The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-03-24
brategi trip which be made to Pbila-

! whole country was ID 2 blaze OF W ar
excitement, and it was feared our
city and the border of Indiana was
threatened with invasion, WILLIAM
H WALKER was authorized by the
County Commissioners to proceed to
the Eastern cities, and purchase for
the County a sufficient quantity of
arms and ammunition to equip our
Home Guard Companies, and place
the Vanderburgh border on a war
footing. Provided with the necessary
means, Mr.. WALKER went East
Making known the object Of his
mission, he very readily found patri-
otto merchants eager to fill his orders
for the latest approved style Of arms
and at remarkable lol0 prices With
out any difficulty he was enabled to
make way with over I fifteen Thousand
Dollars Of the peoples money. He
came home delighted with his trip,
and with the able manner ia which
he had discharged his mission. His
report and the assurance that his
m Initions Of war were en- route by
Fast Express, enabled the somewhat
disturbed deuizens Of Evansville to
sleep soundly. The valiant Home
Guards we're perfectly delighted at
what our worthy Auditor had accom-
plished. Uv
In few days the Arms arrived.
Then there was a mastering of the
gallant defenders of our homes, for
their receipt and distribution. But
when the cases we're opened up
to view and the Arms brought forth
and examined, there was a general
shaking of heads. 1t is true, our
Home Guards F" knew nothing about
war, but they fattered themselves
that they did know something about
a gun; and the fear was very general
ly expressed that the Auditor had
fallen into the hands of pack Of
sharpers," and that the County had
got iieeced. Such an array of war
materials doubtless never had been
seen since the commencement Of the
nineteenth century-old muskets,
breech leaders aud altered fint-locks,
patented in the days of OLIVER GROIN
WELL or Old FRGTz, Of Germany, the
Well-<nown HalFs rifles and other
equally desirable stock A little
practice with them convinced the re-
dOubtable Home Guards that their
back action was more hazardous
than their front fire, and that they
were more dangerous to the soldier
who shot than The enemy who was
shot at. TAe result was that it was
with The greatest difHeulty that one
or two companies even were induced
to accept the unwelc6me tools. adTI
In the purchase were lot of Colts
Navy revolvers. These got into the
hands of officers who en- cred the ser
vice, some for pay, Others by favor;
aud these, probably did good service.
By the shrewd management of the
Home Guard Quartermaster and Mr..
WALKERS successor in Office. the
total stock which had not been sold
by the County, after having grown
rusty in the warehouses, was turned |
over to the State of Indiana After
prosecuting the claim for some tune,
one of our attorneys, and a good |
Democrat, procured from the State an /
allowance of 81, 167, which resulted in
net payment to the County, after .
deducting the attorneys fee, Of |
s., All 90. The arms that were turn
ed over to the State were put 10 at
Mr.. WALKERS invoice prices, which
were mostly from SIS to s25 per mus
ket, and being an average cost price of
about $40 We learn from gentleman
who was 10 the State Arsenal that the
same arms were sold at auction by the
State by the wagon-load, and brought
from seventy-fiye cents to one dollar
each. SO that the County made a
good bargain in their sale; but no
credit to Mr.. WALKER for that.
But now for the financial result Of
Mr.. WALKERS purchase. We find,
by the examination of the Commits
sioners' Record Il, page POP, that
the arms, exclusive of the ammuni-
ton, cost the county s15,081 80. 1t
appears by the receipts in the County