Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-07-28
Tbt DARK side ofthe Revoiution

In DARK st0e Oftne 8eVo1uttOn
Those who are accustomed TO take
discouraging views of osr. present contest,
because they imagine we are 10 much more
corrupt and wicked than the patriots Of the
old Revolutionary days. would do we'll TO
read the fourteenth chapter OF Lorenzo Sa-
bines "Hiserical Essay" in the new edition
of his American L,oyalists." 1t reads very
much like q series Of pungent observations
on contemporary events, although none will
dispute the accuracy and eound judgment
of Mr.. Sabine as historian We make a
few pertinent extracts. OF the prominent
men ofthe Revolutionary era, Mr. Sabine
says ''they were great and good, little and
bad, mingled; just as elsewhere in the an
mails Of our race, and he adds: /,
"Still again, avarice and rapacity We're
seemingl, as common then as now. Indeed.
the stock .iobbing, the extortion, the fore
stallng, the low arts and devices to amass
wealth, that were practiced during the
struggle, are almost incredible. Washing
ION rnourned the want Of virtue as early "a
It's, and averred that he 'trembled at the
prospect Soldiers were stripped ofther
! miserable pittance, that contractors for the
army might become rich in a single cam
paign. Many of the sellers Of merch andlse
monopolized articles of the first necessity,
and weuld not part with them to their suf-
fering countrymen, and to the wives and
children of those who were absent in the
! field, unless at enormous profits The traf-
! &c carried on with the royal troops was i'm
mense Men of all descri ptions finally en-
| gagged in it, and those who at the beginning
of tho war would have sudderea at the idea
! of any connection with the enemy, pursued
| it with avidity"
Washington himself, in one of his private
letters, bears full testimony to the correct
ness Of this description:
| 2" From what have seen, heard, and in
part know said he, L should in one word
say, that idlcness, dissipation, and extrav-
| agance, seem to have laid fast hold of most;
that speculation. peculation, and an insati-
able thirst for riches, seem to have got the
better of every other consideration, and al
NEST every order of men; and that party
disputes and personal .quarrels are the great
business of the day."
The difficulty of raising troops was al
! NEST insurmountable in several OF the
States. There was always an army-on
paper; but the votes of Congress were sci.
dom executed by the States. At the close
of one campaign there was not sufficient
number of troops in camp to man the lines;
and at the opening of another, when the
COmmander-in-C Chief was expected to take
the field, scarce any State in the Union,
as he himself said, had IAN eighth part of
its quota" in service. The bounty finally
paid to soldiers was enormous. Omitting
details, the general fact will be indica-
ted by stating that the price for single re-
cruit was as high sometimes as seven hun.
dred and fifty, and one thousand dollars, on
enlisting for the war, besides the bounty
aud emoluments given by Congress; and
that one huHdred and fifty dollars lin spe
cie'', was exacted and paid for term, of du
ty of fonly five months. Such were the ex
traordinary inducements necessary to temp
some men to serve their country, when thei
dearest interests were at issue.
! Bountyjumpers and descrters we're a'
common then as now, in proportion to the
size of the armies. With regard to the
troubles among officers, Mr.. Sabine says:
IF we turn our attention to the officers
we shall find that many had but doubtful
claims to respect for purity of private char
, acter; and that some were addicted to grave
vices. 1t is certain that appointments Were
, conferred upon unworthy persons through
; out the war Knox wrote to Gerry tina
, there were men in commission who wished
to have their power perpetuated at the ex
pense of the liberties of the people, and wht
, had been rewarded with rank without hav
+ ing the least pretensions to it, except caba
: and intrigue There were officers who wer'
| destitute alike of honor and patriotism, wit
. uujustly elamored for their pay while the.
. drew large sums of public money under pre-
I text of paying their men, but applied then
. to the support of their own extravaganza
, who went home on furlough, and never re
. turned; and who, regardless of their wor
as gentlemen, violated their paroles an
were threatened by Washington with expo
q sure in every newspaper in the land, as me
-. who had disgraced themselves and wer
= needless of their associates in captivity
whose restraints were increased by thei
!, misconduct. At times, court martials wei
continually sitting; and so numerous wer
u the convictions that the names of thos
who were cashiered were sent to Congress
: lists. Many of the surgeons, are th
y words of Washington-'are very great ra
II calls, counteuancing the men to sham con
;. plants to exempt them from duty, and o
!. y ten receiving bribes to certify indispostion
i with a view to procure discharges or fu
lougbs;' and still further, they drew from th
q public medicines and stores in the MOI
J. profuse and extravagsnt manner, for privat
purposes In a letter te the Governor of
:; State, he affirmed that the officers who ha
II been sent him therefrom were generally
IS the lowest class Of the people; that the
, led their soldiers to plunder the inhab
1t tants, and into every kind Of mischief I
l. his brother, John Augustine Washington
{, he declared that the different States wei
n nominating such officers as were not fit
T. be shoeblacks. designations occurred uI
10 on discreditable pretexts, and became alarr
9 ingly prevalent.
. Troubles among Generals, it is notoriou
~ were not only frequent but sonstim
III threatened Disaster
Us Eighteen Generals retired during Il
'is struggle: one for drunkenness; one to ave
% disgrace for receiving double pay; son
ne from declining health ;others from the weig
81 of advanced years; others to accept eli
es employments; but several from private !
~ seatments, and real or imaginary wron
y; inflicted BY Congress or associates in {
st. service, The example of the latter oil
u was pernicious; since. when heads of div
lgg ions or brigades quit their commands
is reasons chiefly or entirely personal it '
.ty to be expected that regiments, bsttsiit
IHNl tl.l' 4 \ 4 q. Z. rt