06/01/2026
Benjamin Harrison V… Not Holding Back (Again)
We often think of the Founding Fathers as formal, polished, and careful with their words.
Benjamin Harrison V… not always. 😄
Here’s part of a letter he wrote on May 31, 1783:
“A few days ago… they have mutinied… I wrote to the Mutineers and sharply reprimanded them… but promised… to overlook it… They are really a band of heroes… and I am satisfied would not have taken this rash step if their sufferings had not been very great…”
What’s going on here?
A group of soldiers—Baylor’s Regiment—had just mutinied.
They essentially walked away from their post.
That’s not a small offense.
So why did they do it?
Because by this point in the war, many soldiers were:
hungry
unpaid
exhausted
They had reached a breaking point.
And Benjamin’s response?
He doesn’t ignore it—but he also doesn’t overreact.
He calls them out
→ “I sharply reprimanded them…”
But he also defends them
→ “They are really a band of heroes…”
And then this line says it all:
“…they would not have taken this step if their sufferings had not been very great.”
In today’s terms…
“Yes, they messed up. I told them so.
But they’ve been through a lot… and I get it.”
This is what makes his letters so interesting.
One moment he’s sarcastic.
The next, he’s fair and practical.
And either way… he’s always honest.
