Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-23
ship to lay down their arms, even on the

prevent any outbreak, ana 10 warn tnoee
field officers that their treason was
known and they stood in danger Of dis
grace snd summary punishment
Not long after 6raceys brigade went
into action and behaved we'll. Two of
those field officers we're killed in battle
fighting brayely for the Southern Con-
federacy, and nothing more was heard
about the Peace Society until the winter
OF 1863, when report came to the com
mander of tho Department OF the Gulf
about a serious mutiDy organized In brl-
gade OF four large regiments stationed AT
Pollard. Ala. Their purpose was to
break out into revolt on Cbristmas-day,
having first secured the cooperation Of
the army at Mobile, TO seize all OF their
officers and take them prisoners into
Pensacola.
Those troops at Pollard had seen no
service had kept out Of the army TIL
forced in by the CONSUMPTION. The
troops at Mobile were good, veteran
troops, who would not entertain such
traitorous purposes They at once made
known 10 their commander the mutlny
preparing 50 near them. He sent de-
tective from the police force of New Or
leans to ascertain the facts OF this In
tended revolt, who entered into the
plans of the nalcontents and learned all
about their purposes And on Christ
mas-eve three Of those regiments were
On route for distant stations. One went
TO Lees army in timo to take part in one
Of bis victories, where it behaved
well. Another was sent TO Forest
and did good service. a third
went 20 North Georgia. The fourth was
divided-one was sent "a picket to-
wards Pensacola, the other battalion
remained at Pollard and kept quiet ex-
cept that the sergeant major attempted
to kill bis brigade commander while on
parade. The battalion on picket neal
Pensacola not knowing OF the discovery
Of their plot attempted TO mutlny. Inc
commander had been cautioned from
Mobile to be on his guard, and being
man of resolution and discretion waf
able to secure the support OF his loyaI
men so that he seized the mutneer'
and sent more than eighty of them II
irons To Mobile, whore they were duly
tried. convicted, and sentenced. but the
commanding general RENTED the death
penalty, and they were condemned tC
labor in the battalion OF correction til
the close of the war and worked well.
A confidential officer was sent to re-
port TO the President in person these oc
currences, not that in themselves they
were of present importance, for they
had him eflectually disposed of, but
they indicated a disposition towards The
Confederate Government, which might
be widespread in that class OF the south
orn people OF whom our armies were
made up and who were proclalminf
aloud that it was "a rich man S war anc
poor mans fight"
Soon after this report came that
certain county in the Department of the
Gulf had declared It's independence o.
the Southern Coniederacy, and had cap
tured wagon-train passing through 1T
territory and released the commissary IL
charge upon his parole.
The Fifteenth Confederate cavalry wa'
sent into that county to enforce order
Several of the leaders were shot anc
their partisans dispersed into swampsin
accessible TO the hOrsemen. regiment
of infantry relieved the cavalry and
driving the mutineers out OF their fast
nesses, restored quiet. This was the enc
of 1.-the Peace Society"
OF the 100000 men enrolled IN The
southern armies many had by that timt
been killed and wounded After The
stoppage OF the exchange of prisoner
over 100, 900 Coniederates we're held II
northern prisons, where during the wal
over "A. 900 died Of the harshness of then
treatment.
The emancipation proclamation o.
President Lincoln caused great uneasi
ness TO the rank and file whose famllei
were at the mercy of the negroes. The
passage of the twenty-negro bill, " the
increasing severity of the CONSUMPTION
the decreasing value Of their scanty pay
gave great emphasis to the cry of "tht
rich mans war and the poor mans
fight" and oil tended to thin our ranks
and create feelings not favorable tC
slavery.
Too late our Government began to en-
roll negroes in the army, and the people
of the Southern Confederacy began tC
realize that slavery would be abolished
no matter which side might win The
fight.
Had we gained our independence ouI
new and great trade relations with Eu
rope would have called for the abolition
of slavery, and the poor men who haC
foue ht and won the war would have en-
forced it, prospectiyely and humanel.
though.
1t is of little profit to lament owe
what might have been, but when GU
Young men say that the South /
better off to-day because of her defeat
and base that opinion upon the belle
that slavery would have been perpetu
ated had we succeeded, it is our duty t
change an opinion so unkind to thel
fathers and SO unfounded in fact.
In this age of materialism we will no
recall the proud and gallant struggle GU
people made, but will try to estimat
the cost Of defeat to us in dollars AM
cents
In 1860 when the war began we ha'
been paving during the past forty-f
wears enormous annual taxes 70 bull,
mn northern manufactures. In lS2
fiat tax took from us over Sl2, 10000
annually. and northern senator's dc
clared 1--WE cannot afford to let ther
90" In 1860 that tax had continual
increased till it aggregated hundreds c
millions of dollars which We would hav
saved had we been free. Besides TIN
burthen, still increasing, We must con
slider the value of the slaves wrested fror
us. the cotton-tax, the tobacco-tax, an