The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1876-05-13
Three Old Defenders.

In connection with the three Old Defenders OF
Baltimore in 1914, Nicholas Brewer, Joshua
Dryden and Jesse l.. Hiss, interviewed in this
city by representative of the New York Herald
and aged respectively ST. SO and SO years, the
following facts are given Colonel Brewer was
born at Annapolis in the same month that Gen.
George Washington took his seat as President,
but he never saw Gen Washington. He came
to Baltimore in 1900, when we had only thirty
thousand inhabitants. He relates wildly the
incidents of the riot of 1912 in suppression of
the Federal Republican, which opposed the war
with Great Britain, and in which riot General
Lingan was killed. on the steps OF the Jail, after
the parties had been euce rescued and taken 10
that place for security He acted with the au-
thorites and military in suppressing the riot,
and aided in rescuing Thompson, an English
man, who was near beaten to death. He op
posed the bank riot OF 1885 also. In the war OF
1912 be was lieutenant in the 9th regiment
Md volunteers, Col Wa. Mcdonald He says
we had about three thousand troops in the bat
tie OF Ner,b Point and the British zine thous
and He adds 81 went in with Madison for
the war, and fought it out. Virginia furnished
more soldiers than any other State; but Mary
laEd, in proportion to her size, furnished FIVE
times as many as any other. Massachusetts fur
nished fewer than any OF the States. Maryland
with an area OF ten thousand square miles, placed
6!ty-two thousand men in the field" Colonel
Brewer is still active, and walks from bis house.
on Jefferson street. TO his Office every day.
Major Dryden came to Baltimore in 1903
from whence is not stated when Howard s
woods came within 200 yards Of his present res
idence on Liberty street The principal trade
carred1n till after the war OF 1872 was 10 to-
bacco, brought by wagons from the up coautry
and by packets from the bay counties. Daring
the war, feeling the dearth OF goods, cotton man
utactures were started In that war Mai. Dry
den enlisted in the fifth regiment Maryland vol
uneers Gen. Sterrett, commanding. He has
always thought the killing OF Gen. Ross was
what saved Baltimore. In politics Maj. Dryden
was always whig, but siHce the country turn
ed Henry Clay down ne had nothing to do with
elections whereas Col. Brewer says he was in
1900 for Thomas Jefferson and subsequently be-
came a Clay man Generally Maj. Dryden s
health is very good
| Jesse L. Hiss was born ia Baltimore county,
and like Col Brewer came to this city in 1900
| Where he was raised there we're ne amuse.
nents except going to church, though he speaks
! of the old race course Of Timoneun, not far off
| where Gen RIdgey brought out seine very fine
horses He records also that Baltimore in the
old time was great place Tor cock fighting, the
most respectable citizens raising their birds.
When be came here he went to learn his trade
Of chairmaking with Mr.. Fisher, grandfather o.
the present bankers, and during the brisk trade
previous to the war of 1912 used to ship chairs
around Cape Horn, and he did also tremend
Gus business with the West Indies. When tn,
! war broke out he was sworn ia az soldier q
| Annapolis, and in the battle of North Point bi:
command was entrenched in Patterson Park
where the Notifications still remain. he wa
here also in the riot of 1912, when Gen. LiugaI
was killed He was a jackson man and Away
democrat. Mr. Hiss ia now very feeble, aud
as will have been SEEM is the oldest OF the thre
veterans. Maj Dryden is the president aad Gel
Brewer secretary of the Old Defenders Assecia
tion. Long may their example be treasured ant
their memories remain green in our midst
! Bdlto Sun