USA > New York > Onondaga County > History of Onondaga County, New York > Part 21
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In this battle the 12th Regiment lost heavily. Among the wounded were Col. Henry A. Weeks, who on that day had commanded a brigade ; Capt. Root and Lieut. Behan. The muster of the regi- ment next morning showed only 106 men, one staff officer and six line officers. The brigade went into the fight with over 1,500 men, and came out with only about 600.
On the night of September 2d, our brigade went into camp at Arlington Heights, near the site of the old camp occupied by the 12th Regiment, the previous winter. Here the brigade was strength- ened by the addition of the 20th Maine regiment, as fine a regiment as ever appeared on a field, and moving across into Maryland, passed up via Fred- erick City and across South Mountain to the vicinity
of Sharpsburgh, and on the 17th of September participated in the battle of Antietam.
Lee had crossed the Potomac into Maryland with a portion of his army, leaving the remainder of it on the south side menaced by a considerable force under General Miles at Harper's Ferry. The obvious intent of McClellan was to follow and conquer that portion of Lee's army in Maryland, while it was separated from its rëenforcements, and then send forces to the rescue of Harper's Ferry, before the rebels on that side of the river should compel its surrender and evacuation. But delays thwarted this object. After two severe battles in the passes of South Mountain, Lee's army in Mary- land reached Antietam, where the most advantage- ous position was selected. Harper's Ferry fell, and the whole of Lee's army was soon on the ground at Antietam, making it necessary for McClellan to fight the entire rebel army at that point, strength- ened and elated by their success at Harper's Ferry.
When our army advanced in sight of Antietam, the whole rebel force was there, save A. P. Hill's division. " The regiments and brigades, hitherto so ostentatiously paraded, seemed to have sunk into the earth ; and nothing but grim and frowning batteries were seen covering each hill-crest, and trained on every stretch of open ground whereby our soldiers might attempt to scale those rugged steeps."
" The struggle was inaugurated on the afternoon of the 16th." On the 17th the great battle was fought, the details of which we cannot enter into here, save so far as to indicate the position of the 12th Regiment. Porter's Corps was in our center, holding the road from Sharpsburg to Middletown and Boonsborough, and remained unengaged east of the Antietam Creek till late in the afternoon ; two brigades of it were then sent to support our right ; six battalions of Sykes's regulars were thrown across the bridge on the main road, to drive off the rebel sharp-shooters, who were annoying Pleasanton's horse-batteries at that point ; War- ren's brigade was detached and sent to the right and rear of Burnside, leaving with Porter only about 3,000 men. Burnside's corps held our extreme left, opposite the lowest of the three bridges cross- ing the Antietam. At I P. M., he charged with the 5Ist New York and 5Ist Pennsylvania, and took the bridge. At 3 P. M., under peremptory or- ders, he charged up the heights, carrying them handsomely, some of his troops reaching even the outskirts of Sharpsburg. But now, just as victory seemed about to smile upon our arms, A. P. Hill's division (which had been ordered from Harper's
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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK
Ferry that morning, and had started at half-past 7 o'clock) came upon the field, and covered by a heavy fire of artillery charged our extreme left, which during the day had sustained repeated charges of the enemy, and drove it back in great confusion. Gen. Rodman, who commanded our left, fell mortally wounded. The enemy rallied with great spirit, redoubled their fire of artillery, charged in front and flank, and drove our men in confusion down the hill toward Antietam, pursuing till checked by the fire of our batteries across the creek. Our reserves, on the left bank, now ad- vanced and our batteries redoubled their fire. The rebels wisely desisted without attempting to carry the bridge and retired to their lines on the heights, as darkness put an end to the fray. " Thus closed, indecisively, the bloodiest day America ever saw."
In killed and wounded, according to their own report, the enemy lost 13,533 men in this engage- ment. McClellan makes his entire loss in this bat- tle to consist of 12,469 men. Speaking of the whole series of engagements in Maryland, he reports, 13 guns, 39 colors, upwards of 15,000 stand of small arms, and more than 6,000 prisoners, as the trophies which attested the success of our arms in the battles of South Mountain, Crampton's Gap, and Antietam. Not a single gun or color was lost by our army during these battles.
