p. 74 | Traitors in our Army

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 3, 1863

Traitors in our Army.

We have already announced the fact that the 109th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers has in good part deserted to the Rebels. The Cincinnati Commercial says of it:

MUTINY.—The 109th Illinois Regiment mutinied, a few days ago, at Holly Springs. This regiment was raised at Anna, a place in that portion of Illinois known as Egypt, where the Democracy cast an almost unanimous vote. The Lieutenant-Colonel went over to the enemy; the other officers and men, except the Colonel, who is a loyal man, are under arrest. This regiment, before it left Illinois, drove a farmer out of his house at midnight because he had hired two negroes. There are said to be one or two other Southern Illinois regiments who are not to be depended upon.

The Louisville Journal has a letter from Columbus, Ky., of the 11th inst., which says:

"Among the officers taken [in the surprise and rout of the Rebels at Knob Creek] was one P. H. Strickland, second lieutenant in Company A, 1st Tennessee Partisan Rangers. Upon Lieut. Strickland, Capt. Moore found forty paroles of men belonging to the 109th Illinois. Major Strickland of the 52d Indiana being a relative of Lieut. Strickland, they at once entered into free and confidential conversation. Among other things, the Lieutenant informed the Major that every man in the 109th Illinois, from the Colonel down, belonged to the Knights of the Golden Circle, and that they (the Rebels) were afraid we would find it out, because they were so bold and imprudent about it. He also said that there were very many officers in our army belonging to that society, and that they rendered the Confederates more service than they did the

Federals. Continuing, he added that we had no idea of the strength of that society in the North, and that through it they were apprised of all important army matters."—N. Y. Tribune.