Another hot day. How
hot I don't know, but it wilted me. I tumbled down, completely used up while at
drill. Several others did the same. We seem to be getting over it to-night, as
the air cools off. The nights are cool, and that is all that keeps us from
melting. Not cool enough, however, to stop the mosquitoes. The heat, together
with our changed condition of living, is beginning to get in its work. Several
are in the hospital.
Later. There is
great excitement in Company B to-night. Orderly Sergeant Lewis Holmes, the one
we voted to be our orderly, is to be set back and a corporal named Gilbert
Kniffen is to be put in his place. As soon as the companies were organized at
Hudson, we were allowed to vote which of the five sergeants of Company B should
be orderly sergeant. We did not know then, but have since learned that the
orderly sergeant stands next in the line of promotion to the commissioned
officers. Kniffen is only a corporal, but he has friends at home who have
influence, and this influence has been brought to bear so heavy that this move
has been decided upon.
9 p. m. It is all
over, and Lew Holmes is still orderly sergeant of Co. B, 128th N. Y. Vols. We,
the enlisted men of the company, talked the thing over and decided we would not
put up with it. We did not know if we would be able to prevent it, but we
finally decided we would stand by Holmes, and fight the thing to a finish,
whatever the outcome might be. When we spoke to Captain Bostwick he acted as if
he was ashamed of himself, but he said the change had already been made and
could not be unmade. We told him we could unmake it, and would, or die in the
company street. So the matter rested until time for roll-call, when Kniffin
came out with the book and called the name of William H. Appleby, the first
name on the list. To his honor be it said, he remained silent, and was
immediately put in the mule-stable, which was our guard-house. The next man's
name was called, and he went to join Appleby. This went on until the guardhouse
was full, when a council of the company officers was held, after which the
captain gave us a lecture, telling us what insurbordination [sic] meant, and
that the whole regiment, if necessary, would be used to enforce obedience. We
had agreed not to talk back, but to simply refuse to answer to our names when
called by Corporal Kniffin, or in any way acknowledge him as orderly sergeant,
so we said nothing. The men were brought back from the guard-house, and Kniffin
again called William H. Appleby. He did not answer and was again put in the
guard-house. After a few more had been sent to keep him company another halt
was made, the prisoners were again brought out, and the captain called the
roll, when every man responded promptly. We were then ordered to break ranks
and so the matter stands. But we have won our first battle, we feel sure of
that, although we are warned that a company, and if necessary the whole
regiment, will be called upon to shoot any who do not answer roll-call in the
morning. My name is so near the bottom of the list it was not reached, and so I
had nothing to do but look on and listen, but I am as determined as any, and I
flap my wings and crow just as loudly as William H. Appleby does.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 41-3