On the 19th of September, our division was ordered across the river at the Shepherdstown Ford, where they met the enemy and were driven back, taking shelter in the canal from which the water had been drawn off, and which afforded an excellent breastwork already constructed to our hand. After the short engagement here, our brigade was ordered to the Antietam Iron Works, to guard the ford across the river ; Companies E and G, of the 12th Regiment being detailed as Provost Guard of Sharps- burg, under Lieut. Estes of Company G, as Provost Marshal. William P'. Cobbitt was here killed by the accidental bursting of a shell picked up on the Antietam battle-field.
From Sharpsburg, or the Antietam Iron Works, our regiment was removed to Stoneman's Switch on the Fredericksburg and Aquia Creek Railroad, about four miles from Fredericksburg, and remained till December 13th, 1862, the day on which Burn- side made his memorable, but fatal attempt to cross and storm the fortified heights of Fredericksburg. Pontoon bridges had been laid across the Rappa- hannock to effect this object. Lee, with an army fully 80,000 strong, was stretched along and behind the southern bluffs of the Rappahannock from a point a mile or so above Fredericksburg to one four
or five miles below. These heights were girdled with batteries rising tier above tier to their crest, all carefully trained upon the approaches from FFred- ericksburg, while a fatal stone wall, so strong that no artillery could make an impression upon it, shel- tered a brigade of the enemy in the very front of the storming column Against such impregnable defences our brave soldiers were thrown across to meet their fate. Braver men never smiled at death than those who climbed Marye's Hill that fatal day ; their ranks plowed through and torn to pieces by rebel batteries, even in the process of formation ; and when at heavy cost they had reached the foot of the hill, they were confronted by a solid stone wall, four feet high, from behind which a rebel brig- ade of infantry mowed them down like grass. Never did men fight better or die, alas ! more fruit- lessly, than did most of Hancock's corps, especially Meagher's Irish brigade, composed of the 63d, 69th and SSth New York, the 28th Massachusetts, and the 11th Pennsylvania, which dashed itself repeat- edly against those impregnable heights, until two- thirds of its number strewed the ground ; when the remnant fell back to a position of comparative safety, and were succeeded, as they had been sup- ported, by other brigades and divisions, each to be exposed in its turn to like pitiless, useless, hopeless slaughter.
Thus the fight was maintained till after dark, assault after assault being delivered by divisions advancing against twice their numbers, on ground where treble the force was required for the attack that sufficed for the defence, while a hundred rebel cannon posted on heights which our few guns on that side of the river could not reach, swept our men down from the moment they began to advance, and where they could do nothing but charge, fall and die. Not to go into details of this terrible days fighting, we may say here that our loss was not less than 15,000 to that of the rebels 5,000, killed, wounded and taken prisoners. Night mercifully closed the scene of carnage.
Throughout the 14th and 15th the two armies stood facing each other, Lee strengthening his defenses and awaiting a renewal of the attack. He was probably aware that such was Burnside's inten- tion, from which, however, he was finally dissuaded, and decided to recross his entire army on the night of the 15th. Only a few pickets and some ammuni- tion were left in Fredericksburg, and " not a gun was abandoned as a trophy of this ill-starred advance on Richmond." Our pontoons were all taken up and brought off. The 12th Regiment lost heavily, among others, several commissioned officers
IOI
HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The regiment lay all night the day of the battle and the next day among the dead and wounded, after the cessation of the battle of the 13th, no movement being made in the army whereby they could get out of their position. On the retreat they were the last to reach the pontoon bridge, and were upon it as it was cut loose from the Fredericks- burg shore by our engineers.
