From the Richmond Whig, 1/28/1868, p. 4, c. 2

ATTEMPTED MURDER OF AN ARMY OFFICER BY A SOLDIER. – The Lynchburg News of Thursday says:

Late yesterday afternoon, a private belonging to the command of Lieutenant Colonel T. E. Rose, at Camp Schofield, called at the quarters of the Colonel, and asked to see him. The Colonel made his appearance in answer to the summons, when the soldier, who was armed with his musket, quickly leveled the weapon at the Colonel and fired, the ball passing between the arm and the body, and through the coat sleeve, but not breaking the skin. The Colonel, after the shot, promptly grappled his antagonist, and finally succeeded in wresting the musket from his hands, and with the butt struck the soldier a heavy blow over the head, breaking the skull. It was at first supposed the soldier was killed, but he revived somewhat and was placed in the hospital. It is not thought he can recover.

No motive was assigned by the soldier for his murderous attempt upon the life of his commanding officer, nor can intoxication be pleaded in extenuation, as he was perfectly sober at the time the deed was committed. We were unable to learn the soldier’s name, or the company to which he belonged.

[Colonel Rose is the officer who superintended the election for the convention in this city, and against whom charges were preferred by John H. Gilmer, Esq., which resulted in a trial and acquittal.]

The News of a day later says:

The soldier who made the murderous attack was not dead last night at a late hour, though it was thought impossible for him to recover. The attack, it appears, was premeditated, the soldier, a short time previous to the shooting, having visited the Colonel’s quarters, and returned thence to his own tent, where he armed himself with a loaded musket and three extra charges, and again returned to the Colonel’s house, when the shooting occurred.

The Virginian supposes that the would-be murderer was the agent of a conspiracy against Col. Rose, but the Republican says he had taken offence at language used to him by the Colonel.

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