Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-01
THEY CAN'T GET OUT,
War Department Refuses to Let
White Officers Quit
THEIR SALARIES HELD BACK.
Will Not Get Thelr Pay While The Re-
siment Is Under Arrest.
QUEER CONDITIONS IN THE SIXTH.
Everybody, Both White and Black.
is Under Discipiine-Preparins for
the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the
Muster Out of the Second.
Everybody, Both White and Black. ,

The conditions now prevailing in the
Sixth Virginia Regiment (coloreG are
peculiar in the extreme.
The white officers recently appointed
by Governor Tyler to succeed the negroes
who resigned are very anxious to get rid
Of their positions They forwarded their
designations to the Secretary OF War.
1t was not in accordance with the regu-
lations TO say in the letters OF resignas
tion anything that appeared like insists
ing upon their acceptance, but every offs
Ger wanted to add something of the sort.
The Secretary of War positively re-
fused to accept them He still refuses.
The officers cannot get out. Their posi-
tions are everything else but pleasant.
The negroes are sullen. They have re-
peatedly shown the most viciously mutt
nous spirit. They are now under tina
guard Of regiment OF their own color.
The guards have ball cartridges In theit
guns, and are instructed to shoot the
man who tries to get out OF the lines.
The queer part of the whole matter is,
that the officers are practically under ar.
rest also. They have not been outside
the narrow confines Of the camp for days.
CAN'T GET THEIR SALARIES
But the hardest part seems To- be that
they cannot get any pay. The department
refuses TO allow them to have their
salary. The reason assigned is. that the
regiment is under discipline. The sams
reason was given when the department
refused to accept the designations.
As to when this state OF affairs will
cease. no one can tell. Preparations are
going forward for the court-martialllns
of the soldiers implicated in the recent
riot ar Macon. The number 10 be dealt
with is understood 10 be about eighty.
The privates are said to be beginning
to repent Of their recent course. They
are showing by Furnishing in approved
camp fashion the men who led them into
the trouble. Tossing them in blankets -
q favorite method.
WHERE THE BLAME RESTS.
A white Virginia officer last night de-
scribed the situation probably accurately.
thus: "The negroes I'm the Sixth are no
better and no worse than the average ne.
gro. We know what that IS. We know
that our white soldiers did not always do
as soldiers should. The fault generally
lay in their superiors. Lax discipline,
nine times out OF ten. Is responsible for
trouble I'm a regiment or company. III ths
ringleaders in the trouble at Knoxville,
when the white officers first took COM
mand. had been summarily dealt with
either court-martialed and shoot or ims
prlsoned-there would have been no mora
trouble | do not say this course should
have been followed because they were
negroes. Ask any army officer how much
Of a chance for his life a white soldier
stands IL he dlsobeys the orders of his
officer. The negro knows. and 1 want
him TO know Il. that the white man Is his
best friend. For that reason l say wa
ought not to be too hard on the black
enlisted men OF the Sixth. / think tho
blame rests upon shoulders that wear
straps"
secret of Seconds Muster Out.
The secret as 10 what caused the mus
ter-out Of the Second Virginia Regiment
seems to be out at last.
Ever since the order was issued there
has been a great deal OF speculation as
TO its cause. The Second was one OF the
irest regiments In the service. General
General Arnold, and General
lee. the brigade, division. and corps
respectively, had repeatedly
spoken IN the highest terms OF the regi-
nent. and they all expressed regret at
he muster-out OF the regiment. The Sc
,ond was the senior Virginia regiment
n the service. and IL was naturally sup
posed Il would be the last TO be mustered
,ut.
II now develops that one company OF
he regiment had only ifty-three men In
I when the muster-out order was re-
,eived. This was Company X. OF Staun-
on. Congressman YOst was the personal
riend OF many men In the company. He
lad great influence at the War Depart-
rent. and he used il 10 such advantags
hat he secured discharges for the men
Ilrnost by wholesale These discharges
yere granted without the applications
,olng through the regular channel. 50
hat when they came the officers Of the
ompany and the colonel OF the regiment
lad never even heard that the mon want
d 10 get out. II Is stated that as many
Is fifteen discharges OF this character
we're sent to men Of Company X IN one
ay.
So the officers Of the Second think that
Congressman Yost Is 10 blame for the
order, and many OF the en-
sted men think he is 10 be thanked.
WILL BE NO DELAY.
There Is hardly a possibility OF the
,uster-out Of the Second Regiment being
elayed beyond December 10th. the date
II by the War Department. The rolls
re not yet In Major Prices hands. ths
financial column being uncompletsd. II
OF being possible 20 finish II until the
ate of muster-out. Major Price will
ave all tho rolls to-day. and will send
lem 20 Washington at once. The delay
mastering out the Second Il due 10
ne fact that the work could not be done
lille the Third was here. and the fur-
Ter fact that the department had the
rder TO muster out suspended In order 10
I've the officers opportunity 20 poli the
.giment 20 learn how many men wished
remain in service.