The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-07
Fort Washington Clam Bake.

THE ANNUAL BANQUET OF THE FORT WASHINGTON
CLAM BAKE cLuB-CLAMs, FISH, CHICKENS soNss
SITUATION AND THE WAR ON THE PENINSULA, ETC,
The Fort Washington Clam Rake Club held their annual
festival at Fort Washington Point Saturday afternoon
About fifty persons we're present, among whom were
many Of the leading politicians Of the different parties
the oitythe men who prepare party affairs and In
sentrol the political events Of the city. In
absence Of Captain Comsock the regular chef de cssas
OF the club the chief Steward at the Asisr House took
charge OF tie bake b. o'clock the guests were
seated at hstabls disposng Of the hard soft shells
prepared IN elegant style. The piles Of clam shells
bore nnmistakabie evidence that person neglected his
business at the table, however much they may haze
been suspected IN any other line.
Like all other feaats, songs and speeches fol'
lowed the satables. There were patriotic odes
read, nautical songs sung, comical and sar.
castle speeches made, and general gala time all
around The variety such that every person present
found something TO suit his taste and al as merry
it we'll could There was however, incident that
tended TO throw. gloom over the entertainment
Several OF the walters Of the Asor House were taken up
early train prepare the CLAIMS, chickens fsh &c.
for the bake; and they stepping on from the
train at the station the down express train around
the at thsrate Of forty miles per hour The engine
struck two or the One was thrown under the
wheels the other carried along some distance on the
cowcatchsr, and both instantly killed The curve 81
ths point is very Short ind in approaching the station
the down train passes through . deep cut, max.
ing il impossible to see any sign OF approach
ing train until IL arrives within fifteen rods Of
the station This distance train going forty miles an
hour, ID passedover in msnent rendering escape next
to impossible Owing to this fact John E. Dsven, the
ties, anu selected Judge o'Conor 10 fill his place
The interval between the arrival Of the guests and
the announcemsrtthat eatabss were ready was occu.
q OF war
All parties and every faction Of party In the city from
the hard shell democrats down TO the soft shell and blue
light aboitionsts, were represented, ~ matter OF
course among this conmnglng Of all shades Of party
spirits at friendly and socabls gatherings all agreeing
70 disagree on political topics but united IN social point
Of view and perfectly agreeing in regard to the virtues
Of she clam, especially as 'hey are prerared
Bake Club. All manner Of opinion was expressed
Divided up IN squads Of half dozen each lettering under
conversation, the theme almost invariably being tho
question uppcrmost in the rslnd OF the public, whs
is reprnsois for the recent check on the peninsula
One person would say that Mcclellan ard Stanton would
both have to be- removed, when he would be with
the response that the removal Of Mcclellan would dss
troy the government iisbsnd armies followed by the
declaration that military general in the history OF the
world not NAPOLEON, had ever performed tho feat
forced upon McClean-hat he had but ols Alternative
from COMPLETE anpihilaton and that TO change mis-
base Of operations from the Paniunkey to the James
river and in doing that he had exhibited genershp Of
the CHEST order This csass, As matter opcouse
bitter in their expression against the Washington
managers, and placed the blame OF every repuse upon
Wilson and abolition associates who wanted to reduce
the army last winter appeared 70 be the persons hold
responsiblo. Namsrous incidents wero cited by indi
vidua who asserted that they had personal
OF the facts, vhsrc General Mcclellan had been nterfsrsl
with by the War Department.. The Secretary Of War,
the other hand had his defenders, who would reta-
late by denouncn Mcclellan. declare HIM genius and
state facts with the same prseasisns that thsy know
them TO be truo, that stanton had aided Mcclellan and
given him every hing stked Thus the
Kept up, each side emp haic In their express ons
but given In friendly manner, until the songs and
real auiug
As most OF .h,ss men who took part in critcsinx the
manaY smsnt OF the have been less promi-
IN political matters they have record and It
was quite interesting to look back and SEQ
democrat whether OF the Mozart Tammany school OF
politics. and every republican Of whK anteccents whom
Sossa General Mccsln, declaring that his skin had
saved the country and prevented the total destruction
OF the army and, ON the other hand the Republicans
who formerly democrats, but have for cause
acknowledgements slavery or some other
left that party and taken active pan in the repair.
against Mcclellan. No person who has mixed much
with politicians have failed to notice that this lat
Ter oas. imagine taemssys' wiser .nsn anybody else.
republican party 10 consider themselves thu possss-
sors Of greater secrets than any other per-
sus.iou relative 70 IL. management or ths war.
ecsllan had Of those present al least four or ave sup
porte 10 stanons one and ths, we presume, viii be
found about tbs ratio in this city.
Tho songs and speeches coIimsncsu about I'VE ocicck
and were ksp. up until after seven d. As this was
In fact real enjoyment Of the OCCASION the real un
Of the entertainment the ussa steady business habits
o the men way 70 wit, humor, sarcssm aud song
All other ideas we're dropped, and every body took part
In this recreation with great zeal and cannot fail to
Give real benefits from the pastIns Rufus Andrews,
the Surveyor % tine Port, up with revenue cut
ter and most q the party returned to the city that
yyssoi, hav ng first taSen short use up the river
Arriving 6his city sChbout O'Clock, thu pleasure
party separated each impressed with tho bs,i the
Fort Clam Ike Club OF Tho installations
Of The city. Long may u continue It's ban4usts.