The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1870-08-17
A tumult of answering cries foll.ved h;

y A Atumult of answering cries foIl>wed
/. WORDS, uttered in anger, derision ond inc
dnl,tyi Its all work and no pay With
= :We'le the ragged scare crows Of the br
q ade." We've heard that story befor,
"Ieil that to the marines" mo pay,
muskets."
"Atte ntion :" shos:tca tbe ,Co1G a
the regimen instantly came back t&ilan
" and position.
ly Ihereupon, the Colonel made an earn,
of an lmpassioned harangue of fifteen minute
D. while dozens of curious spectator, rom Z
ID nelghbe'ing regiments stood about, yiewi,
l. the extraordinary scene. He promised II
It men that ne would give his personal atte
J. non TO tneir grievances until they were r
!; mutlny would certainly be ineffectuaI fl
the purpose they sought. and be begged the
70 save the good name of the regiment fro
t !ne disgrace with which'their diso6ed enc
threatened it. Hardly doubling that his ad
u'ess ~ooIa produce the desired effect. b
Each and all stood like rock; and not
single hand moved towards the muskets.
The mutiny was becoming serious. Fo
more than an hour the entire regiment hai
stubbornly refused to resume their arms. apt
the persuasion and authority as we'll of tn,
commanding officer as of the line, had faller
idly upon their ears. The excited Colone
ordered: Break ranks" which was quietly
obeyed; and calling for his horse. he rode
OH on gallop to the brigade hcadquar.
ters.
Our brigadier had come from the rsgula,
cavalry to accept his command in the vol.
unteers; and he was one of the besttliscipli.
narians that West Point ever gave to the
army. lie was much past the middle age
! and had seen arduous and distinguia SER
vice IN Mexico and the West. . HefO1s q
man of medium height. or perhaps some
thing above it. with hair dashed with gray,
sandy whiskers and moustache, a massive
forehead. and face with wrinkles of service,
and bushy eyebrows, overhangingiug a pair
of keen, incisive eyes. His presence was
habitually stern, somewhat forbidding; the
habitual expression of his face was one of de-
termination. Yet he had one of the kindest
OF hearts. and his commands invariably
learned, before he had done with them, that
| their comforts and safety were at all times
the objects of his anxious solicitude. He
was far braver than generals are apt to be-;
when his troops went into battle he was al
ways upon the line with them exposed to the
fire; and not Sheridan bimself was more care
less of personal danger. more reckless of
bullets. at Opequan and Cedar Creek. than
was this man. His troops of course loved
him-when they knew him.
He listened to the story of tho Colonel
with evident displeasure. which found ex-
pressicn in few words which were more
forcible than elegant; but venture to say
that no general officer in the armips would
have said less under the circumstances. He
listened attentively to the details Of the mu-
tiny, as the Colonel gave them, and when
the latter had finished, he said:
"They won't take arms-eh?"
mo. SIR. they won't. Any order they'll
obey. but not that
well, sir, are any of your officers in this
mot one, General, nor any of the order
lies." was the eager reply. .-
The General took one turn across his tent
floor.
"Return to your camp, SIR" he said, .'aud
assemble your officers in front of your tent.
I'll be there in few moments"
The Colonel rode away, not very easy
in mind at what was about to happen. The
general ordered his horse and called in his
aides.
'Get your horses Immediately. Captain
-. ride over to Captain -; give him
my compliments. and tell him to bring Sec
tion of his artillery to the camp of the -
the Ontonagon Infantry - Immediately
Lieutenant -, hasten to Col. - and
Col. - Commanding regiments in the
brigade). and tell them, with my compli-
ments to march their commands, under arms.
to the same place. You will accompany
them there"
A few moments later. the men of the re-
bellious regiment, gathered into knots in
the company streets and about the parade.
and conferring in whispers together. saw the
general. followed by a single orderly, ride
through the camp back to the Colonel's tent.
me of them saw from distance that the
officers were formed in single line in front
of the tent, with the field officers on the
right, the captains next, and the lieutenants
on the left.
The general dismounted, and taking a
brief survey of the faces before him turned
to the Colonel.
.'Sir." he said. sternly. 'do you refuse to
perform duty :"
mo, sir" was the emphatic answer.
it, addressed the same question to each off,
Ger. beginning with the lieutenant colo
mel, and ending with the last subaltern.
One and all unhesitatingly gave the same
response to the Colonel --.--
"Now, sir" said the general to the latter,
..get your men in line. I'll end this out
break in ten minutes"
And then he added the same remark that
the officers of the regiment had made, 1--WE
shall see if they will disobey me-" -..
The assembly was sounded; the compa-
nies formed into their streets. and were
marched into their places in line behind the
stacks, The faces of the men we're grave
and serious. but generally showed no abate-
ment Of purpose. That purpose was.
as they afterward confessed, not to resume
their arms, till the paymaster and quarter
master should have actually visited them
and given them their dues of pay and
clothing. But in many of these faces there
was anxiety as we'll as determination visible,
and all, officers and men, awaited the gene
rails proceedings with such feelings as had
never before been theirs.
They had not long to wait. Two regi-
ments Of the brigade marched upon the
ground, and under the direction of the aides
were formed in long line. facing the mutt
neers. at shouldered arms. perhaps seventy
yards distant. Captain - with two pieces
Of artillery, came up before the formation
was finished. and by similar direction. one
piece was posted upon each flank of the line
in such manner as to enfilades an entire
wing of the mutineers.
For half minute after these ominous
dispositions there was an awful silence. 1t
was broken by the general in stern COM
mand:
"Load!'
The long line of muskets went to the