Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-07-26
A Row at Camp Baxter.


evening, the 20th instant. John T. Tir.
rell of Pittsburgh, N. H., sergeant in
Company /, Capt. Nelson, was shot dead
by the guard acting under orders, in at
tempting to quell riot. We leave what
ever reflections may be appropriate to
follow such a narration of the facts as
we have been able by great diligence
and industry to gather, and which we
here present, with the observation that
further inquiry and investigation may de-
velop new facts, or at least render mod
ifcation of our present statement neces-
sary.
The riotous demonstration was made
upon the suffers quarters, kept by Mr..
j, N. Pike of St. Johnsbury-being a
room fitted up for the purpose in the
north end of what is known as the am
phitheater on the Fair Grounds. Wheth-
er there was any provocation for this ri
OF, growing out of the conduct of Mr..
Pike towards the troops, we do not now,
with our present information, undertake
to decide, but we are inclined to believe
from all we can learn, that the men in the
camp had some reason to complain that
he has been accustomed to charge exor-
bitantly for various indispensable articles
which the soldiers could not obtain else
where without great inconvenience. AT
any rate, such belief became prevalent
among the soldiers, and had a proper
course been taken by them TO do away
with the abuse, if indeed it existed, the
painful event which happened might have
been avoided. We are assured that had
these complaints been properly presented
to the officer in command, or been made
known to the Governor, an investigation
would have been promptly instituted and
the abuse corrected by the expulsion of
the sutler from the camp. Gov. Fair
banks and Gen. Davis especially feel
panied that the matter was not brought
to their notice. Wholly engaged as they
have been with matters Of great and
weighty importance connected with the
outfit of the regiment they hardly knew
who was acting as sutler, leaving the mat
ter, very properly, entirely to the control
of the commander and Lieut.. Colonel
Hyde assures us that he had no knowl-
edge at all reliable of the existence Of
these complaints.
Coupled, too, with complaints of sub
stantial character, perhaps, against the
sutler, was another which we are salts
fed had no foundation in fact In order
to make the whole matter Ineligible to
our readers, and to answer all possible
enquiries which may arise in regard to
so grave and melancholy an occurrence,
we purpose to state whatever details are
connected with the affair. In addition to
the ordinary rations, the soldiers in Camp
Baxter have been allowed sugar for their
coffee. The sugar has been delivered by
the quarter-master to the various compa-
MES regularly since the order was made,
but last week complaints came back to
the quarter-master that the men did not
get their sugar. This led to an investi-
cation which resulted in the discovery, as
we are informed, that the cooks of the
various companies, or some of them,
made use of the sugar, or some portion
Of it, to make lemonade which they sold
out to the soldiers at two cents a glass
while Pike sold it for three cents. Box
es Of cigars, pies by the dozen, &c, were
purchased by some of the soldiers and
peddled by them about the camp, to the
neglect of duty, tending to demoralza-
ton. These facts coming to the knowl-
edge of the commandant, an order was
promulgated to the regiment on Friday,
at dress parade, prohibiting the traffic in
lemonade, cigars, and groceries generally,
by the soldiers, Lieut. Col. Hyde being
ignorant of the real cause which had led
the troops into such course.
This order of Lieut.. Col. Hyde created
much excitement among the men. Ma
ny of them attributed its origin, perhaps
naturally enough, to Mr.. Pike, who really
had no knowledge that such on order was
to be issued. Acting under the impulses
excited by such belief on Friday night
after the PRONUNCIATION of this order, the
suffers building was broken into and
some fifteen or twenty dollars worth of
provisions taken by the men. As near
as we can learn, thefts had been commit
ted at the suffers quarters before and re-
ported to the commandant.
The next day, being Saturday, things
passed along quietly until towards night,
when Capt. Harrington, who was officer
of the day, began to hear rumors that
plan was organized and on foot to make |
an assault on the suffers building and to