The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-31
TROOPS WERE MUTINoti
Second Illinois Made Bad Record ION its
Way to Cuba.

Savannah, c., Dec. 30.--Captain d,has.
T. Barker, assistant quartermaster in
charge of the transport Michigan, which
arrived here to-day, sent to Washington
tonight an official report in which the
Second Illinois regiment which the MichA,
igan carried TO Cuba on her last trip,
was charged with mutinous conduct, and
it was stated that Colonel Hotchkiss, in
command of the regiment, had to be
threatened with report to the COM
manding major general. 1t is intimated
in the report that an investigation and
possibly a court martial VIII be demand
ed.
Previous to the sailing Of the Michigan
it had been reported that the ship
was in bad condition. This Captain
Baker denies He asserts that she was
in good shape and in support of this, he
transmits letter to that effect from
a number of well known army officers,
including Major Richard Henry Savage
(the noveisD of the second engineers.
Catain Baker says:
THE two battalions came abroad e'gh-
teen hours before we left port. During
that time the widest confusion pre-
vailed. No one assumed to be in COM
mand.
shouting, yelling, hurrahing and dis
order generally continued throughout the
entire time the animals were being
loaded. There were Number Of accl-
dents and it is only a wonder that
several of the horses were not thrown
from the gangway and killed. The
regulations provide that no smoking be
permitted between decks and no soldiers
be permitted in the life boats. These
regulations were not complied with and
no effort made to enforce them.
''On the first inspection" says Captain
Baker, 1--WE found fifteen or more of
the men smoking between decks"
The captain in command of the trans
port complained of the action of the
soldiers to the quartermaster and he
notified Colonel HotchKfss that the sol
diers must quit their mutinous conduct
or report would be made to the major
general commanding.
"The vandalism they are practicing,"
wrote Captain Baker to Colonel Hotch- q
kiss at the instance OF the captain of
the ship, seriously endangers the safety
of the vessel" 1t transpired that the
Michigan was without adequate fire APP
paratus. Had a confagration at sea oc-
Cured from the smoking between decks,
the consequences would probably have
been serious"
Notwithstanding his remonstrance to
the colonel commanding. the mutinous
conduct of the men continued. Captain
Baer's reports says:
with thorough knowledge of their
dangers, the men of the Second Illinois
refused to obey every order issued
against smoking between decks. In the
troops quarters the choice lamps were
smashed to afford the men amusement.
This vandalism was practiced to such
an extent that the chief engineer found
that it was impossible to supply the
necessary light. Life preservers were
torn down and scattered throughout the
ship. One night about s o'clock the
man on the bridge was ruthlesslv hurled
from his watch by soldiers. The cher
officer went forward and by main force
compelled the soldiers to disperse. There
was no such thing as keeping the men
from the hatchways until one fell and
came near being killed"