In 1780, the British were inactive in New York City, the American government was over streached finacially, and the army was again under staffed, poorly fed, and seldom paid. Washington dispersed the Army in cantonments around New York, from Morristown to Connecticut. This allowed supplies to travel less, reduced the strain on local areas, and allowed the Army to protect against the raids the British forces made.
In December of 1780, the 6 regiments of the Pennsylvania Line
was quartered at Jockey Hollow south of Morristown. According
to their commander, General Anthony Wayne, writing to Pennsylvania
President Reed, on December 16th:
we are reduced to dry bread and beef for our food, and to cold
water for our drink. Neither officers or soldiers have received
a single drop of spirituous liquors from the public magazines
since the10th of October last, except one gill per man some time
in November, this, together with the old worn out coats and tattered
linen overalls, and what was once a poor substitute for a blanket
(now divided among three soldiers), is but very wretched living
and shelter against the winter's piercing cold, drifting snows
and chilling sleets.
Our soldiery are not devoid of reasoning faculties, nor are they
callous to the first feelings of nature, they have now served
their country with fidelity for near five years, poorly clothed,
badly fed and worse paid; of the last article, trifling as it
is, they have not seen a paper dollar in the way of pay for near
twelve months.
Shortly after this, Pennsylvania sent out recruiting parties
to the camp to re-enlist men. They were offering 25 dollars in
silver for recruits- while the currant soldiers could not get
paid. In addition, they were told that anyone who had enlisted
for "three years or the duration" would have to serve
the longer of the terms, while it was obvious that it should mean
the shorter of the two. (Congress would not want to pay and maintain
men after the war.)
The New Jersey Brigade, under General William "Scotch Willie"
Maxwell, were stationed in East Jersey along the coast near Elizabethtown.
They were beset by many of the same problems.
On January 1st, 1781, the Pennsylvania Line mutinied. The following
account is taken from "The Spirit of Seventy-Six",
edited by Henry Steele Commanger and Richard B. Morris, page 769-770.
Lieutenant Enos Reeves of the Pennsylvania Line
Mount Kemble, N. J., January 2, 1781
Yesterday being the last time we (the officers of the regiment)
expected to be together, as the arrangement was to take place
this day, we had an elegant regimental dinner and entertainment,
at which all the field and other officers were present, with a
few from the German regiment, who had arrived with the men of
their regiment that belong to the Penna. Line. We spent the day
very pleasantly and the evening till about ten o'clock as cheerfully
as we could wish, when we were disturbed by the huzzas of the
soldiers upon the Right Division, answered by those on the Left.
I went on the Parade and found numbers in small groups whispering
and busily running up and down the line, In a short time a gun
was fired upon the right and answered by one on the right of the
Second Brigade, and a skyrocket thrown from the center of the
first, which was accompanied by a general huzza throughout the
line, and the soldiers running out with their arms, accoutrements
and knapsacks.
I immediately found it was a mutiny, and that the guns and skyrocket
were the signals. The officers in general exerted themselves to
keep the men quiet, and keep them from turning out. We each applied
himself to his own company, endeavored to keep them in their huts
and lay by their arms, which they would do while we were present,
but the moment we left one hut to go to another, they would be
out again. Their excuse was they thought it was an alarm and the
enemy coming on.
Next they began to move in crowds to the Parade, going up to the
right, which was the place appointed for their rendezvous. Lieut.
White of our regiment, in endeavoring to stop one of those crowds,
was shot through the thigh, and Capt. Samual Tolbert in opposing
another party was shot through the body, of which he is very ill.
They continued huzzaing and firing in a riotous manner, so that
it soon became dangerous for an officer to oppose them by force.
We then left them to go their own way.
Hearing a confused noise to the right, between the line of huts
and Mrs. Wicks, curiosity led me that way, and it being dark in
the orchard I mixed among the crowd and found they had broken
open the magazine and were preparing to take off the cannon.
In taking possession of the cannon they forced the sentinel from
his post and placed one of their own men. One of the mutineers
coming officiously up top force him away, (thinking him to be
one of our sentinels) received a ball through the head and died
instantly.
A dispute arose among the mutineers about firing the alarms with
the cannon, and continued for a considerable time- one party aledging
that it would arouse the timid soldiery, the other objected because
it would alarm the inhabitants. For a while I expected the dispute
would be decided by the bayonet, but the gunner in the meantime
slipped up to the piece and put a match to it, which ended the
affair. Every discharge of the cannon was accompanied by a confused
huzza and a general discharge of musketry.
About this time Gen. Wayne and several field officers (mounted)
arrived. Gen. Wayne and Col. Richard Butler spoke to them for
a considerable time, but it had no effect. Their answer was, they
had been wronged and were determined to see themselves righted.
