01/01/2025
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Evening of January 1, 1781 244 years ago
MUTINY of the Pennsylvania Line began
Approximately 1,500 soldiers of the Pennsylvania brigades camped in Jockey Hollow rise up in mutiny—the largest such revolt in the American Revolution. The following eyewitness account is from the journal of Lieutenant Enos Reeves of the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment.
“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 these crowds, was shot through the thigh, and Capt. Samuel Tolbert in opposing another party was shot through the body, of which he is very ill. They continued huzzaing and fireing in 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 to 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 slip'd 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 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's my breast,' opening his coat. They replied that it was not their intention to hurt or disturb an officer of the 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.
What would the rebellious troops do? Where would they go? Would they become an uncontrollable mob? Would they betray their country and side with the enemy? Time will tell....
