The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-10-30
How the Massachusetts Ninth Be-
haved-The Question Settled by
Northern Witnesses.
le New Haven Register october &eth.J
TIE PIRST REGIMENT.

TIE PII,ST REGIMENT.
It Is a source OF great pleasure to every
body in Connecticut that our soldier boys
have conducted themselves during THEN
trip South in q manner so widely different
from the Ninth Massachusetts, regiment
The First Connecticut regiment, which
has spent week i'm the South, has
made hosts OF friends, gained credit
for Itself as well as the State, and has
won admiration for the gallant bear.
ing and gentlemanly manners OF
its members. The Massachusetts, regiment
which spent several days in Virginia at the
time Of the Yorktown Centennial seems to
have covered itself rs thickly with disgrace
AS the Connecticut militia covered them
selves with honor. For instance, Mr.. VIII
liam A. Andrews. Of New Britain, Conn,
who was in Richmond, Va, during the
visit OF the Ninth Massachusetts, regiment,
writes as follows TO the Springfield RepuJ-
Hcdn concerning that regiments indecent
behavior:
"The Ninth arrived in Richmond on Mon
day, and had not been in the city but shori
time when it seemed as il the devil took
possession Of them. Their first abuse was
to confiscatc anything in shape OF horse oil
mule-tcam, in many eases unhitchng them
from the omnibuses or carts and two OF
three mounting them and riding through
the streets, making the mir TeS0und with
their drunken howls. Then, not satisfied
with that, they next took to tearing down
the decorations, taking hold OF anything
they could reach and stripping themfrOm the
storc-ironts and awnings, the people all this
time thinking that they would see what
thev were doing and would come to their
senses; but matters grew worse, and when
the girls came ont OF the stores and work
shops at G O'Clock they attacked them, tear
ing their clothes and insulting them with
the most foul and obscene language poSsi-
BILE, at the same time defying the police
and calling on them TO dare to arrest them
Finally the Mayor told the Chief OF Polict
that it must he stopped, and to use al
force to do so. In n very few minutes
about one hundred of them found them
selves inside the lookup; then they tolc
the officers If they could take care OF tho
rest, all right; il not, they could take care
OF them for them, and TO take them out OF
the city as soon rs possible, and under nC
consideration would they be allowed to re
turn through the city. After all this th'
Richmond papers OF the next morning sim
ply said, 'We are sorry that our fricnd'
/ from Massachusetts saw fit to behave a
they did knowing that they did not repre-
sent the people Of the good old State o.
Massachusetts. These are but few OF thu
/ facts of their visit to the South, and thint
there should be some excuse made 10y The
State OF Massachusetts, TO the people O
Richmond for their behavior while III theil
city"
This would seem TO be bad enough tC
make every son OF Massachusetts, hang hi'
head with shame, but unfortunately Mr.
Andrews does not tell half OF the wretchet
facts. A Vermont gentleman gives addi
tional details Of the regiments misconduct
at Richmond, which indicate that great
many Of its members acted more like half
crazcd tramps than like gentlcmen-soldiers
On the trip down the Massachusetts mill
tin "gutted" the ferry-b0at crossing oyel
to Jersey City. At Wilmington, Del, they
"cleaned out " the restaurant without pay
ing for what they got to eat, and disorder
and rufiianism seems TO have been the rule
rather than the exception wherever the!
went. This admirable conduct OF the Con-
necticut militia was in marked contrast to
that OF the Massachusetts, representatives
The Connecticut boys have acquitted them
selves splendidly, and the people OF the
State are naturally gratifed. That they
will receive a warm welcome on their re-
turn is Justly their due.