Archives Branch, USMC History Division
Letter, 7-14 July 1863, page 4 of 8
"...whitewash-brush to put it on with. The victim was then asked a question and if he answered it he got a good mouthfull of the mixture. He was then lathered and shaved with a razor made of an old saw blade after which they was thrown back into the tank and the hose played on him. This was finer amusement for the officers, who looked on, laughed at & enjoyed the whole performance. But we (the marines) made up our minds that they would not make laughing stocks of us. After shaving the sailors they waited on the orderly Sergt and asked if we would pay the fine or be shaved when he told them that we had made up our minds that we would do neither. They encouraged by some of the officers said they would shave us. We then rallied between two guns and told them that they should not take one of us, as several of them had clubs one or two of our boys drew their bayonets when but for the interference of the officers there would probably have been some blood spilt. They seeing that they could not take us on deck (although they mustered 200 or over to our 25) thought they would play the hose on us where we were. They then brought it down and when the water was let on they turned it on us thinking no doubt that we would stand and take it but in this they were mistaken for we pitched in and after a little "pushing out from the shoulders" we succeeding in taking the hose away from them..."
From the John K. Murdock Collection (COLL/799) at the Archives Branch, Marine Corps History Division
OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH
Letter, 7-14 July 1863, page 4 of 8
"...whitewash-brush to put it on with. The victim was then asked a question and if he answered it he got a good mouthfull of the mixture. He was then lathered and shaved with a razor made of an old saw blade after which they was thrown back into the tank and the hose played on him. This was finer amusement for the officers, who looked on, laughed at & enjoyed the whole performance. But we (the marines) made up our minds that they would not make laughing stocks of us. After shaving the sailors they waited on the orderly Sergt and asked if we would pay the fine or be shaved when he told them that we had made up our minds that we would do neither. They encouraged by some of the officers said they would shave us. We then rallied between two guns and told them that they should not take one of us, as several of them had clubs one or two of our boys drew their bayonets when but for the interference of the officers there would probably have been some blood spilt. They seeing that they could not take us on deck (although they mustered 200 or over to our 25) thought they would play the hose on us where we were. They then brought it down and when the water was let on they turned it on us thinking no doubt that we would stand and take it but in this they were mistaken for we pitched in and after a little "pushing out from the shoulders" we succeeding in taking the hose away from them..."
From the John K. Murdock Collection (COLL/799) at the Archives Branch, Marine Corps History Division
OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH