Their officers attempted to pacify them, but in vain, and the
lieutenant-colonel, against whom they had taken offence, was attacked and
mortally wounded with bayonet thrusts. When Colonel Bossuet appeared and
sought to speak to them they rushed upon him with their bayonets, and it
needed the active efforts of the other officers to save him from their
revengeful hands. Tidings of the mutiny were brought to General Paez in
his quarters and threw him into a paroxysm of rage. Seizing his sword, he
rushed upon the mutineers, killed three of them instantly, and would have
continued this bloody work but that his sword broke on the body of a
fourth. Flinging down the useless weapon, he seized some of the most
rebellious, dragged them from the ranks by main strength, and ordered them
to be taken to prison. The others, dismayed by his spirited conduct,
hastily dispersed and sought their quarters. The next day three of the
most seditious of the soldiers, and a young lieutenant who was accused of
aiding in the mutiny,--though probably innocent of it,--were arrested and
shot without trial.
Pages:
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304