Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-05-10
The Rescue Of The u. s. Arm. ,
81. Louis Arscnul.

the muskets and other war implement,
the u. :. arsenal at St, Louis 10 Tho "'t
neighborhoods of Illinois, was a wellsu
ned and performed feat. No armed r
was sent from Illinois for the purno.a N
the assistance necessary being renjeroSs
the u. S. soldiers stationed at the a,.s.
Gov. Yates Of Illinois, it seems hsS
requisition from the secretery of VA
10000 of the muskets for the armin. J
the Illinois militia. But it was snnnSs
the secession mob in st. Louis, il ~, \
state authorities of Missouri, would r..a
the transferance, IL undertaken openlv =,
according to form. So Captain jaime. % !
Stokes of Chicago, formerly of the reon.,
army, undertook to procure the mu,I'.
by strategem. He went to st. Louis ~
made his way as rapidly as possible Ia n
arsenal. He found il surrounded by ann
mense mob, and the postern gates ali clo..
His utmost efforts to penetrate the en,,
we're for a long time unavailing. The reos
sition was shown. Capt. Lyon, one Of 4.
officers in command of the arsenal, dOuhI
the possibility OF executing it. He sadG
arsenal was surrounded by Thousand ,ria
and every movement was watched and i,
ported to the headquarters Of the SEES
sionists, who could throw an overpowg,
force upon them at any moment. Css,
Stokes represented that every hours dss
was rendering the capturing Of the ar.st
more certain; and the arms must Be- !
moved to Illinois, now or never. Ne
Calender also of the arsenal, agreed y 4
him, and told him 10 take them at bis an
time and in his own way. This was Weas
day night. Capt. Stokes had spy il ]
secession camp, whom be met at intern
in certain place in the city. On Thu.
day he received information that Gov. D,
son Of Missouri had ordered two thou,s
armed men down irom Jefferson O.
whose movements could only conlemds
a seizure Of the arsenal, by oceupyn.
nights around it and planting baiss
thereon. The job would have been an {
one. They had already planted one J
terry on the St. Louis levee, and anoihs
Pow der Point, short distance below
arsenal. Capt. Stokes telegraphed to 81
ton to have the steamer City Of Alton
down to the arsenal landing about midn.s
He then returned to the arsenal, and d
menced moving the boxes Of guns, we'd
ing some three hundred pounds each, u
to the lower floor. About 700 men
employed in the work. He then tcoS
kentucky fint-lock muskers, which
been sent there to be altered, and seuif
to be placed on a steamer as blind 10
err his real movements. The secessia
nabbed them at once and raised a -
bedlam over the capture. A large Pe
of the outside crowd left the arsenal
this movement was executed; and III
Lyon took the remainder, who were
around as spies, and locked them up
guard-house. About III O'Clock at
the steamer City of Alton came alOa
planks were showed out from the vi
of the arsenal to the main deck, a
boxes slid down. When the I0,0ls 81
safely on board, Capt. Lyon aSi y
Calender, and urged them by the "a
pressing appeals, TO let him empty
senal. They told him to go ahead al
whatever he wanted. Accordingly
1900 more muskets, 500 new nix
bines, 500 revolvers, 1000 muska
ridges, to say nothing of the cannon
6 large quantity of miscellaneous ae5
ments, leaving only 1000 muskets
arsenal TO arm the St. Louis vo,unta
, behalf of the general government.
, When the whole were on board, 81
E o'clock on Friday morning, the orda
given to east off. Judge Of the cORs
I, ton of all hands when il was found ID
would not move. The arms had been
in great quantities around the engiaesF
tect them against the battery on the eVs
, the great weight had fastened the bows
) boat firmly on rock, which was ieaH
] hole through the bottom at every '
E the wheels. A man of less nerve
Capt. Stokes would have gone craIy
spot. He called the arsenal men %
and commenced moving the boxes
stern. Fortunately, when about wv 81
had been shifted, the boat fell avs
the shore and foated in deep water. I'm
E wayf' said Capt. Mitchell of the T #
, Straight to Alton in the regular @
replied Capt. Stokes. What it We "
: tackled said Capt. Mitchell.
will fight I said Capt. Stokes.
b we are oyerpowered 2 said Capt.
0 her to the deepest part of the nv
sink her. replied Capt 5. III q
the heroic answer of Capt. Mitch s
$ away they went past the secession
j. past the entire ST. Louis levee, a.
It Alton in the regular channel, Whs :
arrived at ) o'clock in the morning
the boat touched the landing, Capt 10
fearing pursuit by some two or tire
u secession military companies BY w
t. city of st. Louis is disgraced, rsa
market-house and rang the fire heA
citizens came focking pell-mell to inj
in all sorts of habilments. CaP'
:" informed them of the situation
e and pointed out the freight cars
r ly men women and children boa
steamer seized the freight, and eA
up the leyees to the cars. Ken
{ tugged together with might and
il two hours, when the cargo was
e ed in The cars, and the tran
=, amid their enthusiastic cheers, ~
. field.'
T. Revolyers and other side arD' 4