1.A more impressive exhibition of moral courage,opposed tthe wildest ferocity under the most appalling circumstances,was never seen than that which was witnessed by the officers of our state prison;in the rebellion which occurred some years since.
2.Three convicts had been sentenced,under the rules of the prison,tbe whipped in the yard,and,by some effort of one of the other prisoners,a door had been opened at midday communicating with the great dining hall and,through the warden's1 lodge,with the street.
3.The dining hall was long,dark,and damp,from its situation near the surface of the ground ;and in this all the prisoners assembled,with clubs and such other tools as they could seize in passing through the workshops.
4.Knives,hammers,and chisels,with every variety of such weapons,were in the hands of the ferocious spirits,whare drawn away from their encroachments2 on society,forming a congregation of strength,vileness,and talent that can hardly be equaled on earth,even among the famed brigands3 of Italy.
5.Men of all ages and characters,guilty of every variety of infamous crime,dressed in the motley4and peculiar garb of the1Warden,a keeper,one whguards,2Encroachment,unlawful intrusion on the rights of others. 3Brigands,robbers,those whlive by plunder.4 Motley,composed of various colors.
institution,and displaying the wild and demoniac1 appearance that always pertains timprisoned wretches,were gathered together for the single purpose of preventing the punishment which was tbe inflicted on the morrow upon their comrades.
6.The warden,the surgeon,and some other officers of the prison were there at the time,and were alarmed at the consequences likely tensue from the conflict necessary trestore order. They huddled together,and could scarcely be said tconsult,as the stoutest among them lost all presence of mind in overwhelming fear. The news rapidly spread through the town,and a subordinate2 officer,of the most mild and kind disposition,hurried tthe scene,and came calm and collected intthe midst of the officers. The most equable- tempered and the mildest man in the government was in this hour of peril the firmest.
7.He instantly dispatched a request tMajor Wainright,commander of the marines3 stationed at the Navy Yard,for assistance,and declared his purpose tenter intthe hall and try the force of firm demeanor4 and persuasion upon the enraged multitude.
8.All his brethren exclaimed against an attempt sfull of hazard,but in vain. They offered him arms,a sword and pistols,but he refused them,and said that he had nfear,and,in case of danger,arms would dhim nservice;and alone,with only a little rattan,which was his usual walking stick,he advanced intthe hall thold parley5 with the selected,congregated,and enraged villains of the whole commonwealth.
9.He demanded their purpose in thus coming together with arms,in violation of the prison laws. They replied that they were determined tobtain the remission6 of the punishment of their three1Demoniac,devil-like.2Subordinate,inferior in power.3Marines,soldiers that serve on board of ships. 4 Demeanor,behavior,deportment.5Parley,conversation or conference with an enemy. 6Remission,pardon of transgression.comrades. He said it was impossible;the rules of the prison must be obeyed,and they must submit.
10.At the hint of submission they drew a little nearer together,prepared their weapons for service,and,as they were dimly seen in the further end of the hall by those whobserved from the gratings that opened up tthe day,a more appalling sight can not be conceived,nor one of more moral grandeur,than that of the single man standing within their grasp,and exposed tbe torn limb from limb instantly if a word or look should add tthe already intense excitement.
11.That excitement,too,was of a most dangerous kind. It broke not forth in noise and imprecations1,but was seen only in the dark looks and the strained nerves that showed a deep determination. The officer expostulated2. He reminded them of the hopelessness of escape;that the town was alarmed,and that the government of the prison would submit tnothing but unconditional surrender. He said that all those whwould gquietly away should be forgiven for this offense;but that if every prisoner were killed in the contest,power enough would be obtained tenforce the regulations of the prison.
12.They replied that they expected that some would be killed,- that death would be better than such imprisonment;and,with that look and tone which bespeak an indomitable3 purpose,they declared that not a man should leave the hall alive till the flogging was remitted. At this period of the discussion their evil passions seemed tbe more inflamed,and one or twoffered tdestroy the officer,whstill stood firmer and with a more temperate pulse than did his friends,whsaw from above,but could not avert,the danger that threatened him.
