The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-08-02

been ordered and would arrive in q brief
time At dusk, peering out of the
windows of the round-house, we saw the
wagons carrying our rations captured by
the crowd, and the dishes and contents
hurled into the street, while the crowd
in the streets augmented with
the night thoughts of sleep were given
over, and guards were stationed at the
windows of the round-house and also
the yards. They were out of reach of
the crowd, and had instructions to fire
upon any persons who attempted to
enter.
AT midnight the crowd outside, as we
could observe from the windows, had
grown into many thousands, and shots
were fired at lis from out of the yards of
the company i'll close proximity to the
round house. We replied to them, but
with what effect we were unable to ascer-
tain. When the fire was started in the
box cars we became seriously alarmed,
and some few of our men, L have heard,
made their way out of their quarters in
citizens clothes, and escaped from their
perilous position, We could see long
lines of cars one after another burning,
but did not expose ourselves to the guns
of the mob. The fire slowly but surely
crept down upon us, and about this time
the crowd captured one of the guns be-
longing to hutchinson Battery of Pitts
burgh, and attempted to getitinto position
to fire upon us. It was heavily loaded, we
knew, and if fired in SO close proximity
to us must have done heavy damage.
We prevented them from putting it in
position. however, as we covered it well,
and were in quarters where we could
pick off the men without much injury to
ourselves. A number OF times freight
cars were run between us and the gun,
| which shielded the strikers from our
shots, but they finally gave the matter
| up and hauled the gun away. All this
time the situation was becoming more
and more serious.
''The fire was creeping down upon us
with a certainty of driving us out sooner
or later. The crowd, too, was growing
more dense, and bold threats of violence
should we come out were distinctly
heard away up the track. In the yard
where the cars were burning we could
see men pillaging, while their old rusty
arms mingled with bright barrels which
flashed III the glare of destruction. Sud
denly down the grade came one car after
another, some laden with oil, which was
atire and burned tiercely. The cars were
sent down i'll order that they might ig-
mite the wooden work of the round house
and the companys lumber-yards. They
were heavily laden with ccmbustible
material, and when the box cars took
| fire they burst and scattered their con-
tents in every direction, dealing out dis
aster with lavish hand The machine
shops between Twenty fifth and Tween
| ty-sixth streets then caught fire, and
soon our building was surrounded with a
wall of fire. The heat became so in
tense that we were obliged to retire
from the windows and gathered in the
center of the building. Many of us
would have run out, but the
danger from the outside from the
violence of the crowd was as much
to be feared as the fiery element fast APP
preaching us. At the dawn of day
consultation of officers was held, which
was prolonged for some time. It was
then decided that we must go out and
face the angry devils who made the
streets in the neighborhood black with
| their presence. It was better to run the
risk OF being shot down than burned to
death, and SO we filed out formed in
compact body, preceded by Gatling
guns, with Maj. Gen. Britton and Brig
Gems. Matthews and Land at the head.
1t was lively time, [ tell you. We
soon reached the United States arsenal,
where we thought we would be pro-
tected."
When the regiment left the round
house they were followed by the mob,
and many of them had thgir guns wrested
from them by the strikers, who III turn
shot down the soldiery. The militia
made for the United States arsenal, but
Maj. Burlington, the commandant, re-
fused to allow them to enter. Then the
fear-stricken men commenced to scale
the walls and seek refuge behind great
piles of bombs IL the gun-yard. The
bravest of the lads remained on the
street, returning shot for shot with the
crowd, while Mai Burlington pressed
upon their officers the necessity of form
ing the men solidly and resisting the
attacks of the mob. They were too
frightened, however. and preferred to
retreat, which they did past the arsenal
and away up the river toward the village
of Sharpsburg. Only twenty regulars
| were stationed at the arsenal, IL force en-
tirely too small to cope with any degree
of success with the rioters.
Il SUICIDES LETTER.
William III. Chamberiin, the spend
thrift son of a Burlington, Iowa, capt
talist, who committed suicide the other
day, left the following note, addressed to
his parents lit pains me very much to
bring this terrible calamity on you. but
| for my case 1 see no other resort. T
have spent very unhappy life ever
since my return from the sea. How