Evening star., 1915-06-20


A Mutiny Among ing of the eo1ored
Negro Troops. the e'r federal serv-
an account of mutiny among some
of these troops who had been ordered
to duty in Texas
"A mutinous spirit has been manifest
among several of the brigades Of the
25th Corps at City Point since the in
auguration of the Texan expedition.
and there has been an outbreak or two.
but as the cases were individual and
there being no evidence of preconcert-
ed action. no mention was made of it
in the papers The first batch of cav
airy. four companies Of the LIST Col
ored Cavalry, were disembarked at City
Point Monday on the propeller Will
mon Whildin of Philadelphia. and were
brought to Hampton roads and trans
ferred to the steamer Meteor On max
ing fast to the Meteor, some of the
soldiers refused to go on board of her
The officers, however, succeeded in
transferring three companies to the
larger ship. The fourth company re-
fused to obey orders. and unslung their
carbines. capped them. and those that
had no ammunition in their cartridge
Meteor now became riotous. The of
flcers threw off the mooring which held
them to the Meteor. and with the worst
company remaining on the Whildin
steamed for the wharf.
''Col. Roberts, upon being notified of
the state of affairs, Immediately sent
Maj. Van Schelling. with Companies c
and d of the Sd Pennsylvania Artil
lery. to quel the mutiny. The major
went on board the Whildin. and
fafn htpf
on approaching that vessel the mutt
neers the former boat leveled their
pieces and threatened to fire if those
on the Meteor were interfered with
The ma jor ordered the Whildin back
to the wharf. landed a portion OF his
men and formed them across the wharf
with muskets loaded and bayonets
fixed The mutineers were then taken
from the boat by twos and threes.
made to lay their arms down and then
placed under guard. The Whildin con.
tinued her trips between the wharf
and the Meteor till all the mutlnous
soldiers had been landed and deprived
of their arms. They. were then taken
back to the large ship without 'heif
arms or equipment.
.At O'Clock the propeller Delaware
came down from City Point with Iour
more companies. These men were ruily
armed and equipped. All remained quiet
off. marched up the beach in front OF
regiment of white troops with mus
kets loaded, and under the guns OF the
fort all disarmed. At night the scene
is described by the officers on board the
Meteor to be the height of mutiny. the
soldiers threatening to shoot their off,
GERS If they were taken any fartner
south An armed party ranged themseives 8
about the windlass and sWore TO shoo.
the men who would attempt TO "eisn
the anchor. The more daring among
them advocated the Imprisonment OF
their officers and taking charge Of the
shin themselves These men were all
perfectly sober. and allege no reason
for their sudden mutiny but that they
do not want to go to Texas.
Bogus military titles were common
shortly after the close of the war. ana
many impostors prof1ted by
A Rooms the admiration in which men
who had worn the shoulder
MAUI straps of the Union were
held by the public. In The Star OF
June IS, 1855, Is a paragraph telling OF
the overtaking of one of these frauds:
"About 2 o'clock am. Tuesday, De-
tectives Bigley and Kelly arrested Bar
ney McIlhaney. notorious thief. and
man who calls himself Maj. William
Lamar of the eth New York Nolun-
teers alias Maj. James, alias william
Leonard, but who was recognized py
Detective Kelly as the notorious Mlchl-
gan Bill. Bill has passed hlmself on
as a major very successfully at several
nublic places At the KirkWood House
he registered himself as Maj. James.
Bill was dressed in the full uniform OF
ma jor. with the stripes OF stan oni-
GER They were locked up at headquar-
ters. where Bill put on all the dignity
of his assumed grade until Officer Big
lev informed him that application to
the adiutant generals office would re-
veal his character, and that II ne was
not a major the military would deal
with him after their fashlon; blil ios.
his dignity, confessed that he was no
ma ior, and begged that he should not
be turned over to the military ihey
are held at headquarters awaiting the
orders of the superintendent
After the assassination of President
lincoln the government took full charge
OF the Ford's
YIN. C. A. Wanted Theater building.
Various proposals
rOTQ 4neateT. were made for its
use and disposition. In The Star of June
Il. 1865, is an account of an offer of this
character. which. however. did not cumi-
nate.
The board of managers of the Young
Mems Christian Association Of this city
visited Ford's Theater this morning for
the purpose of examining the interior ar
rangenents of the building, preparatory
TO their purchase. which they conclude
next week with Mr.. Ford. The War De-
partment have given their consent to the
sale of the building and the matter now
rests with Secretary Seward, who gives
his decision in day or two. No diff
Guilty is apprehended and soon Mr..
will be made. The members OF the asso-
citation who visited the building are ". A.
Thompson. president Vice Presidents J.
S Grinnell. G b. Merriman and Fl. H
Tilley A. NJ Browne. corresponding sec
retary Warren Choate. recording secre- !
tary: c. W. Hartley. r. H. Stinemetz, |
treasurer: William Ballantyne and u. |
Richards. The interior of the building is
lust the same at the assassination and |
the dull, gloomy appearance of the large |
hall. as seen dimly lighted by day. well |
accords with the dark tragedy enacted |
there.
THE association proposes to convert |
the place into cheerful and comfortable |
room. preserving sacredly the memorable |
private box. with proper inscriptions and |
tablets. The building itself is to be :, |
memorial building to Mr.. Lincoln, and |
IS to be understood and used as such, |
making the most appropriate and fitting |
monument to the good man. Lectures and |
concerts of the first class. a hall for which
the need has long been felt here. will be |