Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-05-06


drafts became necessary And the 3Ist January
1914, the Secretary OF War, again wrote to the
Governor Of Tennessee and referred hius 10 his
letter OF the lth of the same month. On the
10Th OF May, 1914, by virtue Of the authority vest
ed In him by the Secretary of War, the Governor
OF Tennessee issued his order 10 General Jack
son; at that time not in the service OF the United
States, but Major General Of the militia of Ten
ncssee, in Which lie says, g you tcW toitkout de-
idy, order oat one hoUsdnd militia it,fdnt,y ~
the 2d diriSi0n for the term of SJX months an.
less sooner discharged by order Of the President
o. The United States, or you may accept tender
oil service OF the above number of volunteer IN
ian;ry from the I'd division for the aforesaid terms
Tor the purpose of garrisoning tire said posts,''
lthc posts in the Creek naton) e at your option,
l1cbtch latitude IN relation 10 calls for men, To
oct against the CfcchS, IN fiutherGnce 81 the
cjeScs Of government, IN that beb0DiS giccn 10
me on instructions }rOH3 The tcGT department"
The Governor further ordered that these troops
should rendezvous at Fayetteville, N the state of
Tennessee, on the goth Of June, 1911, aud should
thence be marched 10 the posts IA the Creek
ton, so as TO arrive between the ist and 10Th Of
July, " as about that time the term of service of
Che troops" then in the field would expire. On
we receipt OF this order, vhet vas The duty of
General Jackson, He waSrnt al that time an Of
ticer of the army of The United States. He was
Major General of the militia OF tennessee, and
was bound 20 obey the mandate q his superior
officers. The Governor of Iennes ee, by the con-
stituon OF that state is The commander in chief of
rs militia. He issued this orcer 90 Jackson, and
distinctly informed him in the order itself that he
was authorised 10 issue II s. by instructions from
The War Department" IL was no part of Jack
sons right duty, 90 question that authority.
IL was sufficient for him 10 snow that it had been
issued by his superior officer, and il his duty
TO obey. He di lobcy. On the Gath os May.
'oia, General Jackson issued his order 90 The
militia OF the division which he commanded, in
winch nc says, am commanded by his Excel
iency Governor Blount to call from nv division
one thousand men, in tie service oil the United
states, for the period IF SIX months unless SOON
or discharged by order of the President of the
United States Here then in his order the
militia OF bis division. he distinctly informed them
that they were called out for the term Of SIX
months. In ob0,iience 20 these several orders
these troops constituting thousand in number,
were rcndeZvoused at Fayetteville, Tennessee,
on the goth OF juno. 1914, and were on that day
mustered into the service OF the United States,
for the term OF SIN months. They were placed
lncer the immediate command OF Col Pipkin, and
marched TO the posts in the Creek nation OF
these troops, the six who were afterwards tried
and executed at Mobile, for mutiny and desertion,
were part. TWAS notorious 10 the troops them
selves. and to The whole country, at the timo
they were mustered into service, that at was for
The term OF SIX months The fact had been
announced 10 the troops i'm the general order cali
ing them into service The government of the
United States, of the time they entered the service,
ana long subsequent 10 IT, understood IT, for
they were actually paid for SIX months service.
Indeed, have no official evidence chat it is not
even now so understood. The muster rolls were
returned TO the Department of War at the time,
and shew on their face that they were mustered
into service Tor - \ months. The pay rolls shcw
that they paid for SIX months. In letter
from Governor Bount 10 the Secretary of War;
dated October 10Th, 1914, and among the docu-
ments from The AZ Department, he says III
terence 20 this very detachment there il in SER
wee IRON this state 1000 men at the posts in the
Creek country They were ordered out for SIX
months, and have nearly three months yet 10
serve Here the Department Of War were dis
unctiy inior,Rcd that they were in service for the
term oil SIX months. and that they had nearly
three months TO serve. / take it for granted,
with tese acontrovertible facts staring him in the
lace, The most violent partisan wiz no longer con
tend, That the g six militia men" who composed
a part OF Col Pipkins Regiment, were bound 10
serve only three instead of six months.
There IS 4 fact connected with this part Of the
subject which shall here take the liberty TO state
The documents recently communicated TO Con
gress, by The Secretary OF War; do not contain two
very important documents, 10 which, have aud-
ed above, III reference 10 the length of the time Of
Serv ce OF this detachment of militia, viz: the order
OF The Governor of Tennessee to General jackson
oil the 10th OF May 1914; and the order Of General
jackson to his division of militia Of the path of
May 1874, each stating tina; tue time Of service
was TO be SIN ia onihs Transmit TO you copies of
these documents which | have procured and
winch .vouch TO be correct Where are these
documents! Governor B!ount has recently stated
GA oath, that lac transmitted to the Secretary of
W ar, copy OF his order of the Goth of May, 1871
shortly atcrit issued, and doubtless the other
was likewise forwarded to the department of War
but ncw neither Of them IS communicated 10
Congress. Are they in recess in the Department.
state the fact that they are not among the Docu-
mcn'' communicated 10 Congress, and you win
Judge.
These troops were marched from Fayetteville,
Tenn. the place Of RENDEZVOUS, under The nmtdiate
command OF Col PipkiI, TO the posts in the Creek
nation. The corps 10 which the s'sx militia men,
belonged, was stationed at Fort Jackson. Between
The 10Th and 2Oth of September, 1871, before the
period even Of ihree months, much less six months
mad expired, an alarming Inutiny, such as was sell
dom eyer witnessed in any army, took place in
tite camps oil which these 'siX militia men, were
the riugleaAcrs J{0TTis who seems 20 have been
The principal Several days before The mu,iny broke
OFT, carried abONt subscription paper through
tle camp, obtaining the signatures Of ali who
would agree TO 70 home. IN defiance of their Off
GERS commanding the post, they oil the 18Th of
sept. 1914 violently and tunuliuOusy assembled
together, 20 The number Of near two hundred
broke open the public stores, took out provisions
demolished the bake house, shot down beeycs ard
in the faccoi authority, left the camp an the next
morning ''at the end Of revellc bcat;" yelling
and firing, scattering guns as they departed, pro-
claiming TO al who would 10 follow theiu
The troops who remained at the post were
SUBJECTED TO much exposure and fatigue, in conse-
que"ce Of the reduction Of their numbers The
consequence was that they were seized with dis
ease and many Of them died. Their death ,na,
in great degree be attributed 10 the abandon.
ment OF the post by the nuGuccrs These mutt
neers and deserers were. subsequently arrested
and brought back 10 tic post Gen. Jackson iron
at Mobile, was informed Of what had taken place
and was requested by their Commanding officer. TO
order a court martial for fhei~ tri,l ~ a.. o..