Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-05-30
The War Alarm on the S5th of May.
Ernn the NeiY York rrihnnn

From the New York Tribune.
WAsHlNGroN, May 26 Having accom-
plished its object in taking possession of Alex.
andria and occupying Arlington Heights, the
war department in due precauton against an
attack upon the advanced portions of our line,
had established il signal by which it should be
known to the forces in the capital that fresh
battle had begun on the other side of the Po-
lOnac, and that endorsements in that drec.
ton were ut once repaired. The signal was
to be three discharges OF II cannon from the
war department, and this was to be taken by
all the troops in town as an order to move
across the bridge and hold themselves in read.
mess to take part in the action Most eagerly
therefore, were thousands Of ears inclined
during the whole Ut this morning, for the
hoped Tor signal, and there was scarcely an
officer who possessed field glass who did not
frequently mount to some lofty perch, where
he might sweep the expected scene of battle.
The day wore On, however without any of the
expected symptoms; and as public attention
became more aud more engrOssed with the OBJ.
scquics OF Col. Ellsworth, and SpeculatiOns as
To the probable engagements then raging at
SewaIs Point and Harpers Ferry, tie ankle
ty tor fresh operations in our immediate neigh
borhood began gradually TO die out.
But of a sudden there came an unusual stir
among the crowds along the streets, and men
could be seen upon the housetOps geslicuIating
violently, and taking turns at orgnettes, while
women IT'S frantic as themselves flung about
their arms, and wave their handkerchiets to
energetic cXciamatons. The people in the
streets seemed TO catch by instinct the mean
ing OF these signs, but not knowing what to
do, went swiftly to and fro in purposeIess con.
fusion. l could fancy nothing more like it
than the hoarse beginnings of a tremendous
storm, and just as l was feeling its influence
with the rest, the boom of a great gun sound
ed from the neig hborh0od OF the White House.
The report seemed to transiiX every listener
at once, and all ears were bent to hear an0th
er. 1t soon came, but on all sides the only
w0ids which responded TO it were-"rhat is
the second p Another ause OF ieversh in
terest cnsued, and then, in a third report peal
ell forth the complete announcement that war,
grim, bloody, earnest war had begun between
the people of the north and south. This, too,
was the call to arms, aud as the last shot fell
upon the ear there was a burst OF cheering
voices, such as perhaps never before welcomed
and inaugurated civil strife And then the
most strange things were done.
Many, in running TO and fro, would turn
two Or three times, and come back to the same
spot 10 shake hands win their friends upon
the joyful prospect; others went after their
their waists, while others, still, enthuSiasical-
ly offered any sort of odds that Uncle Sam
would win the fight. Before three minutes
had elapsed from the sound of the last gun,
there came gathering along past Willard $
from the neighborhood of the treasury build
ing party OF dragons, taking their way
around the corner Of Fourteenth street TO.
ward Long Bridge Cheers rose from the
crowds as they went by, but before those
cheers were done, a vast rumbln9 was heard
in the same direction which the dragons had
come from, and in the next instant Sher-
mans famous battery, with six horses TO each
gun, were seen tearing around into the avenue
at fearful speed, the troopers and cannoniers
screaming wildly, like 80 many madmen, as
they went. Their rate of progress was SO
swift that in turning the Fourteenth street
corner, the wheel of the gun carriage spun of
left-hand wheel, and dashed the vehicle
against an iron post, flinging the mer. off the
caiSsOns, and knocking down two OF the
horses. But the remaining horses were whip
ped on, dragging the fallen animals on their
sides along the road, and the naked axle doing
duty for the missing VIII ell. They passed
shouting out Of sight, and the accelerating huz-
zas of the equally crazy multitude went after
he .,nrS long as their wheels and voices could
But the excitement culminqted with the ap.
pearance OF the Massachusetts Fifth, which.
IKE the flying battery, appeared in The next
moment from the direction of tie treasury
1hey, loo, came along on Il lull run, and every
man was screaming and whoooing as if lust
escaped from B,dlam 1t was not the utter
ance OF amy particular cry, with which they
sought to direct or stimulate each other, but
IL was the rage for battle, burning i'll their
VEINS, seeking this necessary vent The crowd
Hooked alter them, and after the crowd, toll
lowed column from Connecticut, and after
them swarmed hurriedly collected local troops.
Inc WlOle mass poured on together, every
man on dead run, and thousands of vpices
rising continually out of the yellow coil of
dust that marked the direction of the line in
mingled screams and cheers. Ii was a sight
sucil as has never been seen on this continent
before, and must have convinced every locker
on that We are essentially martial people On
arriving at tile bridge, we learned the alarm was
false one, and bad grown out OF some gun
practice OF the troops, which had terrified some
countrymem, and they had brought report
TO the Seventh that the rebels had attacked
the Twelfth, which was being cut to pieces.
On hearing this, the reiniOrcements from the
capital turned slowly back, sorely disappointed
at having lost the opportunity to fight
There are many who think this whole alarm
was planned by Gen. Scott, in order to test the
spirit OF the troops, and also to prove in what
readiness they stood tor battle; if this be So,
the old chieftain must be satisfied that our
material Is OF the highest temper, and that the
present soldiers Of the north have not degen
Grated in martial spirit from their revolution
airy sires.