Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-12-24
MEXICAN CORRESPONDENTS.
HEAD QUARTERS N. c. REG. VOLUNTEERS,
Camp near Buena Vista,
November 9TH. l2A7 {

SuWp HeUT DUenG F1StH,
November 9TH, 1847.
Dear Journal: was sorry to see in some
Of the newspapers from our State, (Which the
last mail brought u.s. false statements in rela-
ton to the unfortunate occurrence which hap
pened to our Regiment on the night of the 18th
August last. However, was not much sur
prised, as | presume most of the false state
ments originated from the General Order that
was published TO our Regiment when those
two officers were dshonorablj discharged, i'm
picating the Company Officers also, saying
that the stigma occasoned 0y the unfortunate
occurrence of the 18th, must rest on the Com
pany Officers; and also insinuatng that there
was mutiny among the men and officers of our
Reg iment. Now, it is my determination to
give you full, plain, and unvarnished state
ment OF the circumstances connected with this
matter, just as they happened, and then you
can Judge for yourself if there was any mutt
ny among the officers and soldiers of our Re-
giment, and where the stigma of this unfortu-
nate circumstance ought 10 rest do not
write this for publication, but for your own
beneft-for | wish you to understand every
thing in relation to the matter however, you
may make extracts from this if you choose.
The Commander of our Regiment, from the
time he landed in Mexico up 10 the memora.
Bile night of the 18th August, by his rigid
course of discipline towards the men, and his
cruel and tyrannical treatment towards his Of
| icers, became unpopular with majority o.
the officers-but the men still observed TO.
wards the Colonel that respect and subordina-
ton which was due him as their Commander
This respect and subordination was impressed
upon their minds by the Company Officers, fol-
even when they would be struck with a
sword, or otherwise abused by their Comman.
der, which frequently happened, the Company
Officers would soothe them, by telling them
that the Colonel used all alike, both men anG
officers, and they must try and bear with his
treatment az well as they could-that the Col
onel would change his course soon, and We
would have better times in the Regiment; bu
unfortunately, the seeming change came toe
late. There was no chance of getting thu
mems aggrievances redressed at Gen. Wool:
head quarters, for that had been frequently
tried A dark cloud of melancholy gloon
seemed to hover over the minds of our poo
heartless and spirit-strcken volunteers. NJ
merry laugh was heard to make the welkir
ring, or song to cheer the drowsy mind, in ou
camp, while at Buena Vista. Thus things
went on until the 14th of August. Early il
the morning, the Colonel rushed out in tn
Company streets, as was his wont, for blythe
by the Company Officers had but little NOR
to do with their Companies than you have
for the Colonel monopolized the whole Regi
ment in attending to the petty duties,) and be
cause some of the men were not out soon e
nough to roll call, he swore he would have
wooden horse made to punish the men, an
went forthwith to Col. Fagg's tent, and order
ed him to have the horse made that day. Sur
enough, as Capt. Tobin says in his facetiou
letter to the n. o. Delta, The horse wa
brought forth and enstaled near Col. Paine
tent The Virginians and Mississppian
having heard of the horse, came down tina
evening, about so or 60 in number, to see him
They had some fun over him, and, as the
went off, one of them caught him by the tail
and the wooden horse fell down. Col. Fagg
in the interim, called out guard, but befor
he guard could assemble, the men were j
ended the l4th of August, but the worst ye
: has to cone. Next day passed off quietly IN
til night 1t was reported by some one, pro
badly "a Drummer Stubs" that body OF me
was in the rear of the ColonePs and Lieu
Coonel's tents, coming, as was supposed, fo
the capture of the Colonel's horse. The Colo
mel lmmeQldlely Cdlleu Out sudiu lIom NoH
. pany K, being the Company before his TEN
Some of the men refused to go, saying tia
they did not come to Mexico to guard woode
horses. The Colonel went into the Compan
: with sword drawn, and swore he would Gu
down the first man who refused 10 come. Sew
eral went, and several were sent to the proves
, guard The Company was afterwards Gale
ont to the rear of the Colonel's tent, and tn
: roll called, and afterwards sent TO their quar-
tiers. (Now you must know that the men {
: Company K had not, at that time, been brok
into the service, for Col. Fagg had only &c
! to Buena Vista few weeks before, and tn
men had not been drilled scarcely any, and
they were little refractory, it is nothing MOI
: than would be expected on such an occasion
Here, then, is where they get all the mutin
. connected with this matter.) But to continu
. the above happened about O'Clock at nigh
and in few minutes was reported that som
: one in the rear of the encampment was throw
ing stones at the Colonies tent He (the Co
n oneD ordered Lieut.. Singeltary 10 go and brin
to his tent twenty men, for the purpose, SUI
. pose, of guarding it. The Colonel then star
). ed off in the direction OF Col. Fagg's tent. VII
was sick at the time, and in the second sire
l. / from him he discovered FIVE or six men sian'
q ing in the Company Officers street conversinl
d as afterwards understood, about this distu
i bance in Company K, about guarding Il
-5o- 10. The Colonel haiIe5 Their, ar