The true northerner., 1877-08-10
A NARROW ESCAPE.


otate tenclDles, tells most interesting
story Of his escape from the Pittsburgh
mob, his account of his adventures, as
given to Philadelphia Press reporter,
being very graphic. On Saturday morn
ing the Fencibles and portions of the
First, Third and Sixth regiments, with
the Washington Grays, were ordered to
clear the crowd of some $500 rioters
from the outer depot, and the soldiers
started, with the Washington Grays in
the advance. Their orders were simply
to press the crowds back without firing,
and the men marched forward with mus
kets crossed. One of the rioters caught
hold of a musket in the hands of /. SOL
dier OF the First regiment, and sullenly
ejaculated: "You would not shoot a
workingman, would youi i" "No r. was
the reply; call we want is for you to fall
back and clear the rails" The next mo-
ment the rioter aimed his revolver and
fired. This was followed by volley of
bullets and a shower of stones from the
crowd. A number of soldiers fell, and
IN the next instant the front rank fred
without orders, and the firing was con-
tinued for ten minutes, when the multi
tude dispersed. After the troops were
quartered in the round-house Lieut..
Stewart was sent to the Union Depot
Hotel, where Adjt. Gen. Latta and Gen.
Pearson were quartered, in order to OBJ
tain some medicine for several sick COM
rades. 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 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 heuse,
when Lieut.. Stewart made his way to the
Union Depot, and, finding it impossible
to return to his comrades remained
there. This was at 10 O'Clock Saturday
night, and for the next six hours the air
was filed with the noise of the lombard
ment of the temporary fort, the yells of
the rioters, and the flames of burning
property. All this time Liert. Stewart
was an involuntary prisoner at the hotel,
and on inquiry in the morning found that
Gen. Latta and Gen. Pearson had es-
capped in citizens clothes. The proprie-
tor of the hotel, which was part OF the
depot building, warned the Lieutenant
not to show himself, as the rioters were
searching the house for Philadelphia sol
diers, and he remained locked up IN his
room until Sunday morning at 10 O'Clock,
witnessing the work of devastation going
on in all directions. He saw seventy
five Pullman palace cars fired by the
mob, and describes the manner III which
the freight cars were sacked, saying that
the men and women fought over the
goods as they were thrown out to them,
and, as these goods consisted of mer-
chandise of almost every description, the
scene was at times as comical as it was
terrible. Men would struggle along un-
der the weight OF hams, clothes, furni-
ture, etc., their faces smeared with
grease and dirt, and their hands some
times bloody from injuries received in
the reckless scramble for plunder; 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 filled themselves
to repletion, while carts, wagons, and
vehicles of every description were hur-
rying to and fro bearing away the goods.
At little before 10 o'clock on Sunday
morning Lieut. Stewart saw the rioters
saturate carload OF hay with coal oil
and run it into the depot directly under
him, and the next moment the hotel was
on fire. 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. Hearing footstepin the entry,
the Lieutenant cooked his revolver, and,
opening the door, discovered n colored
waiter approaching. He called the man
into the room, locked the door, and quick
ly induced him to give up his civilians
dress, and as quickly put it on, leaving
the waiter with the uniform and some
$40 Gall the money the Lieutenant had
with him). 1t SO happened that the
colored man was very short and very fat,
while the Lieutenant is very tall and very
slim. His appearance, when arrayed ia
pair of breeches six inches too short
about the legs, and several times too am
pie about the waist, with straw hat
and pea jacket two sizes too short for
him, was so absurd that IN spite OF the
danger the Lieutenant could not help
laughing. But he lost no time in max
ing his way out, and, shortly afterward,
while standing unrecognlzed IN the mob,
saw several of the rioters emerge from
the burning hotel with the neither gar
ment of his Uniform torn into pieces and
fastened to pole. He then started to
find his company, and, hearing they had
crossed the river, followed their sup
posed route as well as he could learn it
from cautiously listening to the remarks
of the rioters (for to have asked ques-
tion would have placed him III imminent
peril of being discovered and murdered),
but, at IL o'clock Sunday night he lost
his way. He was without 8 cent of
money and afraid to beg, and finally went
to sleep under coal car. The next
morning he came on coal train as tar
as Harrisburg, where he made himself
known TO conductor, and was passed
through to this city. He was without
food from Saturday noon until Monday
night, and, of course, arrived here
greatly exhausted from want OF nourish-
ment, but otherwise none the worse for
his terrible ordeal.