He replied that he would right them as far as in his power. They
rejoined, it was out of his power; their business was not with
the officers, but with Congress and the Governor and the Council
of the State; 'twas they had wronged and they must right. With
that, several platoons fired over the General's head. The General
called out, " If you mean to kill me, shoot me at once- here
is my breast!" opening his coat. They replied that it was
not their intention to hurt or disturb an officer of Line (two
or three individuals excepted), that they had nothing against
their officers, and they would oppose any person that would attempt
anything of the kind.
A part of the Fourth Regiment was paraded and led on by Capt.
Campbell, to recapture the cannon; they were ordered to charge
and rush on. They charged but would not advance, then dispersed
and left the officer alone. Soon after a soldier form the mob
made a charge upon Lieut. Col. William Butler, who was obliged
to retreat between the huts to save his life. He went around one
hut and the soldier around another to head him, met Capt. Bettin
who was coming down the alley, who seeing a man coming towards
him a a charge, charged his espontoon to oppose him, when the
fellow fired his piece and shot the captain through the body and
he died two hours later.
About twelve o'clock they sent parties to relieve or seize the
old camp guard, and posted sentinels all round the camp. At one
o'clock they moved off towardsthe left of the line with the cannon
and when they reached the centre they fired a shot. As they came
down the line, they turned soldiers out of every hut, and those
who would not go with them were obliged to hide till they were
gone. They continued hzzaing and a disorderly firing till they
went off, about two o'clock, with drums and fifes playing, under
command of the sergeants, in regular platoons, with a front and
rear guard.
General Wayne met them as they were marching off and endeavored
to persuade them back, but to no purpose; he then inquired which
way they were going, and they replied either to Trenton or Philadelphia.
He begged them not to attempt to go to the enemy. They declared
it was not their intention, and that they would hang any man who
would attempt it, and for that, if the enemy should come out in
consequence of this revolt, they would turn back and fight them.
"If that is your sentiments", said the General, "I'll
not leave you, and if you wont allow me to march in your front,
I'll follow in your rear."
This day Col. Stewart and Richard Butler joined General Wayne
in hopes they could turn them when they grew cooler, being much
agitated with liquor when they went off, it being New Years Day,
they had drawn half a pint per man. The men have continued going
off in small parties all day. About one o'clock one hundred head
of cattle came in from the eastward, which they drove off to their
main body, which lay in a wood near Vealtown, leaving a few behind
for the use of the officers.
When we came to draw provisions and State stores this day, we
found that near half of the men of our regiment had remained.
The men went off very civily last night to what might have been
expected from such a mob. They did not attempt to plunder our
officers' huts or insult them in the least, except those who were
obstinate in opposing them. They did not attempt to take with
them any part of the State stores, which appears to me a little
extraordinary, for men when they get but little want more.
The militia are called out- they are too assemble at Chatham-
in order to oppose the enemy if they come out, or the mutineers
if they attempt going to them.
Reeves, "Extracts", Penn. Mag. Of Hist. And Biog.
XXI, 72, 75
The Mutineers marched south to Vealtown during the night, and
then went on to Princeton. Others who had not immediately joined
them, followed the next day. They marched in regiment fashion,
under strict discipline, without disturbing the inhabitants, which
was considered highly remarkable. At Princeton they were approached
by two British agents, who offered them back pay in hard cash
if they would desert to the enemy. These two men were arrested
as spies, and turned over to be tried as spies. (They were later
convicted by a trial of officers and hanged.)
Pennsylvania President Reed met them in Princeton, where he was
received with respect. A board of sergeants made their demands
known to him, and he made some proposals to assurage them, and
passed on some communications from Congress. They agreed to march
to Trenton (away from the British), where the negotiations continued.
A Commission was appointed to review the disputed enlistment's,
and it granted immediate discharges to those who professed their
enlistment's were up, a process Washington was later to object
to strongly, as he said the army should have been given time to
bring forward the enlistment papers for each man first.
The soldiers also were promised payment of part of their back
pay, and a supply of various articles badly needed. Many of those
who received discharges, re-enlisted to receive the bounty after
a short furlough, with in 20 days.
A few weeks later, part of the New Jersey Line stationed at Pompton
also mutinied. Washington could not let mutiny become a standard
for the army and decided to take harsh measures to stop it.
The mutineers marched to Ringwood, on the route to Trenton,
when Washington had them surrounded by New England troops, and
the militia, and forced them to surrender. One ringleader from
each regiment was tried for Mutiny, and two were executed immediately
by a firing squad made up of the convicted mutineers.
There would be no more coddling of mutineers by Washington. The
situation was too explosive. While he had the deepest sympathy
for the soldiers, and worked hard to get better food, clothing,
and comfort for the men, discipline had to be kept.
What is amazing about the Revolution is not that some of its soldiers mutinied. It is that, under horrible conditions of little food, while poorly dressed with little or no pay and no way to get relief, and with the phrases of liberty and freedom ringing in their ears, not mutiny was pretty rare. The common soldier was evidently a political person who understood and believed in his cause.
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