Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-21
The Strikers War.

account of the riot 10 that city last night:
At about three o'clock yesterday afternoon,
when the news had been received 10 the city
that the strike at Cumberland threatened to as
sumo dangerous aspect, Gov. Carro'i oeid
consultation with the officers OF the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. and from the additiopat 10,
formation thus received he became convinced
that the presence of the military at Cumber,
land was necessary for the prcserVatioa ol
peace and order. lie thcreupoD ISSUED proc
lamation admonishiug all to preserve tue peace
and ordered Brigadier General Herbert to pro.
coed with the Fifth regiment OF Inc Maryland
line to Cumberland to suppress the diSiurp'
apces there and along the line OF tho Il. " y.
railroad ,
Soon afterwards Gen. Herbert held con-
ference with his Eycellency, during which 1t
was considered whether the military should be
summoned to their respective armorIes by
"mljtarv calp' from the city bells The opinion
was EXPRESSED that in this manner larger
number of soldiers would be got together, but
Gov, Carroll was opposed to the ringing OF the
bells, stating that this would create an excite
mept, aud perhaps lead to serious consequences.
| The result showed only how we'll founded were
his fears. Gen. Herbert accordingly sent Tor
Can't. Zolliugcr, the senior captain OF the Fifth
rsg;ueut, add requested him TO call bis men to
eelber, and be ready with his regiment to leave
the armory at O'CLOCK. Col. Peters was also
notified to order the members OF bis regiment
to meet at the armOry between the hours oil 3
and o'clock, and hold themselves ready for
az emergency. at about half past 5 clock
| Cant. Edward Johnson Of the Filth regiment,
| reported at the headquarters OF brlgadlcr Gen
eral Herbert, at the City Hall, that there were
one bupdrcd and fifty men at the Filth RegI-
ment Armory, aud that still larger number OF
men would join if they were notified by the
military call that their services were required.
General Herbert then held another conference
| with the Governor, and urged that the bells be
runc to summon additional men to the armo,
rics, The Governor then consented to leave
the matter with the Brigader General. At
| this consultation it was ascertalncd that the
| Fifth regiment would be able to muster only
about two hundred aud fifty mc0, aud that &c
additional force would be necessary to qucl the
disturbance at Cumberland. Orders we're &C
cordiurlv issued to Col. Peters 10 have three
! companies with ono hundred and fifty men
ready at moments notice to march IN the
| evening, aud the balance OF the members to re-
main under arms at the Armory at night IN
case their services might be needed.
Upon returning to the City hall GEE. Her
bert forWarded al order TO j. Frank Morrison,
SUPERINTENDENT Of the Police aud Fire Alarm
Telegraph, to strike the military call, Is |, on
the City Hall and fire bells, aud at about twenty
minutes Of six the alarm was sounded. lie
| people kucw what it meaut, and ii is uGpeccS-
sary to say that the worst anticpatlons OF the
| Governor we're realized. Men and boys OF all
ages congregated 10 front of the armoues, and
their conduct aud actions showed that the ma
| thu i CHI md
determined, if possible, to prevent the soldiers
eay the city for the scene Of the disturbance.
| AS it was evident that any unnecessary mill.
tary display through the streets Of the city
would create excitement, Gen. Herbert sent
word to the armorics that the men should
march from their headquarters direct TO Cam.
den Station. The Fifth regiment, with two
hundred and fifty men, and the three companies
| of the Sixth, numbering one hundred and fifty
men, FIVE thousand rounds OF ammunition and
DAVIS ratioos to be taken by the men. After
issuing these supplementary orders, Gen. Her
| bert detailed Major Brady to proceed to Cam
| den Station and make the necessary arrange
| meuts for the transportation OF the troops. lie
also directed Geographic messages to be seat TO
| Adutant General McNulty and Captains Chcw
| and cambridge, the latter being engineer OF the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, all OF whom wero
absent from the city, asking them TO report at
Cumberland early this morning. hlT. McNu.ty
is 10 New York, and Mr.. Chew 10 Saratoga.
! The General, with those members OF his staff
who were present, being Major i. Duval, Cap
tains J. w. Brady. J. Mason Jamison, j. W.
| Wood, Ordnance Officer Thomas Hilton and
Surgeon MckncH, proceeded to Bagnun's LILO.
tel Tor the purpose Of receiving the Governor 5
| orders before departure. The Governor stated
that he called out the military to the scene Of
action more for the purpose of preventing, by
their presence, any disturbance than for Gu
gagiug 10 any plan OF operation, aud it was his
| opinion that the presence of three hundred
| soldiers would have the effect Of causing the
rioters to dcsist from acts Of lawlessncs3 and
| violence. Alter receiving the necessary orders
Gen. Herbert proceeded with his staff 10 his
carriage to Camden Station. Although there
was quito a crowd 10 iront Of the City Hall, is
we'll as 10 front Of Barnum's, when the General
| left, no demonstration OF any kind was made,
and the staff was allowed to quietly proceed 10
| Camden Station.
10 the lower and central sections Of the city
the military call sounded by big Sam' and
| the tire bells created the Widest excitement.
| 1t is 20 secret that q very large number OF the
| laborers and working people OF the city arc 10
sympathy with the railroad strikers, aud their
|
nent when they heard that the gun and the
bsyopet were to be used in supprcssiug the acts
Of violence of the strikers. The armory Of the
Sixth Regiment is located on the northwest
corner of Fayette and Front streets, aud at
about 7 o'clock it was surrounded by mob
! NUN herring at least two thousand persons
The crowd vas continually reinforced by fresh
arrivals, and at half past o clock an mpenctra-
bic mass Of humanity extended along Front St,
all the way from Baltimore to Gay on The north
and south, and High and the bridge on the
east and west. The rlotous men in this crowd
must be held mainly responsible for the acts
Of violence of last night, which, as will her,at-
| ter be shown, resulted 10 the murder OF nearly
dczen persons, and in the wouuding Of many
more, most of whom were innocent spectators,
and had no connection with the lawlcss crowds.
As is usual in such cases a crowd OF persons,
mere lockers ca and taxing 10 participation in
| the riot, gathered about the armory, aud were
10 fact The chief sufferers by the lawcss pro-
ccediDgs.