The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-08-10

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Prom the Philadelphia Press
Second Lieutenant 3. j. Stewart, Of
the State Fencibles, returned 10 this
city from Pittsburgh yesterday, and Is
the only member Of that company
which has thus far reached the city,
nearly all the others being encamped Al
BlairsyiIle unable % move either way.
Lieut.. Stewart tells a most interesting
story, his account Of his adventures as
given to a Press reporter being very
graphic. He accompanied the com
mand to Pittsburgh, leaving here on
Friday night. On Saturday morning
the Fencibles, and portions Of the LIST,
Sd, and 9th regiments, with the Wash
inton Grays, we're ordered 10 clear the
crowd of some twenty-five hundred
rioters from the outer depot, and the
soldiers started with the Washington
Grays in the advance. Their orders
were simply 10 press the crowd back
without firing, and the men marched
forward with muskets crossed. One Of
the rioter caught hold Of a musket in
the hands Of a soldier Of the LIST Rcgi-
ment, and sullenly calculated: "You
would not shoot a w~orkingman. would
your" "No!" was the reply; I" all we
want is for you TO fall back and clear
the rails" The next moment the rioter
aimed his revolver and fired. This was
followed by a volley Of bullets and a
shower of stones from the crowd.
"A number Of soldiers fell, and
in the next instant the front rank fired
without orders, and the firing was con-
tinued for ten minutes, when the multi
tude dispersed. After the troops were
quarteredi in the round-house Lieut.. Stew
art was sent back to the Union Depot
Hotel, where Adj Gen. Latta and Gen.
Pearson were quartered, in order to OBJ
tain some medicine for several sick
comrades. On the way he was stopped
by six of the strikers, one Of whom
grabbed his %overcoat, and another dealt
him a heavy blow with q barrel-stave.
He broke away from them and managed
TO reach a coal-bin, where he hid until
the rioters returned to the mob, which
was beginning to besiege the round
house, when Lieut.. Stewart made his
way TO the Union Depot, and, finding it
impossible to return to his command,
remained there. This was at 10 o'clock
Sunday night, and for the next six
hours the air was filled with the noise
Of the bombardment of the temporary
fort, the yells Of the rioters, and the
flames Of burning property. All this
time Lieut.. Stewart was an involuntary
prisoner at the hotel, and on inquiry in
the morning found that Gen. Latta and
Gen. Pearson had escaped in citizens
clothes. The proprietor Of the hotel,
urh,ob xvas mart ~ tho Ior.< Ir:lIsr-
warned the Lieutenant not to show him.
self, as the riotors were searching the
house for Philadelphia soldiers, and
he remained locked in his room
until Sunday morning at 10 o'clock, wit
Messing the work of devastation going
on in all directions. He saw IS Pull
man p~alace-cars fired by the mob, and
describes the manner in which the
freight-cars were sacked, saying that
men and women fought over the goods
rs they were thrown out to them, and
as these goods consisted Of merchandise
Of almost every description, the scene
was at times as comical as 1t was terri
BILE. Men would struggle along under
the weight of hams, clothes, furniture,
etc., their faces smeared with grease
and dirt, and their hands sometimes
bloody from injuries received in the
reckless scramble for plumber; others
would roll barrels of -four, sugar, and
whisky along toward their homes, stop
ping to rest now and then by sitting on
the barrel; other kegs Of liquor were
tapped, and the rioters filed themselves
to repletion, while carts, wagons, and
vehicles Of every description were hur-
rying 4 and fro bearing away the
goods. At a little before 10 o'clock on
Sunday morning Lieut.. Stewart saw the
rioters saturate a carload of hay with
c~oal-oil and run ii into the depot direct
liz under him, and the next moment he
found the hotel was on ire. To show
himself in his uniform would be instant
death, as the mob never ceased their
search for Philadelphia soldiers, yet to
stay longer would only be to become
food for the approaching flames. Hear
ing a footstep in the entry, the Lieuten-
ant cooked his revolver, and, opening
the door, discovered a colorcd waiter APP
preaching He called the mar into the
room. locked the door, and quickly in
duccd him 70 give up his civilians dress,
and rs quickly put il on. leaving the
waiter with the uniform and some $50
Gall the money the Lieutenant had with
him). II 80 happened that the colored
man was very short and very fat, while
the Lieutenant Is very tall and very slim.
His appearance, when arrayed in a pair
Of breeches six inches too short about
the legs, and several times too ample
about the waist, with a straw hat and a
sca Jacket two sizes too short for him,
was % absurd that, IN spite Of the dan
ger, the Lieutenant could not help laugh
Ing. But he lost no time in making his
way out, and shortly afterward, while
standing nnrecOgnized in the mob. saw