. Milliken endeavoring to save her property, they threatened to shoot her, and used insulting and threatening language to the same; also, taking the milk in the house, prepared for sick and wounded Federal soldiers at Dunlap's Springs, of which they were notified.