down to the landing, where a dozen teams were
waiting to be loaded. It was all I could do to break the news to my
picked men that they were expected to lug sacks of corn instead of fight,
and when I did they kicked at once. One of the Irishmen said he would be
teetotally d----d if he enlisted to carry corn for mules, and he would
lay in the guard-house till the war was over before he would lift a
sack. There was a strike on my hands to start on. I was sorry that I had
permitted myself to be promoted to Corporal. Trouble from the outset.
One of the Yankees suggested that we hold an indignation meeting, so we
rode up in front of a cotton warehouse and dismounted. The Scotchman was
appointed chairman, and for half an hour the ten picked men discussed
the indignity that was attempted to be heaped upon them, by compelling
them to do the work of niggers.

They argued that a cavalry soldier's duty was exclusively to ride on
horseback, and that there was no power on earth to compel them to carry
sacks of corn. One of the Dutchmen said he could never look a soldier in
the face again after doing such menial duty, and he would not submit to
it. The Scotch chairman said if he had read the articles of war right
there was no clause that said that the cavalry man should leave his
horse and carry corn. I was called upon for my opinion, and said that I
was a little green as to the duties of a soldier, but supposed we had to
do anything we were ordered to do, but it seemed a little tough. I told
them I didn't want any mutiny, and it would be a plain case of mutiny
if they refused to work. One of the Irishmen asked if I would help carry
sacks of corn, and I told him that as commander of the expedition it
would be plainly improper for me to descend to a common day laborer.
I held it to be the duty of a corporal to stand around and see the men
work. They all said that was too thin, and I would have to peel on my
coat and work if they did. I told them I couldn't lift a sack of corn
to save me, but they said if that was the case I ought not to have come.
The quartermaster was looking around for the detail that was to unload
the boat, and he asked me if I had charge of the men detailed to unload.
I told him that I _did_ have charge of them when we left camp, but
that they had charge of me now, and said they wouldn't lift a pound. He
thought a minute, and said, "I don't like to see you boys carrying corn
sacks, and rolling pork barrels. Why don'