Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-06-19

Load their Arms and Prepare for n
Fight-Hew they Were FINALLY Dis-
armed.
Correspondence Of the Philadelphia Inquirer
mutinous spirit mas been manifested among
several OF the brigades Of the Twenty fifth Corps
since the Inauguration OF the Texas expedition;
and there has been an outbreak or two, but as the
cases were individual. and there being no evi-
dence of preconcerted action. We abstained from
giving publicity to exceptional cases, not wishing
to furnish food for the prejudice already existing
against the employment of colored men as col
diers fhe Colored Cavalry Brigade, consisting
of the First, Second and Fifth United States
Colored Cavalry, made threats at City Point that
they would not be "sent to Texas THAT the
Government had no right TO send them there"
&c. No attention was paid to these mutterings
by tho officers, who regarded them the
grumblpgs peculiar TO the African race
To better fit them for their new field Of
operations. the arms of the cavalry brigade were
ordered to be exchanged nj City Point They
were there furnished with new Shapes breech-
loading carbines, new accoutrements, new sabres,
sabre belts, &c.
The first batch of cavalry four companies of
the First Colored Cavalry, were disembarked at
City Point yesterday, on the propeller WilmOn
Whildin, of Philadelphia. They were brought
| 10 Hampton Roads and transferred to the
ship.
Arriving at Hampton Roads, the Whildin was
ordered alongside of the Meteor, TO transfer her
complement of men on board the larger vessel,
the Meteor being OF a draught too deep TO 90 up
the James river On making fast tOthe Meteor,
some of the soldiers told their officers They
would not go board of her" They would
not 60 board OF any ocean steamer, a the
Government had not the right to send them TO
-
go on board the Meteor, and succeeded in trans
| ferring three companies to the larger ship. The
fourth company refused obey orders, and
| loaded their carbines. Neither threat nor en-
| treaty prevailed with them. They unsung their
| carbines, capped them, and those that had no
ammunition in cartridge-boxes drew their sabres
| Those cn the Meteor now became riOtous. The
officers threw off the nooring which held them to
| the Meteor, and with the worst company re
naming on the Whildin, they steamed for the
wharf
Arriving at the Baltimore wharf, an officer
was dispatched to acquaint Colonel Joseph Rob.
with the state OF affairs, and asking assist
ance TO bring the men to their duty. Colonel
Roberts at once sent Major Van Schelling, with
companies and ID, of the Third Pennsy lvania
| Artillery. to quell the mutlny. Major Van
Schelling marched his small command on board
| the Whidn and proceeded to the Meteor There
WAS on OOdru VI TUG W QliuiO ~ the same time
| the most insubordinate company, the one which
had refused to embark on the Meteor. On near
| ing the latter ship the colored mutneers on board
threatened to fire on Major Van Schelipg's men
if be interfered with the men on the Meteor.
| The Major was anxious to quell the mutiny
without shedding blood. He decided on little
| strategy He ordered the Whildin back to the
wharf, landed portion of his men, and formed
them across the wharf with muskets loaded and
| bsyonets fixed.
The mutineers we're then taken from the boat
by twos and threes and made to lay their arms
| down and proceed up the wharf. They were
marched in rear Of the fort and placed under
guard The Whildin then proceeded again to
the Meteor and brought off portion of the men
on board On reaching the wharf these had been
disarmed as their predecessors had been. The
Whildin continued her trips between. the wharf
and the Meteor till all the mutinous soldiers bad
been landed and deprived of their arms. Then
thew were taken back to the large ship without
arms or equipments. Some of the more deter
mined among the mutineers endeavored to re-
sist the disarming. LAY down your arms or be
shot" was the alternative presented to them,
and carbines and sabres were, per force, depos-
/ tied on the wharf.
This morning the sabres and carbnes of the
mutinoLs troops still remained piled up on the
lower end of Baltimore Wharf. Most of the
|
doubt but that bloodshed was i'm minent. Orders
have been sent to City Point TO issue no more
arms to the Colored Cavalry Brigade.
AT O'Clock the light drsught propeller Della
ware came to the wharf. The Delaware came
from City Point last night with four companies
Of the First United States Colored Cavalry
| These men were fully armed and equipped
They were formed in line. single file, and one
by one stepped forward and laid down their arms
They deeply felt their disgrace; every sable face
vas distorted with pain as they unbucked their
accoutrements and laid down carbine and sabre.
Some ground their teeth in silent modification
and tears rolled down the cheeks of others as
they stepped 10 front of their fellows to Law down
the honorable badges OF their profession Com
psny by company they were marched down the
| beach and deprived Of their arms.
| Last night, the scene is described by the of
| fcers on board 10 have been the height of mu
! tiny the soldiers threatening TO shoot their of
fcers If they were taken any further South An
armed party ranged themselves about the wind
lass aud swore 10 shoot the men who would at.
tempt weigh the anchor The more daring
among them advocated the Imprisonment of their
officers. and taking charge of the ship ibemsel-
yes These al perfectly sober. and
allege no reason for their sudden muiiny, but
that they do not want 10 60 to Texas.
At three O'Clock this afternoon. the disarmed
men we're taken out TO the Meteor and placed on
board with the mu;iueers OF last night This out
break will delay the sailing OF the second por-
ten Of the expedition. Ii 10 further outbreaks
occur efforts will be made TO &c, of the remain
der of the T~enty-ffth Corps to-day.
The Army and Navy Journal saws it stands
on the records al West Point that neither Grant
nor Sherman were among the good bows of the