good deal of yelling, swearing, cursing, and threatening, with, at the same time, considerable random discharging of pieces, apparently firing into the air without any object. I succeeded in turning back a few of them, but the larger and more noisy portion of them persisted in crowding their way to the levee. They approached the sentinel posted near the engineer's building, who made a feeble attempt to halt them, but there were several of them who stepped up to him, wrested his gun from him, and took off his cartridge-box, after which they went on down to the levee, still shouting and cursing, and the firing of pieces rather increasing. While on the levee, they arranged themselves in squads, not seemingly with any degree of order, but as a mob would collect. During this time my efforts to quiet them had aroused a sort of feeling against myself. Previous to this they had manifested no ill-will toward me, but had repeatedly said it was not me they wished to harm, but they would kill Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict if they could find him. At this time there was a portion of them who made rush for the engineer's room. There were two or three shots fired which struck the building. I do not know whether they were aimed or not. Finding that my endeavors to quiet them were getting dangerous to my own person, as they were saying that they would interfere with no one else unless they stood in their way, and having been told by them that unless I let them alone they would bayonet me, at this time I stepped back off the levee, and a portion of the men started down the levee to the hospital. At this time the firing in the fort had nearly ceased; occasionally the report of a single gun could be heard. The crowd now seemed to divide, part going toward the hospital and part down the river. I then started back to the fort, and the sentinel at the outer end of the bridge refused to pass me without the countersign. I ordered him to call the corporal, which he did, but the call was not repeated, that I could hear, and the corporal did not come. He still refusing to pass me, I started back toward the stables, with the intention of waiting until the corporal or the officer of the day came. At this time all the firing had ceased. After waiting a few moments, I went to the hospital. While were the last shots that I heard fired. I waited awhile, watching for the relief or the officer of the day, that I might get into the fort. When I went into the fort, everything was quiet. This was after 8 o'clock.

Question. Was the guard paraded?

Answer. When I ordered them to turn out, there were 2 or 3 that started toward the line, but they did not turn out readily. By their actions they showed a stubbornness.

Question. Do you know what was the cause of the disturbance?

Answer. I should judge it ws the whipping of those men by Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict.

Question. What men do you refer to when you say "those men"?

Answer. I refer to the two drummer boys, named Harry Williams and Munroe Miller. I do not know whether the latter is the correct name. I only know him by that. He is the one I saw Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict whip. I did not see him whip Williams. I saw him strike Miller three or four times with-as nearly as I could judge from the distance-a mule whip, such as used on carts; a whip with a stock and lash. He did not strike very severely.

Question. What reason have you to suppose that this was the cause of the disturbance?

Answer. First, by my servant coming to me when I was leaving my quarters, and telling me that the boys were going to shoot Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict for whipping Harry, and from the remarks made by the men while endeavoring to quiet them.

Question. For what purpose did the men go out of the fort to the levee?

Answer. My impression is that they thought that Lieutenant-Colonel Benedict was either on the Suffolk, or would attempt to get there, and that they were after him. I think they would have killed him if they had caught him.

Question. Had you arms upon your person? What motive restrained you from killing the soldier who seized you?

Answer. I had no arms upon my person. Had I had arms, I would not have attempt to kill him, because I think it would have expressed them.

Question. Were the officers armed?

30 R-VOL XXVI, PT I