The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-01-31
[From the Chicago Tribuuel
THE 1O9th ILLINOIS REGIMENT.
A DIsLoYAL PLOT DETECTED.
The Regiment Disarmed and Under
Arrest.

Our readers nave heard strange StO-
ries about mutiny in the l09th Illinois
regiment; of its being disarmed and Off
GERS and men placed under arrest, after
first being deprived of their arms The
Lieutenant Colonel, it is reported, de-
serted and went over to the rebels, some
time before the regiment was arrested
We learn the following additional par
ticulars of this deeply disgraceful affair
from an officer of an Illinois regiment
at Holly Springs, Miss, dated January
Sd. The interruption of the mails caused
the late arrival of the letter. 1t says:
"You will doubtless hear from other
sources of the disgraceful and disloyal
behavior of one of our Illinois regi-
ments. We Illinois soldiers feel morti-
fed and chagrined beyond expression,
that any soldiers from the glorious Prai-
rie State should turn traitors to the
Union and its flag in the face of the
rebel enemy. But so it is; there is at
least one black sheep in the flock But
the plot,was discovered in time to nip it
before it was carried into execution.
'The 109th regiment was raised, if l
mistake not, in Williamson and Johnson
counties, and was believed to be full of
Knights of the Golden Circle 1t was
notoriously pro-Slavery-all except one
company, made of Republicans and War
Democrats. A vague suspicion per-
vaded the minds of many officers and
soldiers of other regiments, that the 109th
would not do to 'tie to- in an emergency:
that it was not "sound corn" still, for a
time, there was nothing remarkably bad
in their behavior The most suspicious
circumstance fraternity and popularity
of the officers and men with the Sc
| cesh natives-women as we'll as men.
| 1t did not escape observation and re-
mark that the officers spent much of
| their time in swearing at the Aboli-
tionists, catching and returning con-
trabands of rebels that came within
our lines, and talking about "the consti-
tutional rights of our Southern brethren,
that were being violated by the Lincoln
Government" Whenever men talk in
that way, it is sure, unfailing sign that
they are half rebels themselves, and care
but little for the preservation of the
Union.
Things went along in this way until ii
was discovered that one or more of the
officers and number of the men had
deserted to the rebels, taking their arms
along with them. General Grant was de-
sirous ofknowing to what extent the regi-
ment was rotten, and he was shortly fur
nished with the desired information A
few days ago Lieutenant of the famous
Kansas Cavalry, who is about as sharp
as they make 'em," dressed up in the
garb of rebel officer, and went into the
country at night some eight or ten miles
from Holly Springs, and "played off, on
the "butternut natives that he was a
captain in the rebel army out on scout,
and for other purposes. He quickly
gained the confidence oil the rebel family
though the old man of the house was
reticent at first, he was soon convinced
that the Captain was Z" all right on the
goose" and swore by jeff Davis, when
the old fellow unburdened his soul and
made the following revelations; The
l09th was then stationed at Waterford,
eight miles south of Holly Springs The
officers and men had told the natives that
they were tired of the war, and did not
want to see the South whipped, but
wished the Seeded States to get their
independence; that they desired to be
taken prisoners, and would surrender al
the first opportunity; that they entered
the army because they thought they could
best serve their Secesh friends by joining
the army, and, when the time came, de,
sert and take their arms with them
They assured the natives that they were
all true Southern men except Co. K,
which was made up of Black Republi.
cans and +" abolition Democrats The
regiment, with the exception of said
company, had concerted measures with
the Secesh citizens of Pontotoc county to
attack them some morning, SO as to give
them an opportunity to surrender with
all their arms and munitions. The old
fellow said that band of sixty of the
neighbors had already organized for the
purpose, and the attack =" will speedily
be made, and the post surrendered. II
was expected that Company K would
show fight, but it was arranged to rush
} upon them suddenly, and before they
would have time to fall into line. :
The Lieutenant could hardly credit the
story told him by the old Secesh and his
wife and daughters 1t seemed to the
officer hardly credible that this could all