The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-06-23
THE wAsHrNeToN RIOT.


The report Of Captain Tyler, showingth
agency aud conduct of the marines in queli-
ing the recent violence and bloodshed COM
mitfed at the Washington city elections,
will be found below, prepared by the Cap
:ain, and transmitted by the Commandment
of the marines to the Navy Department:
MARINE BARRACKS, J
Washington, June 2, 1857.
SIR In compliance with your order, re-
ceived about I2 O'Clock on yesterday, |
immediately collected the available marines
at headquarters and.the navy-yard, amount
ing in all to one hundred prlvates, with a
due proportion of on-commissioned Off
GERS. This force divided into two com
panies-the first !w.as commanded by Brevet
Major ,Zelin, the second by Capt. Maddox.
with subaltern to each company, Liel-
tenants Henderson and Turner.
After supplying my command with ball
cartridges, loaded and proceeded direct
to the City Hall. On my arrival there,
reported 10 the mayor of the city of WASH
ington. in obedience to an order from the
Navy Department received by me, through
you, to the effect that | was to obey such
orders as the mayor might wish executed,
with view to clearing the polls at the diff
ferent precincts of the municipal election,
then being held in the city of Washington.
The mayor forthwith proceeded to the first
precinct of the Fourth ward, accompanied
by me and my command. We soon arrived
upon the ground. and / Immediately drew
up my command in line in front of the pre-
cinct. which bad the effect to clear the pre-
cinct. The mayor then proceeded to
address the officers of the election and those
around the precinct, but did not listen to
hear his remarks. Immediately thereafter.
and perhaps while the mayor was yet de-
livering his address, "a committee-consist-
ing of two perSons-came from the market
house with a message to me. to the effect
that those in charge of cannon planted at
the market house would fire upon me if |
did not Immediately abandon my position
in front of the precinct; | replied then
will take your cannon and straightway
proceeded with my command to the market
house. On arriving opposite to the cannon
halted my command, faced it to the front,
and with the platoon of the first company,
with Major Zeiln at its head, | charged
and took possession of the cannon. My
purpose was to take the cannon with as
little loss of life as possible had have
fired before charging, the loss of life would
have been immense. The charge of bayo-
nets, however, was sufficient without the
fire to disperse the rioters in every direc-
ton. In their flight they did not forget,
however, to discharge their revoivers. Pts
tolls were also freely fred from behind the
wooden enclosure at the market house,
which were returned by single shots from
the first platoon, still in charge Of the can
non. About this time the marines in line
were fired upon by another gang of rioters
from the opposite corner of the street, dan
gerously wounding one man iii the face be-
longing to the first company, which caused
the blood to spout from his mouth and nos
cf the marines belonging to the ID company,
commanded by Captain Maddox-I being
still engaged in looking out for those who
had fled from the cannon and taken refuge
around and about the market house; but, on
hearing the report of this fire from the I'd
company, faced about and beheld several
persons on the opposite side of the street
in the ag"nies of death, and many others.
to ell appearance, badly wounded. | i'm
mediately ran down the line and ordered
the men to cease firing and not another
shot was fired by any one of them. After
reloading the discharged mu>kets | remain
ed upon the ground about 80 minutes, and
thRn, ct the request of the mayor, marched
my command to the City Hall, where | re-
manned until the cars from Baltimore came
in in the afternoon, when | with my com
mand. accompanied the mayor to the rail-
road depot-undeI standing from him that
in the cars. In that event, the mayor
thought the depot would be the best place
to settle with tn m; and in that opinion
entirely concurred but none came. re-
manned at the depot until half past 8 o'clock,
and being entirely satisfied that all was
and would he quiet for the night I ordered
Lieut.. Henderson to the Barracks in com
mand of the men, and went home myself
and retired to rest.
L am, very respectfully,
III. B. TYLER.
Capt. of Marines, commanding.
ARCHIBALD HENDERSGN Rreyet Rrir, do -