13.Just at this moment,and in about fifteen minutes from the commencement of the tumult,the officer saw the feet of the1Imprecations,curses,prayers for evil. 2 Expostulated,reasoned earnestly.3 Indomitable,that can not be subdued or tamed.marines,on whose presence alone he relied for succor,filing by the small upper lights. Without any apparent anxiety,he had repeatedly turned his attention ttheir approach;and now he knew that it was his only time tescape,before the conflict became,as was expected,one of the most dark and dreadful in the world.
14.He stepped slowly backward,still urging them tdepart before the officers were driven tuse the last resort of firearms. When within three or four feet of the door,it was opened,and closed instantly again as he sprang through,and was thus unexpectedly restored this friends.
15.Major Wainright was requested torder his men tfire down upon the convicts through the little windows,first with powder and then with ball,till they were willing tretreat;but he took a wiser as well as a bolder course,relying upon the effect which firm determination would have upon men scritically situated. He ordered the door tbe again opened,and marched in at the head of twenty or thirty men,whfiled through the passage,and formed at the end of the hall opposite tthe crowd of criminals huddled together at the other.
16.He stated that he was empowered tquell the rebellion,that he wished tavoid shedding blood,but that he would not quit that hall alive till every convict had returned this duty. They seemed balancing the strength of the twparties,and replied that some of them were ready tdie,and only waited for an attack tsee which was the more powerful;swearing that they would fight tthe last,unless the punishment was remitted,for they would not submit tany such punishment in the prison. Major Wainright ordered his marines tload their pieces,and,that they might not be suspected of trifling,each man was made thold up tview the bullet which he afterward put in his gun.
17.This only caused a growl of determination,and none blenched1 or seemed disposed tshrink from the foremost exposure.
1 Blenched. gave way,shrunk.
They knew that their number would enable them tbear down and destroy the handful of marines after the first discharge,and before their pieces could be reloaded. Again they were ordered tretire;but they answered with more ferocity than ever. The marines were ordered ttake their aim sas tbe sure and kill as many as possible. Their guns were presented,but not a prisoner stirred,except tgrasp more firmly his weapon.
18.Still desirous tavoid such a tremendous slaughter as must have followed the discharge of a single gun,Major Wainright advanced a step or two,and spoke even more firmly than before,urging them tdepart. Again,and while looking directly intthe muzzles of the guns which they had seen loaded with ball,they declared their intention "tfight it out." This intrepid1 officer then took out his watch,and told his men thold their pieces aimed at the convicts,but not tfire till they had orders;then,turning tthe prisoners,he said: "You must leave this hall;I give you three minutes tdecide;if at the end of that time a man remains,he shall be shot dead."
19.Nsituation of greater interest than this can be conceived. At one end of the hall,a fearful multitude of the most desperate and powerful men in existence,waiting for the assault;at the other,a little band of disciplined men,waiting with arms presented,and ready,upon the least motion or sign,tbegin the carnage;and their tall and imposing commander,holding up his watch tcount the lapse of three minutes,given as the reprieve2 tthe lives of hundreds. Npoet or painter can conceive a spectacle of more dark and terrible sublimity;nhuman heart can conceive a situation of more appalling suspense.
20.For twminutes not a person nor a muscle moved;not a sound was heard in the unwonted stillness of the prison,except the labored breathings of the infuriated wretches,as they began tpant1Intrepid,fearless.2Reprieve,a delay of punishment.between fear and revenge: at the expiration of twminutes,during which they had faced the ministers of death with unblenching eyes,twor three of those in the rear,and nearest the further entrance,went slowly out;a few more followed the example,dropping out quietly and deliberately: and before half of the last minute was gone,every man was struck by the panic,and crowded for an exit,and the hall was cleared,as if by magic.
21.Thus the steady firmness of moral force and the strong effect of determination,acting deliberately,awed the most savage men,and suppressed a scene of carnage,which would have instantly followed the least precipitancy1 or exertion of physical force.
-J. T. Buckingham.
"It may be that more lofty courage dwellsIn one weak heart which braves all adverse fate Than does in his whose soul indignant swells,Warmed by the fight,or cheered through high debate."1Precipitancy,headlong hurry.