After the retreat from Fredericksburg, our regi- ment went back to its old camp at Stoneman's Switch, and on the 27th of April, 1863, at the time of the advance of Hooker on Chancellorsville, or- ders came for them to return to Elmira and be mus- tered out of the service. Being two years men, their time had expired. The three years men from New York City, formerly consolidated with the 12th Regiment, were organized into five companies forming a separate battalion under Col. Henry A. Weeks, and remained in the service. The 12th Regiment reached Elmira in a few days, and were mustered out on the 17th of May, 1863.
OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE 12TH REGIMENT.
The following is the official list and line of pro- motions of the 12th Regiment :
Ezra L. Walrath, Colonel, rank from May 7, 1861, resigned September 26, 1861 ; George W. Snyder, Colonel, commissioned October 1, 1861, declined ; Henry A. Weeks, Colonel, rank from February 3, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of service ; Benjamin A. Willis, Colonel, com- missioned February 27, 1864, not mustered ; James L. Graham, Lieutenant-Colonel, rank from May 7, 1861, resigned June 19, 1861 ; Robert M. Rich- ardson, Lieutenant-Colonel, rank from June 19, 1861, resigned February 6, 1863; Augustus J. Root, Major, rank from September 22, 1862, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, February 13, 1863, mustered out on expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; John Lewis, Major, rank from May 7, 1861, killed by fall from his horse, October 21, 1861 ; Henry A. Barnum, Major, rank from October 25, 1861, pro- moted to Colonel 149th N. Y. Vols., September 22, 1862 ; Henry W. Rider, Captain, rank from Febru- ary 3, 1862, promoted to Major, February 27, 1864 ; Silas Titus, Adjutant, rank from May 13, 1861, promoted to Colonel 122d N. Y. Volunteers, Au- gust 28, 1862 ; George F. Watson, Adjutant, rank from February 3, 1862, mustered out at expi- ration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; Edmund B. Griswold, Quartermaster, rank from May 13, 1861, resigned September 6, 1861 ; Porter R. Alger, Ist Lieutenant rank from September 21, 1861, promoted to Quartermaster February 27, 1 862, brevet Major N. Y. Vols., mustered out on expiration of term of service. May 17, 1863 ; Roger W. Pease, Surgeon, rank from May 7, 1861, resigned August 28, 1861 ; Azariah B. Shipman, Surgeon, rank from September 13, 1861, resigned May 23, 1862 ; Chas. L. Hubbell, Surgeon, rank from April 2, 1862, dis-
charged August 5, 1862 ; Chas. C. Murphy, Sur- geon, rank from December 31, 1862, mustered out at expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; George B. Todd, Assistant Surgeon, rank from May 7, 1861, resigned October 7, 1862 ; John L. Eddy, Assistant Surgeon, rank from November 3, 1862, mustered out at expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; George V. Skiff, Assistant Surgeon, rank from August 22, 1862, mustered out at expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; C. S. Percival, Chaplain, resigned October 20, 1861 ; Henry P. Barton, Chaplain, rank from October 21, 1861, re- signed April 20, 1862 ; Morris H. Church, Captain, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned September 21, 1861 ; Ira Wood, Captain, rank from September 21, 1861, resigned October 14, 1862; Thomas H. Behan, Captain, rank from October 16, 1862, mustered out at expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863; Jacob Brand, Captain, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned October 25, 1861; William Huson, Captain, rank from February 3, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of ser- vice, May 17, 1863 ; Dennis Driscoll, Jr., Cap- tain, rank from May 1, 1861, discharged February 3, 1862 ; William Fowler, Captain, rank from February 3, 1862, discharged February 3, 1863 ; George W. Stone, Captain, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned July 9, 1861 ; William H. Hoagland, Cap- tain, rank from February 3, 1862, killed in action at Fredericksburg, Va., December 13, 1862 ; James A. Bates, Captain, rank from December 14, 1862, discharged April 11, 