The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-08-19
Misfellaueuas.
Prom The Galaxy.
THE STORY OF A MUTINY.

pline In the soldiers duty. which the cam
paigns of the next three years brought 1t,
that one of its infantry regiments openly
mutinied. OF course, that regiment was
not without its grievance; even the worst
of soldiers (and these were ny no means
such) never undertake to revolt against
disipline and TO defy orders without cause
for complaint. The regiment in question
although less than six months under arms
and never vet under fire. had performed
difficult and ariuous service. Both be-
fore Yorktown and elsewhere. these men
had patiently and faithfully done their
part; they had marched through long
nights over muddy roads, when sleep over
took them in the ranks while they wearily
plodded on; they had biyouacked on the
cold ground. shelterless and without fire; (;
and they had unmurmuringly laid aside
the musket and toiled in the trenches un
der soaking rains. Yet all this time they
had not received cent Of pay and cloth.
ing was scantily and tlrdily furnished
them.
Why 1t was. never exactly learned |;
but those who were in the volunteer ser
vice can readily understand how careless
and incompetent officers may cause such
Injustice as this To brave and deserving
men. For months they had submitted to
this cruel neglect, while the other regi-
ments Of the brigade had been paid and
clad with comparative promptness; and
the respectful representations they had
from time to time forwarded to their reg
mental commander had produced no re-
suits. At first loud and bitter complaints
were heard from them; then, rs time pas
.es and their condition was not bettered,
n silence succeeded which the officers
should have seen was ominous of u des-
perate purpose. That purpose was reached
without the knowledge of an officer or AN
orderly sergeant; excepting these. II bad
the assent of every man present with the
regiment. Mutiny was their determina-
tion: and the ringleader waited u few days
for an occasion 10 make their action per-
fectly efiectual.
The occasion came; Just the one that
had been anticipated and desired. The
regiment was not at the time on duty In
the trenches; its labors had entitled it to a
rest. and IL had been drawn back to AN
open spot some distance from the line Of
the brigade. 1t lay in the prescribed form
Of infantry ncampment-canvass village
With ten streets. each bounded by n row
Of tents on either side, and the parade
ground directly in front. Dress-parade
had been held for several evenings; and
on that preceding the morning OF the mu-
tiny the arms were left stacked in regi-
mental line. with guard over them.
This was probably In obedience to general
orders to the whole command, and intend
ed rs precaution to insure readiness in
case Of sally by the enemy. After the
retrea, had sounded that night, the order
was communicated To each company that
the arms were to be taken after reyeille
roll-call the following morning; anil in
the silence of the night other orders were
secretly communicated to the men by the
ringleaders. and the mutiny was ripe.
The night passed. and with the gray
dawn the shrek and rattle Of reveille re-
sounded successfully from the camps of
n hundred regiments, and the drum-corps
of this one speedily aroused 1t from slum.
Der. The officers, hardly awake, heard
, the confusion. the buzzing and humming
caused by the calling of the names OF
Brown. Jones and Robinson, and the rest.
by the orderlies; and then the mingled
command from ten throats
'Take-arms y
A pause. silence followed then ang-
~ and vehement expostulation; but no
rattle or crash such rs the taking OF arms
from the stack causes. The command
was repeated and reiterated, with moro
expostulation and next the commandant
of each company was visited by the yexed
scared face of his sergeant, and the start
{ ling information that the company would
not take arms. Some of the officers re-
ceived the intelligence with incredulity
some gave vent to their veSation, and un-
Justly upbraided the poor orderlies: but
all finally put on their swords and re-
paired to the scene of mutiny, with sub
stantially the same remark {: Wen see IL
they won't tlke arms for me-
They did see; and they quickly assured
themselves that the men would not put
forth hand in obedience To this particu-
lar order.
Attention. shouted the captain Of the
first company; and every man promptly
came to position.
.Takc-armsr Not hand stirred.
.Right-facer The command was in
stantly obeyed.
.Frontr The company came hack to
line with beautiful precision.
.Take-armsr But not hand answer
ell the words. though Captain M vo-
ciferated them to the full compass Of his
powerful bass.
So in every company the men prompt
ly obeyrd every order but this one; and
that. not one man obeyed. Not wor,l,
not even defiant look accompanied their
disobedience; they simply stood like so
many statues and moved not muscle in
answer to the command. The captains
threatened. begged, and some swore; and
neither their anger nor their humility had
the least effect upon those seven hundred
determined men.
After half an hour of unavailing effort,
despairing OF accomplishing anything
themselves, the commandments repaired TO
the colonel's tent, and astounded him with
the news thai his regiment WAS in open
mutiny. He listened with angry impa-
tience TO tho particulars they gave him.
and then fastened to buckle on his
sword.
Come with me- he said. BY heavens.
don't think they'll fail to obey when i
give them the order
He was mistaken; rs much so as the
captains had been before him. The line
stood motionless behind the stacks when
he reached the parade; and ordering the
officers to take their places, he took his
own In front OF the centre. Drawing his
sword. he shouted in the voice that no
man in the regiment had ever vet disre-
gar,lcd:
Take-armssr And still not man
obeyed. l.....- ,
The colonel wa. profoundly excited
more so than he had been since he had
dropped his p,ough-handles and mounted
one Of the plough-horses TO mise his rcgi-
ment. on hearing OF the Presidents proc
- H. a H.