Okay, we're live. Hi, this is William Ramsey. Welcome to William Ramsey Investigates. This will be part two, starting at Chapter 3 of Samuel Chamberlain's My Confession, Recollections of a Robe. Chapter 3, Mutiny of the Alton Guards. I left St. Louis on the Luella for Alton and arrived there on the 20th of May, 1846.

The town was in a blaze of excitement caused by the news that General Taylor was surrounded by the Mexican troops on the Rio Grande.

General Gaines, commanding at New Orleans, had issued a call for 50,000 volunteers, 4,000 from Illinois.

Drums were beating all over town, and two hours after I landed, I enlisted.

I went with the crowd hurrahing and drinking whiskey until after several days, we numbered 100 strong.

Our company, the Alton Guards, elected our own officers, as did all the other volunteers.

The election was held in a tin-pin alley. I was ambitious and wanted a commission. I worked hard for it, drilling the men in Scott's tactics. Thanks to

orderly Sergeant Hall and Captain N.A. Thompson of the City Guard of Boston, I was tolerably proficient

in the manual and evolutions, spent my money freely on whiskey, defeated a major

ward of Texas in fencing, and expected to get the first lieutenantcy. A staff officer of

Governor Ford called a meeting to order when a large red-faced man mounted the bar and

delivered the following speech. Fellow citizens, I am Peter Gough, the butcher of Middletown.

I am. I'm the man that shot that sneaking white-livered Yankee abolitionist,

son of a bee, lovejoy. I did. I want to be your captain, I do.

I will serve the yellow-bellied Mexicans the same. I will.

I have treated you to $50 worth of whiskey I have.

And when elected captain, I will spend 50 more, I will. It is needless to state he was elected almost unanimously.

My opponent for the first lieutenantcy was one James W. Baker. I found I had no chance to win. My money was all gone, but I made a spread

Eagle speech with plenty of the halls of Montezuma and Golden Jesuses of Mexico, but alas,

the suckers preferred whiskey present to Jesus's in the future. The company organized as follows,

Captain Peter Gough, First Lieutenant James Baker,

second lieutenant's Edward Fletcher and Rodney Ferguson. Captain Gough appointed me the drill sergeant.

...