The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-09
AT THE ROUND HOUSE.
A Philadelphia Lieutenant's Story Told
at Home.
He Fights the Battle of the Round House
Over Again.
PHILADELPHIA Times of Tuesday.

lInllhutlplld lluleh Ol lueSuhy.l
Lieutenant James P. Elliott, of the
Washington Grays, acting Assistant
Adjutant General on the staff of Gener-
al E. Wallace Matthews, commanding
the First Brigade, First Division, P. N.
G., who was in the thick of the battle
of Pittsburgh, gives the following con-
else but graphic account Of the memora-
BILE ARRAY
When the troops issued from the cars
in the Union Depot they were met by a
large number of people, who appeared
to be in perfect good humor and even
greeted them with cheers. That the
bloodshed that afterwards followed
would take place was, therefore, the last
thing that entered the minds of the
soldiers. After a lunch of sandwiches
and coffee had been served the troops
remained in the depot until haIf.past
three o'clock, when the First Brigade,
composed ofthe First Regiment, Compa-
MES B and G Of the Third, the Washing.
ton Grays and WeCCacoe Legion
marched down the track as far as
Twenty-eighth street, accompanied by
Vice-President Cassatt, Mr.. Pitcairn, Su-
perintendent of the Western Division of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, Sheriff Fife
and forty-tive deputies, armed with
writs for the arrest of prominent stri-
kers. At Twenty eighth street the head
of the column, composed oi the Wecca-
coe Legion and the Washington Grays,
found themselves confronted by mob
about two thousand strong, while on the
hill, some 400 feet high, that faced the
right of the column, there were ranged
an immense multitude, at least ten thou
ssnd strong. On the brow of the hill
were stationed detachments of the
Fourteenth and Eighteenth Pennsyl-
vania Regiments Pittsburgh troops),
and Immediately aboye the railroad two
pieces of Hutchinson's Pittsburgh Bat
terry. Sheriff Fife after in vain endeav-
oring to serve his writs, read the riot act,
at which the mob jeered and laughed,
whereupon the Sheriff and his deputies
and Mr., Cassatt and Mr. Pitcairn retired
in profound disgust. The troops were
then deployed for the purpose of sweep
ing the mob from the tracks, the Grays
and WecCaCoe Legions facing the two
thousand or more strikers that occupied
the tracks. At the back of the command
was train of coal cars, behind which
there were about 200 of the strikers. In
order to force the principal mob back the
soldiers of the Grays and the Legion
crossed their muskets, their intention
being to avoid doing the strikers injury.
The crowd laughed and ieered, and final.
ly attempted to wrest the muskets from
the soldiers, who then came to charge
bayonet, and the melee that necessarily
followed one of the strikers was wound
ed by bayonet thrust. The cry arose
from the mob: "Stick to it; give it to
them don't fall back p and the men
behind the coal cars began discharging
pistols at the soldiers from under and
between the cars, while the crowd in
front began heaving stones, with which
q number of the soldiers were hit, and
Sergeant Bernard, of the Legion, was
seriously wounded. The firing by the
troops then began. There was no order
given for it. 1t began by the discharge
OF single musket, and was Immediately
followed by an almost simultaneous dis
charge from front and rear, right and left
of the brigade. The firing lasted about
ten minutes, men continually dropping
in the fast retreating mob. 1t was &C this
time that the Pittsburgh troops threw
down their arms and fraternized with |
the strikers, Hutchinson's Battery and a
cavalry company alone excepted. With.
in five minutes after the firing ceased |
the mob was back again, bit refrained |
for while from further insults upon the |
Philadelphians, and therefore there was
no firing upon them. ut was the most |
persistent mob" said Lieutenant Elliott,
II ever saw" The brigade remained on
the field of battle until six o'clock, when
they were ordered by General Pearson
back to the round house, adjoining which
Is building in which was stationed the
Second Brigade.
THE RETREAT THE GREAT MISTAKE:
1t was this retreat that was the great
mistake of the occasion. If the mob
had been pushed Immediately they were
"a. Il - 4