The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-11-03
DIsGRACEFUL CONDUCT.
The Nlnth Mnssnchusctts Regiments Out
raf,rous Conduct In I;icliinond- the
Press and the People think of IL.

The Yorktown Centennial congre-
gated thousands Of citizens and soldiers
from NIL parts Of the Union, and en- ronte
it WAS TO be expected that there would
be more or less disorder, but it was GER
tainly expected that that disorder should
not exceed the confusion and little Incl
dents Of individual Inisbchavior which
always appear i'll so great Il crowd. No
one anticipated most ungentlemanly
and riotous behavior from any organiza-
ton in attendance, and the country read
with regret and sorrow the reports of
serious misbehavior and ungcnt!em anly
conduct on the part Of the Ninth Massa-
chusetl, Regiment from Boston as they
passed through Richmond. The details
Of that misbehavior were, however, sup
pressed, and the matter had been almost
forgotten by the country at large until
some of the Ninth Regiment undertook
to deny the allegations as to misconduct
on their part, and at the same time mis-
represent the people Of Virginia This
ncrcssitateI the full development of the
facts. which have but recently been given
to the public. They reflect most serious
ly upon the Ninth Regiment, and are so
indelcnsible that they carry their own
condemnation. y correspondent of the
Boston Hs'aM defends the Regiment as
follows:
Many OF tho men Of tho Regiment arc
of opinion that n studied effort was made
from the beginning to malign them sim
ply because they were from Massachu-
sets. They nro most bitter against their
maligners, and it would not be surpris-
ing ii there were many political conver-
sions from what has happened. at any
rate, they all have less friendly feeling
towards the South and its soldiers. Old
soldiers Mt Washington say that Massa-
chusctts blue cnd nothing else caused tho
false and damaging reports. The ncn
recall tho fact that, when the Southern
bands played tho old Confederate airs,
they were surrounded by yelling and ex-
ultant crowds, and that y orhcrn airs
wero seldom heard and never cheered.
The old Erudgo still remains, and will
show itself for many years when tho op-
portunity offers.
The absurdity and fasity Of these
statements are easily disproved, and the
people Of the North and Of Massachu-
setts herself are not deceived by them, as
the following article from the Springfield
(Mnssachusetts) Republican abnndantly
proves:
Tho conduct OF the Ninth regiment of
MASSACHUSETTS, volunteers on their excur-
sion 10 Yorktown is u matter OF the first
importance TO the good name of the Com
monwealth. These troops represent the
State 10 II degree which scarcely any
other portable institution does, and if
their conduct has fallen below that of
gentlemen on any occasion, Massachu-
sets feels the disgrace.
There is & good deal Of evidcnco that
this was the case on the recent trip to the
South Of the Ninth Regiment. On the
parade trip to Yorktown thcro were
troops from tho regular army, from Yer
mont, and New Hampshire and Now
York, rs we'll rs the Boston Cadets; we
omit the Connecticut men because they
did not get there in time to show any
bad manners; although they had abun-
dant opportunity aftorward to do so at
Charleston, where rs wc havo already
shown they behaved themselves and
were cordially received. No complaint
was made against tho Boston Cadets or
tho Vermont and New Hampshire and
New York men, SO that it Is utter hum
bug to lay anything to local prejudice
against Northern men or against Massa-
chusetts men. No explanation of the
charges can De based on this ground.
Now as TO tho charges themselves and
the evidence on which they rest
Going down, the Ninth began the lark
beyond New York by cutting their boat
crossing 10 Jersey City, "smashing things
generally" "a one Of our informants was
told by employees of the boat, tho same
day, Sunday, the 10th. At Wilmington
they swept tho railroad restaurant with
out paying for what they took, as was re-
ported to members of our State party on
their return. These charges are hear
but they are made of no other corps and
by persons on tho spot who had nointerest
in any competition for medals. They
reached Washington Sunday, and wore
tho guests of the National Rifles, and nre
said To have been very noisy. That night
they left for Richmond, whore their con-
letter from a citizen of Now Britain,
Connecticut:
TO The Editor of the Republican: In this
mornings issue notice an article on the
behavior of tho Ninth Massachusetts
Regiment in Richmond. Please let me
give you tho facts OF the cnee a. saw and
heard 1t. Tho Nin.s; arrived In Rict-
mond OH Monday, and had not been in
the city bat n short time whom it seemed
as II the devil took possession OF them.
Their first abuse was to confiscate every
thing In the shape of horse or mulc team,
in many cases unhitching them from the
omnibuses o- carts, and two or three
mounting them and riding through the
streets, making the air resound with
their drunken howls. Then not satisfied
with that they next-took TO tearing dow n
the decorations, taking hold OF anything