1864 ; Joseph Hilton, Cap- tain, rank from April 11, 1864, not mustered ; J. M. Brower, Captain, rank from May 1, 1861, dis- charged Febuary 3, 1862 ; Paul A. Oliver, 2d Lieu- tenant, rank from February 3, 1862, promoted to Ist Lieutenant, May 30, 1862, to Captain, April 4, 1864, transferred to 5th Regiment, N. Y. Vols., June 2, 1864 ; Milo W. Locke, Captain, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned November 14, 1861 ; James Cromie, Captain, rank from February 3, 1862, dis- charged April 7, 1863 ; Joseph C. Irish, Captain, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned September 3, 1861 ; Charles B. Randall, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May, 1861, promoted to Captain, September 25, 1861 ; mustered out at the expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; George W. Cole, Cap- tain, rank from May 1, 1861, transferred to 3d N. Y. Cavalry, September 20, 1861 ; George Truesdell, Ist Lieutenant, rank from May 13, 1861, promoted to Captain October 20, 1861, resigned December 2, 1862; Michael Auer, 2d Lieutenant, rank from February 22, 1862, promoted to Ist Lieutenant, December 1, 1862, mustered out on expira- tion of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; Peter Strauss, Ist Lieutenant, rank from May 1861, promoted to Captain, December 26, 1862, mustered out on expiration of service, May 17, 1863 ; Henry A. Barnum, Captain, rank from May 1, 1861, promoted to Major, October 29, 1861, promoted to Colonel of 149th N. Y. Vols., September 22, 1862 ; Hamilton R. Combs, Ist Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, promoted to Captain November I1, 1861, resigned October 27, 1862 ; Edward Drake, Ist Lieutenant, rank from October 1, 1861, promoted
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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
to Captain, December 1, 1862, Brevet Major, N. Y. Vols, mustered out at expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; Cortland Clark, ist Lieutenant, rank from October 16, 1862, mustered out on expi- ration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; James A. Boyle, Ist Lieutenant, rank from February 3, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; James Randall, Ist Lieutenant, rank from May 1. 1861, discharged February 3, 1862 ; Richard J. Clark, Ist Lieutenant, rank from Febru- ary 3, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; Lucius C. Storrs, Ist Licu- tenant, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned October 23, 1861; Henry C. Burton, Ist Lieutenant, rank from Feb. 3, 1862, killed in action June 27, 1862 ; Wm. P. Walton, 2d Lieutenant, rank from Feb. 3, 1862, promoted to ist Lieutenant, Oct. 29, 1862, dis- charged Sept. 26, 1863 ; Joseph Hilton, 2d Lieuten- ant, rank from June 20, 1862, promoted to Ist Lieu- tenant December 26, 1862, transferred to 5th N. Y. Vols., June 2, 1864 ; Frederick Homer, Ist Lieuten- ant, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned July 30, 1861 ; Samuel J. Abbott, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, promoted to Ist Lieutenant August 27, 1861, resigned September 20, 1861 : William F. Gardner, Ist Lieutenant, rank from February 3, 1862, resigned May IS, 1862 ; William Gleason, Ist Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, discharged Feb- ruary 3, 1862 ; James A. Bates, Ist Lieutenant, rank from February 3. 1862, promoted to Captain December 26, 1862, discharged April 11, 1864; Henry A. Downing, 2d Lieutenant, rank from Feb- ruary 3, 1862, promoted to Ist Lieutenant Decem- ber 26, 1862 ; John H. Johnson, Ist Lieutenant, rank from May 1. 1861, resigned October 10, 1861 ; Stephen A. Estes, Ist Lieutenant, rank from Sep- tember 21, 1861, promoted to Captain October 30, 1862: Oliver T. May, 2d Lieutenant, rank from March 20, 1862, promoted to Ist Lieutenant October 30. 