The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-11
[osrssr-.a rrer, q. YYr.t n,r..l

collected in the neighoorhOOd 10 Wltness INC
con1agration. The Southern LOyalist ConVen-
ton was in session In the city at the time, and
in their honor the League House had been gaily
decorated with flags, the stars aud stripes aoat-
ing from the staff which surmeunted the cupola.
The vast concourse of people assembled were
thrown into a fearful state of excitement during
the progress of the FIRE by the appearance of
two firemen upon the roof. These daring men,
at the imminent peril of their lives, made their
way through the dense clouds of smoke to the
cupola aud succeeded in hauling down the flag
and detaching it from its fastenings They then
turned about, and, encountering even greater
peril than in the ascent, reached the ground in
safety with the flag, the achievement being
greeted by the anxious multitude with three
tumultuous cheers, thrice repeated. The League
showed their appreciation of this gallant
and almost reckless action, by presenting
handsome medals to each of the fremen who
risked his life in sentimental devotion to the
flag of his country. The most valuable articles
of . movable character in the League House
were removed during the conhagratiOn to places
of safety, and the flames were extinguished be-
fore they had gone beyond the upper story. Yet
the damage sustained by the building was quite
large, and the repairs rendered necessary cost
nearly $50, 200. Perhaps the most serious loss
sustained by the League through the fire was
the great damage done to the voluminous files
ofnewspapers n and magazines which had been
carefully preserved heretofore.
From the date of its first organization down
to the present time, when its membership, ac-
cording to the last annual reports, numbers
about 1900 the League has included in its ranks
the leading and most influential citizens of
Philadelphia who have been in sympathy with
the Republican party and the great work which
it has had in hand. Tens of thousands of docu-
ments have been circulated by it, and during
each of the great political campaigns trans
piring since its foundation, the meetings which
have been held under its auspices in Concert
and National Halls, and on Broad street in front
of the League House, have been unprecedented
in numbers and enthusiasm, as well as in the
standing and eloquence of the speakers whose
services have been secured
Bat perhaps the most important service rem
dered by the League as an organization to the
country was in the way of placing regiments
in the field during the war for the Union. In
June, 1863 when the Rebel armies had crossed
the Potomac, penetrated the border of Pennsyl-
vania, and threatened Philadelphia with cap
ture, the League responded nobly to the de-
mands of the crisis by the appointment of o
Committee on Enlistments, with the late Joseph
r. Fry Esq, at its head, he retaining that posi-
ton until his death in 1865. The committee went
to work with a will, and such was its zeal that,
between the 25th of Jnne and the 5th of July of
that year it raised three full regiments of emer-
gency men, who were placed under the COM
mand of Colonels Whpple, Mclean, and Gray,
and five companies of cavalry ia addition. Dur
ing the succeeding autumn and winter the 4th
Union League Regiment, known as the 1S3d Re-
giment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, was re-
cruited for three years service, and placed in
the field. In July, 1864, pursuant to the call of
the President for one hundred days men, the
5th Union League Regiment under the command
of Colonel Neff was organized. Under the
call of July 49, 1854, for one year men, the Sixth
Union League Regiment, known as the 19Sth
Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by Colonel
Horatio G. Sickel, and consisting of three bat
talions, or fourteen full companies, was raised;
and finally, under the call of December IS, 1854,
for 100000 men, the Seventh, Eighth, and
Ninth Union League Regiments, known as the
213th 214th, and 215th Pennsylvania Volunteers,
were recruited. Uncertainty as to the quota of
Philadelphia rendered sytematic effort at re-
cruiting impossible for time, but by the end
of January authority was obtained from the
War Department, aud the 213th Regiment,
under the command of Colonel John A. Gorgas,
was placed in service, this action being quickly
followed by the recruiting of the two other regi-
ments, the 214th and 215th, under the command
respectively of Colonies D. B. McKibben and
Francis Wister. These three regiments were
raised with a rapidity unexampled since the
first enthusiasm of 1861, aud at cost much
below the average of similar organizations, the
recruiting expenses for the whole amounting to
not mere than $4,000. By the time that the last
regiment was completed, the surrender of the
Rebel armies rendered further recruiting unne-
cessary and the labors of the committee were
brought to a close. The total force placed in the
field by the committee comprised nine effective
regiments, two battalions, and a troop of
cavalry, amounting altogether to more than
10000 men. The expenses attending the raising
of this large force amounted to more than
100000, all of which was provided by private
subscriptions, principally among the members
of the League. All the regiments placed in the
feld by the League behaved gallantly as far as
they were afforded the opportunity, and the
conduct of the Sixth Union League Regiment
was conspicuous in the final struggle before
Petersburg, in which, posted upon the extreme
left, il bore the brunt of some of the hardest
fighting while at the battle of Quaker Road il
did much to prevent serious disaster TO the
loyal army, two of its majors, Glenn anC
Macuen, being killed, and Colonel Sickel, il
commander, seriously wounded.
In addition to this signal service, the hearty
manner in which the League sustained the Gov
ernment during the war in every possible wa.
was of incalculable value to the Union cause
Both praaidant Iincoln and Sacratorv 9tauto,