The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-11 00:00:00

THE MUTINY IN THE TERRY MILITIA.

The Limerick Reporter gives the following version of
the mutiny in the Kerry Regiment, reported yesterday
"An order was issued on Saturday that the band
should not in future play to mass ; and it was also
ordered that the band should not play to the Established
Church. The move of the commanding officer of the
Kerrys—Major De Rolles De Molleyns—in preventing
the music of the band, was then seen• even by some of
those with whose knowledge and approbation the order
that there should be no music on Sundays had been pro-
mulgated. The regiment was drawn up in line. Entrea-
ties were made to the men to march. The officers of the
corps, not on leave, were infront ; they did all they could
to induce the men to march—but to no purpose. Threats
were had recourse to, but, as well as entreaties, they
utterly failed. At length an orderly of the 16th Lan-
cers was despatched in haste to the deputy adjutant-
general, who, in the absence on military inspection of
the general, at once proceeded to the barracks. After
aninterview with the officers the adjutant-general again
gave the word of command to march ; but there was no
BYruPtorn of the slightest desire on the part of the men to
stir. On the contrary, they remained where they had been
from the moment they went on parade, and it was then
?is band wthaesyn odtidalnlootwsetdi stir
to alga
the
eknowledged that they had no notion of moving, and
thate cause
hrthueitmedtoabmoausts—,
as it
had played them in T ralee, where the regiment was em-
bodied. The adjutant-general then drew from his pocket
the Articles of War and the Mutiny Act, which he
read. He spoke of the penalties of the act on those
ringleaders, as ho designated them, who bad instigated
the men to disobedience. Re expressed his deep regret
that a spirit of insubordination bad been shown by the
men. lie said that the order to the effect that no music
should play either to mass or to church bad been issued
on the previous day, and that that.order would be adhered
to. He referred to the crowds of people outside the
and observed he did not know what brow ht
barrack gate, roue t
them there ; but he might have been aware that similar
crowds awaited the appearance of the Killenny Militia
each Sunday, and that it was by no means an unfavour-
able or disheartening circumstance, where commanders'.
desire that regiments should be popular, and where itlie
their wish that recruits, too, should offer, as they some,.

times do when stimulated by the excitement of music.—
Finding threats and entreaties of no use, the adjutant-
general then told the men that he had resolved to carry
out the Mutiny Act as far as possible under the circum-
stances ; and it was his order, therefore, that the regi-
ment should be confined for the day to barracks. He
expressed a hope that there would not be a recurrence of
such insubordination at any future period, and that he
should not be compelled to adopt a similar course of pro-
ceeding in the event of the men refusing to march on
Sundays to religious worship without their band. The
men showed to svmptoms of anger ; but they evidently
felt most deeply the order thus conveyed to them, and,
breaking up, they proceeded at once to their respective
quarters, whilst the adjutant-general, on his part, went
to each sentry on duty, and ordered them to allow no
man of the Kerry Militia out of barracks for the day.—
Meantime, Mr. O'Shea, the mayor, had been informed
of the circumstance, but no interference on his part
could make matters better. He went to the Rev. Mr.
Synan, P. P., St. Michael's, with a view to request that
mass might e celebrated in the barrack for the Kerry
men. The Rev. Mr. Synan told the mayor that as he
was not garrison chaplain he could not comply with the
request. There was no mass celebrated. The chaplain
of the garrison is the Rev. Mr. Beahan, and the mayor
and Mr. Hartigan, J.P., called upon the rev. gentleman;
but it was too late to have mass said, and the Rev. Mr.
Ryan, C.C., St. Mary's, visited the barrack about two
o'clock, and the men being all assembled by trumpet in
the large room of the barrack, he said prayers for them,
and preached from the Gospel of the day. The sermon
was heard with profound attention by the seldiers, who
had to remain all day within the walls, much displeased
with the arbitrary order of their commander."