Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-01
MEMPHIS TENN: WEDNESDAY EVENING AUGUST l. 1871

tation-and while the officers and
men of the command were fully
alive to the gravity of the situation,
every one was cheerful and chiefly
anxious about ammunition.
At last, sometime after sunrise on
Sunday morning, we discovered
the mob at a new trick, as burning
cars were started down the tracks
neAt our buildings, one Of which
started long way off and intended
as a battcring ram came rushing
down, but fortunately its very We,
locity helped to throw it off and
thus form an effectual barrier to
their attack on that track. After
awhile another was filled with burn
ing spirits.
AS these cars stopped opposite
the walls Of the buildings we were
in we got out the hose with which
the machine shop was supplied,
and, covering the men using it by
the fire Of our muskets, succeeded
in putting out several, but soon
discovered that a building near ours,
and connected with it by a shed
stored with lumber, had been fired
in several places, and it became ap-
parent that no efforts Of ours could
extinguish it, and the round house,
which had sheltered lis so well dur
ing the troublous night was certain
ly doomed to destruction.
Having spiked the Napoleons,
which were too large to drag with
us, the command formed and
marched out of the burning build
ings into the street in columns of
fourS, the men moving with the
Iprecision of a street parade, and,
turning to tho right, marched to
Penn street, and thence back past
the buildings we had just left
Ipiloted by one or two Pittsburg
officers who had stood by us to the
end, and to whom all praise should
be given.
At first the mob seemed taken by
surprise. The street was lined with
women and children, and but few
shots were fired at us for consider.
able distance, but the way was long
and before we had gone very ial
struggling pistol shots became fre
quent in our rear, then got closer
and then the whirr of musket bul
lets fired by the mob began to bC
heard, and our men commenced tC
suffer.
AS one after another of them fel
their comrades demanded the right
to reply, but this was refused by
| the officers, and the men themselves
hesitated lest the women and child
ren who foolishly crowded the side
walk should again suffer, and many
a thief and murderer to-day owes
his continued existence to the fact
of our forbearance for the sake o.
the innocent.
But after time it got to be toe
severe, and it became necessary tC
stop the mob. You will notice that
all their attacks were in our rear,
for the mob never at any time
dared to attack the hesd or even
flank of our column, or in any
other manner than at our backs.
| And us we reached the arsenal
the Gatling guns were halted, and
when our men had entirely uncov-
cred them the rioters were aston
ished by a volley from part Of oul
infantry and a few shots from one
Of the Gatlings, scattering them in
every direction, never to reasSembl6
in any force SO far as we saw.
Having halted, General Brinton
applied to Major Burlington, who
was in command of the arsenal, fol
permission to form his men inside
the yard, where, protected by the
iron railing set on stone coping,
about like that of Washington
Square, a few men could keep the
mob at bay while their comrades
rested and refreshed themselves,
and where also we thought we
could have the great advantage OF
plentiful ammunition, a matter
which was becoming more and
more important.
Major Burlington, however, chur-
lishly refused our request, although
he agreed to let us leave our
wounded in his hospital, and, hav-
ing done SO and taken a short rest,
the command reformed and
marched on. General Brinton, after
this last exhibition Of hospitality,
feeling more than eyer satisfied that
he would have to 60 outside of
Pittsburg to get his much.needod
supplies, and the wisdom Of his
decision was shown by the event,
for how little could be expected III
that time from the Pittsbmg au-
thorities was further illustrated by
the fact that the police themselves
! fired on lis.
After much difficulty we found a
road by which we could cross the
river.
We lost some men between the
arsenal and Sharpsburg, and were