Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-08-16
THE STORY OF A MUTINY.a


mistake not, shortly after Mcclellan
had sat down to the siege of York
tOwn-and before that army had
received that baptism OF fire and
blood, and had gained that terrible
discipline in the soldiers duty, which
the campaign Of the next three years
brought it, 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 by no means such)
never undertake to revolt against
discipline and defy orders without
cause for complaint. The regiment
IN question, although less than six
months under arms, and never yet
under fire, bad performed diffiult and
arduous service. Both before York
town and elsewhere, these men had
patiently and faithfully done their
part they had marched through
long nights over muddy roads, when
sleep overlook them in the ranks
while they YEARLY plodded on they
had bivouacked on the cold ground,
shelterless and without fire and
they had unmurmuringly laid aside
the musket and toiled in the trenches
under soaking rains. Yet all this
time they had not received a cent
Of pay and clothing was scantily
and tardily furnished them.
Why it was SO, | never exactly
learned, but those who were in the
volunteer service can readily under
stand 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
regiments of the brigade had been
paid and clad with comparative
promptness and the respectful rep
RESERVATIONS they had from time to
time forwarded to their regimental
commander had produced no results
| AT first loud and bitter complaints
were heard from Thorn; then, as
time passed and their condition was
not bcttered, q silence succeeded
which the officers should have seen
was ominous of a desperate purpose.
That purpose was reached without
the knowledge Of an officer or an
orderly sergeant excepting these,
1t had the assent of every man pres
ent with the regiment. Mutiny was
their determination and their ring
leaders waited few days for an
occasion to make their action per-
fcctly etlectual.
The occasion came just the one
that had been anticipated and desir-
ed. The regiment was not at that
time on duty in the trenches its
labors had entitled it to rest, and
it had been drawn back 10 an open
spot some distance from tho line Of
the brigade. 1t lay in the prescribed
form Of infantry encampmont =
canvass village with ten streets,
each bounded by a 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 ofthe
mutiny, the arms were left stacked
in regimental line, with o guard over
them. This was probably in obedi-
ence to general orders to the whole
command, and intended as a precap-
ton to insure readiness in case Of
sally by the enemy. After the re-
treat had sounded that night, the
order was communicated to each
company that the arms were to be
taken after reveille roll call the fol-
lowing morning; and in the silence
Of the night other orders were Sc
cretly communicated to tho men by
the ringleadors, and tho mutiny was
ripe.
The night passed, and with the
gray dawn the shrek and rattle of
reveille resounded successfully from
the camps Of hundred regiments,
and the drum corps of this one
speedily aroused it from slumber.-
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 orderlies and then the
mingled command from ten throats i:
! "Take-arms -
A pause, a silence followed then
angry and vehement expostulation
but no rattle or clash such as the
taking of arms from the stack caus-
es. The command was repeated and
reiterated, with more expostulation
and noxt the commandant of each
: company was visited by the vexed,
scared face Of his first sergeant, and
, the startling information that the
company would not take arms
Some Of the officers received the
! information with incredulity some
gave vent TO their vexation, and un-
Justly upbraidcd the poor orderlies
but all finally put on their swords
and repaired to tho scene Of mutiny,
with substantially the same remark
"We'll see if they won't take arms
for me-
They did sec and they quickly
assured themselves that the men
would not put forth o hand in obedi-
epce to this particular order.
Attention !" shouted the captain
Of the first company; and every
man promptly came to position.
"rake-arms !" Not one hand
stirred.
"Right-face !" The command was
instantly obeyed.
'FRONT.' The company came
back to line with beautiful precision.
"Take-arms I" But not hand
; answered the words, though Captain
NJ vocferated them TO the full
compass Of his powerful bass.
> So in every company, the men
promptly obeyed every command
but this one and that not q man
obeyed. Not a word, not even q de-
tiant look accompanied their disobe-
srhs material for this sketch came 70 the writer
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