Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-13

ooaru- Solonci george Il. Gross. Third
Missouri Volunteers; Lieutenant-C Colonel
W. 5. Eggerly, Inspector-General. United
States Volunteers; Colonel William p.
DuvalL chief ordnance officer, United
States Volunteers; Lieutenant Charles p.
summerall, Fifth Artillery. recorder.
BY command Of Major-General Grlhan
Colonel Nalle introduced as counsel for
the Third Regiment, Acknowledgement
A j. Montague. Congressman Rixay. Mr.
George e. Hamilton. and Hon. r Walton
Moore.
GENERAL BUTLER SWORN.
Major-General Butler was the first wit
ness sworn. He said he was in command
OF the First Division, Second Army Corps,
on August Sth. He was at headquarters
shortly after O'Clock =. NJ. on that day.
colonel Burdett and he were sitting I'm
'front.' OF headquarters when a telephone
message was received from DR. Cook
that party Of soldiers were so disorder
ly that he wanted a guard for his camp.
General Butler instructed Major Storey,
adjutant Of his STAFF, to send a guard of
twelve men to the hospital This detail
was made up from the Twelfth Pennsylva-
mia. Before the guard reached the hospi-
tai another message came that crowd
OF soldiers of the Third Virginia Regi-
ment was in the hospital camp, and was
beyond control. Major Wright Of the
staff, was at the camp. The question
arose as to how many soldiers would be
needed. A battalion and even regiment
was suggested. Witness ordered Colonel
Burdett to take out the First Connecti-
cut Regiment, and sent a message to
Colonel Na1la falIfDo hin, Of tha coplitto,,
Of affairs. He then. took horse and mem
bers of his staff also mounted. He rode
across the field. When he got down to
Well No. he discovered quite q crowd
Of men, making a good deal of noise,
among them man of one of the stands,
talking loudly, He ordered him to cease
his chatter, and then rode to the camp
OF the Third Virginia. "He saw" he said,
"seventy-hve or one hundred men around
the Young Mems Christian Assoca-
ton tent. They were boisterous. 1t
was nearly dark, and he ordered
them to quarters They obeyed very
reluctantly, and by their shouting and be-
havior appeared disrespectful, but witness
succeeded with his staff in driving them
TO their tents. One man shouted you
can't put down the State of Virginia" :"
Witness told him he'd see he was put
down. After the men were sent to their
tents one man gave fearful yell. Cap
tain Brooks dismounted and seized the Of
fender by the collar. Witness told them
they were like wild Indians. He rode TO
Colonel Males tent, having previously
sent an order that he should have a roll
call AS he rode down the company streets
he thought he saw evidence Of disrespect
He had some conversation with Colonel
N.ff nd toll hot Ea t,o1 don,
his best to maintain the discipline of his
regiment but did not think he had been
sustained by his Nalle's) officers. AS he
rode out of the camp lines he met a party
Of men. He asked their names. One said
his name was Gill; another Courtney.
They were outside their lines. Witness
asked the reason. They gave none, but
said there were 400 or 800 more men out
side besides themselves. Witness said he
would take care of those two for the pres
ent, and ordered them under arrest. He
went TO Captain Cooks tent, and learned
there had been an alteration between a
negro teamster and member of the regi-
ment.
COUNSEL OBJECTED
Counsel objected to Conversations being
repeated and the objection was sustained.
After the conversation with Captain
Cook witness prepared he said, the order
which has been the subject OF so much
animadaversion through the newspapers
a form Of criticism to which he could not
descend, but which, he said, he wished to
characterize later in these proceedings IL
the court would permit.
A member of the court asked for some
further Information as TO the converse
ton with Captain Cook, and counsel
withdrew their objection, and the Gene
raj repeated the conversation, which de-
scribed the fight with the negro. He said
he had penned the order, and 1t was still
in force, and would be enforced until It
was stopped by higher authority. His
estimate of the number OF men engaged
in rioting was from 70 to 100. He ordered
the leading regiment of Connecticut out,
and as soon as the camp quieted down
they were withdrawn. "It was when this
regiment was coming down at double
quick time that one of the Virginia men
shouted, You can't put Virginia down
or some such folly as that" said the
General. Colonel Burdett with his regi-
ment was in the Virginia lines about
fifteen minutes.
On being cross-questioned by counsel,
General Butler said his knowledge Of the
disorder was gained over the phone. He
idu iD ONhti hiAOMithht VI any Nio-
turB1nce. When told by Dr. Wright
that he needed regiment he thought
il must be a very serious matter The
70 to 100 men were very near to the
Young Mems Christian Association tent.
NO Personal KNOWLEDGE.
He had no personal knowledge that
these were the men who had been in
volved In the difficulty with the negro.
The disorder consisted Of yelling and
moving about i'm a disorderly way. The
men were breaking a divisional order.
He regarded the matter so seriously that
he congratulated himself that he
arrived at that particular juncture. He
made no effort to see an officer He saw
none trying TO quell the disturbance. The
arrival Of a regiment coming into the
Virginia lines at double-quick time with
fixed bayonets, was not a circumstances,
he thought. that would have aroused any
excitement on the part Of the regiment
He was not excited, but he might
have used some very forcible
English. He did not curse the
citizen. who was proprietor OF the stand.
He did not think the yell. "You can't
down Virginia" was addressed to him
He did not remember what answer he
made. Outside the yelling he noticed no
act Of insurbordination. No member OF
the regiment addressed him dsrespect-
fully. His orders for the men to go 10
their tents were quite loud enough to be
heard. He made no demand TO find out
where any field officer or officer In charge
could be found. The man who said that
four or five hundred went into the bushes
did not say they were all Virginians. He
said two officers were in the mob in pur-
suit OF the negro. He heard afterwards
that Captain Hutchins went out to get
the men back. one of the men said TO
DR.. Cook that any man who would up