Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-07-25

the conflict, determined to have revenge
on the troops and railroad officials.
1t was stated that Gen. Pearson,
commander of the sixth division of the
State Guard. had directed the troops
to fire before any resistance had been
made, and the fact that many of those
killed and wounded had gathered on
the hillside merely as spectators served
to increase the bitterness of the crowd.
By eight o'clock in the evening mobs
were moving about the city in various
directions sacking stores to secure
arms, breakin. into the armories of the
military companies and preparing
themselves to execute the threats freely
expressed of massacreing the entire
Philadelphia command.
BY this time the military had
Withdrawn from the railroad crossing
at Twenty-eighth street, where the
first conflict took place, and were
ordered TO one of the round houses
where they could find better protection.
About ten o'clock in the evening a
mob numbering several thousand cons
gregated about the round house. They
had previously captured the guns
belonging to Hutchinson's Battery, a
local organization, and planted them
so as to command the round-house:
Several solid shots were fired at the
building, and u breach made in the
walls, but when the Infatuated mob
attempted to rush into the building
the military were ordered to fire. The
volley of musketry which followed
and the rumors that the Calling guns
of the command were being brought
into requisitlou, caused panic, and
the mob fed precipitately for several
squares, the military meanwhile keep
ing up the fusilade.
The rioters, however, were soon
treasured, and as thousands were
tiocking to their assistance they return
ed to the attack. Finding it difficult
to dislodge the military from the
building they resolved to burn them
out. An order to this effect was issued
and 1t was carried into execution with
fiendish alacrity BY the rioters. IN
consequence of the blockade which
had existed for two days the sidings
in the outer depot yards as well as
those extending eastward some three
or four miles were crowded with
freight cars filed with grain, produce
and merchandise of all kinds, besides
which a number Of ladeued oil cake
and coal cars were piled up in the
mass
While a portion of the mob
surrounded the building in which the
military had taken refuge, large bodies
proceeded to set fire to the oil cars,
and in moment the huge volumes of
black smoke which rolled upwards out
in every direction told that the work
Of destruction had commenced. The
sight Of The flames seemed to literally
craze the rioters, some of whom rushed
wildly about with flaming torches in
their hands, applying them to the cars
indiscriminately. An alarm was sound
ed and the department promptly
responded, but the rioters had complete
control Of the city and refused to
permit them to go to make any effort
to extinguish the flames. They said
they were determined to destroy the
railroad companys property, but do
no injury to that belonging to private
citizens. They kept their WORD, too,
and when lumber pile belonging to a
citizen took fire the rioters themselves
turned in and helped to extiuguish the
flames and remove the lumber to a
safe place.
Train after train was fired by the
Infatuated crowd, but the cars were so
far distant from the roundshouses that
the heat did not seriously affect the
military, although their position was
one of peril. Finally a large party of
strikers captured car filled with coke,
which they run from the Allegheny
Valley railroad track to siding con-
nection with the Pennsylvania railroad
They then procured large quantities
ofpetroleum oil, aud pouring it over
the coke ignited the materials. In q
very few moments the car was a mass
of fire, aud it was then pushed along
the tracks and forced against the
roundhouse. The building was soon
ignited and the soldiers were now
compelled to prepare to fight their way
out through the frenzied mass of hu-
mainly clamoriug for their blood. The
building did not burn as rapidly as
was desired, and the mob, bent on re-
venge, rushed out the road ard sent
burning trains toward the doomed
buildings.
ESCAPE FROM THE SEA OF FIRE.
From midnight until FIVE o'clock
this morning the main efforts of the
crowd were directed to firing the
buildings and cars, but about half an
hour later the mob which had been
besieging the military from some I'M
explained reason withdrew. This
dAolueu lllo AOoPoi Nuo nVlC III aStuT
al danger of being roasted alive, an
opportunity to emerge from the build
ing, and they succeeded in reaching
Liberty street in very few moments
They quickly formed in line and
marched up to Thirty,third street, aud
thence to Pennsylvania avenue and
Butler street. Their objective point
was the United States arsenal on
Butler street, where they expected
to obtain shelter.
FIGHTING THEIR WAY.
While turning Into Butler street,
however, the leaders had discovered
their retreat. and fully one thousand.
armed and equipped with ammuni-
tior, followed in pursuit. Some of
the troops fred on the citizens, either
accidentally or Intentionally, as they
moved along, and this added fury to
the cry for revenge. When they
reached the arsenalthe commander re-
fused to admit them. He said he had