St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-06-06


minds, the only method of complying
with the order to report at Washing
ton. At that moment the genius of
him who, with marvellous sagacity,
and in spite of red tape and precedent
the Commandcr-inC Chief of the Massa-
chusctts Militia, selected to lead SOL
dicrs Of the old Bay State in this hour
of trial. shonc forth most brilliant. a
short speech explained to the staff
that with the risk of single fight at
Pcrryvllc, for the possession of a
ferry boat--and a right smart chance
it was, the little force present could
be placed in front Of Annapolis. OF
that place it might take possession,
and upon its success would depend
the salvation of the country. Il
have" conclued the General, in the
little speech he made upon the occa-
sion, invited Col. Lcifcrts Of the
New York Tt,, to join me in this eX
petition. If hc does, | shall be very
happy. If he does not, | shall not be
hindcrcd. No gentleman present is
under any obligation to proceed with
me, but if any of you choose, there
are some good rcvolvers on the table"
Forthwith every man selected his
weapon, and then came two hours OF
rest before proceeding upon an enter
prise upon which so much depended,
but of the result of which no man
could speak.
And the result was glorious, as all
4 Il l. n
and prudence of Gen. Butler first
opened the road to Washington,
through difficulties which no man can
appreciate, and thus saved the glori-
ons old Commonwealth Of Maryland
from plunging into the fearful abyss
of secession.
On Saturday, the 4th of May, Gene
raj Butler returned from his first visit
to Washington. He went there to
give an account Of his occupancy of
Annapolis, his capture Of the frigate
Constitution, and his opening the
communication between Washington
and the twenty millions Of whose pop
ulaton it was the capital. This was
his first weeks history.
4 fortnight more rolls on, and now
he has q second time gone to Wash
ington, to give an account OF his
soldiership. Let us observe the sue
ccssful steps of his mastcrly progress
which he has now detailed in person
to the President, and for which he has
been made Major General of th'
United States. He returned from
Washington at 10 p. NJ. of the 4th
stalkcd into the Office at his head
quarters in annapolis, where lie found
his owa staff. his faithful brother
Andrew, an efficient ally, and Colonel
Smith, left in command OF the post
He occupied himself with business de-
tails till II midnight Then for the
first time he announced his intention
to move forward upon the Relay Sta
ton, in six hours from that time
Everybody was taken by surprise
the entire camp at Annapolis, cXcep
the guards and his military family
were asleep, but in six hours from
that time column of soldiers, lO0(
strong, was moving out of Annapolis
under the lead Of three mounted Off
cers-thc General and his staff, Col
oncl Parker and Capt. Haggerty. 5,
suddenly and so secretly had thu
movement been made, that no human
being at Harper's Ferry or the Rcla.
House had the slightest suspicion O
it. The arriving column found til
village at the Relay and the hill
around in profound quiet. And tn
first intimation of War which the Sta
ton had was Col. Parker's riding Il
to the telegraph Office and puttint
the operators under strict suryei
lance After a day of severe toll III
camp was pitched and the artiIlcr
posted and Harpcr's Ferry foua
itself cut off from Baltimore and Bait
more found itself cut off from tn
South.
An efficient blockade of Harper
Ferry and the Northern side of vi,
ginia was now established clothins
powder, provisions, and all munltlol
of war were seized and men wel
es' not prevented from going West, onl
re, because the General thought the MOI
al mouths at lIarper's Ferry the bette
lg The capture of the Steam Gun follow
1t ed. 1t was done, however, durn
'e- the the temporary absence of the Gel
n. eral, who had rushed back to Annap'
nd lis, with a single aidc-de-camp, to o
,p- ganizc Il maritime expedition, whic
Nv was completely successful in the cal
It's turc of valuable light boat.
on A little incident marked the Stea
gh Gun Expedition, illustrating Mass
Ter chusetts promptness. The fact th
lu- the Gun was travelling across Il
,c- country, was announced ut III oclot
ow to the officer of the staff, who h;
ne been left in charge of the camp, d
ng ring the Generals absence. Colone
all Jones and Lyons were instantly Sc
pi- for. Tn ten minutes plan for
,en capture had been agreed upon.
,as company was detailed from each re
lis iment, the Massachusetts and I
sly New York, and a section of artiller
he I'm forty minutes the Massachuset
er- company had marched from the
yas camp a full half mile to the dcp(
of seized two trains Of cars, switch'
lch them off, aud on again to the san
mi track, and got the artillery down, .
An guns unlimbcred, platform up to I
os- freight cars built, and the whole arm
,m- mcnt of twelve horses and two Ca
to non on board, and the train was ju
Is off as the New York company ma
its appearance. In other words, t
lei Massachusetts boys had done all th
my while the New Workers were on
p getting their infantry from the car
zen to the depot. To Captain Rol. Ha
ill a Marylandcr, temporarily attach
scd to the staff of General Butler, bclon
Be the chief credit of the Guns captur,
rm. Saturday, the llth of May, wa:
ich stirring day at Camp Relay. 1
.ity General was absent, but all day 10
and messengers had been Coming to Z