1862, to Captain 149th regiment, March 26, 1863 ; Edward Pointer, Ist Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, not mustered ; Thomas Gaffney, Ist Lieutenant, rank from September 1, 1861, re- signed October 23, 1862 : John P. Stanton, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, promoted to ist Lieutenant December 26, 1862, resigned April 15, 1863 ; William P'. Town, ist Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned August 6, 1861 ; William G. Tracy, Ist Lieutenant, rank from August 6, 1861, discharged February 3, 1862 ; S. Dexter Ludden, 2d Lieutenant, rank from September 3, 1861, promoted to Ist Lieutenant November 10, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; William S. Woods, 2d Lieutenant, rank from June 27, 1862, promoted to ist Lieuten- ant April 29, 1864, transferred to the 5th N. Y. Vols., June 2, 1864; George W. Cartwright, Ist Lieutenant, resigned November 5, 1861 ; Ulysses D. Eddy, 2d Lieutenant, rank from September 20, 1861, discharged March 17, 1862 ; Abraham Fred- dendall, 2d Lieutenant, rank from March 17, 1862, resigned October 13, 1862: Abram Farnie, 2d Lieutenant, rank from October 13, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; John P. Spanier, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 1,
1861, resigned December 27, 1861 ; Charles E. Gould, 2d Lieutenant, rank from February 3, 1862, resigned October 13, 1862 ; John M. Scannell, 2d Lieutenant, rank from October 13, 1862, resigned April 13, 1863 ; Robert J. Ellis, 2d Lieutenant, rank from April 11, 1863, not mustered ; Ellis Smith, 2d Lieutenant, rank from February 3, 1862, resigned November 4, 1862; Christopher Eddie, 2d Licu- tenant, rank from November 5, 1862, mustered out at the expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; George Snyder, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned October 25, 1861 ; Frank W. Clock, 2d Lieutenant, rank from September 21, 1861, re- signed March 19, 1862; Edward M. Fisher, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 17, 1862. killed in action at the Chickahominy June 27, 1862 ; Stephen D. Clark, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, dis- charged February 3, 1862 ; John L. Mcase, 2d Lieutenant, rank from December 14. 1862, dis- missed November 17, 1863 ; William Thompson, 2d Lieutenant, rank from November 20, 1863, transferred to the 5th N. Y. Vols. June 2, 1864 ; Erskine I'. Woodford, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned December 1, 1861 ; Fred- erick O. Waters, 2d Lieutenant, rank from Septem- ber 22, 1862, mustered out on the expiration of term of service May 17, 1863 ; Charles S. Coon, 2d Lieutenant, rank from October 20, 1861, discharged February 3, 1862 ; George Boiteau, 2d Lieutenant, rank from December 3, 1862, mustered out on expi- ration of term of service, May 17, 1863 : Andrew Urmy, 2d Lieutenant, rank from October 22, 1861, resigned February 22, 1862; Dexter Smith, 2d Lieutenant, rank from October 27, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of service. May 17, 1863 ; Lucius Smith, 2d Lieutenant, rank from May 1, 1861, resigned September 3, 1861 : John B. Foote, 2d Lieutenant, rank from October 22, 1862, mustered out on expiration of term of service, May 17, 1863 ; Gustavus Webber, 2d Lieutenant, rank from December 18, 1862, resigned February 2, 1863 ; John Corney, 2d Lieutenant, rank from January 28, 1863, mustered out on expiration of service, May 17, 1863.
REGIMENTAL FLAG OF THE TWELFTH NEW YORK.
In the list of regimental flags presented to Gov. Fenton at Albany, we find the following memorial of the colors of the 12th Regiment :
" 1 National Flag, silk. Presented to the regiment by the ladies of Syracuse, May 2, 1861, and carried by the regiment through every service in which it was engaged.
"The regiment was organized at Syracuse in the spring of 1861. It was engaged in the battle of Blackburn's Ford, and at ist Bull Run was in the reserve. After spending several months in building and grading forts in front of Washington, it was sent to the Peninsula, and was subsequently engaged in the seige of Yorktown and in the battles of Hanover Court House, Gaines's Mill, Savage's Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, 2d Bull Run and Ist Fredericksburg. It returned to the State in the
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HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
spring of 1863, at the expiration of its term of service."
Represented at the presentation by Col. Henry A. Weeks.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST REGIMENT NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS was raised in the Counties of Onondaga, New York and Delaware. It was or- ganized at Hancock, N. Y., to serve for three years, and was mustered into the United States service from September 2, 1861, to February 28, 1862. It was consolidated with the 37th New York Volun- teers, December 24, 1862, and the officers mustered out of service.
The officers of this regiment from Onondaga County were Lieutenant Colonel Johnson B. Brown, discharged November 7, 1862; Captain Gustavus Sniper, of Company C, promoted to Major on the organization of the regiment at Han- cock, promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel November 29, 1862, and mustered out at the consolidation, December 24, 1862 ; Assistant-Surgeon David B. Van Slycke, promoted to Surgeon, October 23, 1862, and mustered out December 24, 1862 ; Captain James F. O'Neil, rank from October I, 1861, dis- charged May 31, 1862 ; Captain George W. Her- rick, rank from March 31, 1862, discharged Febru- ary 22, 1862 ; Captain Peter Ohneth (Brevet-Major N. Y. V.,) rank as Captain November 24, 1861, mustered out December 24, 1862 ; Captain Peter McLennon, rank from December 5, 1861, mustered out December 24, 1862 ; Ist Lieutenant Orrin F. Plumb, rank from November 14, 1861, mustered out December 24, 1862 ; Ist Lieutenant James H. Bradt, rank from October 25, 1861, promoted to Captain October 29, 1862 ; Ist Lieutenant Thomas K. Brown, rank from October 22, 1861, mustered out December 24, 1862 ; Ist Lieutenant Monroe C. Worden, rank from October 7, 1861, died at Wash- ington, D. C., April 25, 1862 ; Ist Lieutenant Wil- liam Noble, rank from November 16, 1862, not mustered ; Ist Lieutenant Orlando J. Rowe, on records of War Department, not commissioned, resigned January 31, 1862; 2d Lieutenant William H. Warner, rank from December 1, 1861, promoted to Ist Lieutenant October 29, 1862, mustered out at the consolidation, December 24, 1862 ; 2d Lieu- tenant Silas H. Hinds, rank from June, 1862, mus- tered out December 24, 1862 ; 2d Lieutenant Adam Listman, rank from November 24, 1861, resigned July 24, 1862 ; 2d Lieutenant George Pfohl, rank from July 25, 1862, mustered out December 24, 1862 ; 2d Lieutenant Henry D. Ford, rank from December 15, 1861, promoted Ist Lieutenant Oct. 3, 1862, mustered out December 24, 1862 ; 2d Lieu-
tenant George B. French, rank from September 9, 1863, not mustered ; Amos M. Scranton, on records of War Department, not mustered, discharged Feb- ruary 22, 1862.
In the catalogue of flags presented to Governor Fenton at Albany after the war, we find this men- tion of the colors of the IoIst Regiment :
"I National Flag, silk, with original staff. This flag was presented to the regiment by the Union Defence Committee of New York City. It was borne in the battles of Seven Pines, (May 31 and June 1) Peach Orchard, Savage's Station, Chicka- hominy, White Oak Swamp, Charles City Cross Roads, Malvern Hill, Groveton, Second Bull Run, Chantilly and Fredericksburg."
The regiment was sent forward from Hancock, N. Y., to Washington in March, 1862, and was for some time on duty in and about Washington. It was also engaged in garrison duty for some time at Fort Lyons, seven miles south of Alexandria. Be- fore engaging in the first of the series of battles above enumerated, it was organized as part of Bir- ney's brigade, Kearney's division and Heintzelman's corps, and arrived at Fair Oaks just at the close of the battle. The regiment was one of the best in the service. It received a high compliment for its gallantry from Gen. Kearney the night before he was killed at Chantilly. In his report after the bat- tle of Fredericksburg, Brig .- Gen. Berry said : “ I have also to mention the good conduct of the IOIst New York Volunteers, Col. Chester com- manding. They nobly performed their duty dur- ing the fight ; also as pickets on the night of the retreat. This regiment, though small in numbers, did good service, and its conduct, together with that of all its officers, was unexceptionable."
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