Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-08-24

1855. TIE residue Of the year vas devoted
to placing the town in posture of defence, and
in scndipg troops to garrison the forts above,
watching the mountain passes and patroDg
the county above as the best protection Of the
town. During the fall and winter Col. Wash
ington, whc, az conmanderin chief of the Viz
gnia forces, aas constantly moving from one
portion CT lis command to the other, wac sell
dom absent from Alexandria more than two
weeks at d time. His recruiting stations were
at Alexandra and Fredericksburg. His base
OF supplies was Alexandria. lie appointed
Mr. kirkpatrick, of Alexandria, his secretary,
aud Capt. Geo. Mercer his aid. and the re.
cruitDg Office at the inn where Harlow build
ing stands was constantly open. One Of the
difficulties OF his command was found in pro-
viding the clothing for the troopa. Shoes cost
the soldiers twice their value, and the conrac-
tors employed by Gov Diow!ddie had, Wash.
ipgton complained sometime before, furnished
his recruits with "coats Of sleazy cloth without
Iiripg, and wastcoats of indifferent flannel,
and the same troubles still beset him. Carlyle
& Dalton offered ITO make ono hundred com.
plete suits for Is each or less, as good as those
| imported" but the Governor seems to have
taken no action on The offer of the Alexandria
| firm. Provisions were superintendent, but
! there were no means to Store and preserve them
! in hIcxandria, ard Washington recommended
! that tho uverplus be sent to the West Indies
and exchanged for rum, which could be brought
| To Alexandria and made the basis for rrocur.
| ing clothing supplies for the troops.
| There had been brought to town shortly
before lraddocks arrival como prisoners Of
war--a French officer, NJ. Dtulllon, two cadets
and seventeen prvatcS. Washington mad de-
sired to return them, but Dinwlddic kept them
as hostages for soma prisoners held BY the
French. The officer and the cadets were allowed
full liberty, but when Braddock arrived in
Alcxapdris 1T was deemed improper for them
10 90 at large ard observe the movements OF
the Generals army Gov. Dinwddic hat!
applied to Com. Keppe! to take them on his
| ships, but lie deciined on the ground that ho
had no instructions relative to prisoners. Cen.
| Brsddock had put the privates on board OF one
of his transports and sent thom to Eng!and,
but NJ. DruIlion and the two cadets remained
for some time in Alexandria, but after Brad
dock defeat they were sent back IN ships at
the public cXpence.
la the fall there was no little apprehension
that, cmbo!dcned by the victory,tho French end
Indians might push on even as far as AicXan-
dria. Nearly every day families moved from
outlying settlements to safer portions. and the
population Of tho LOWE was DOT little increased
from this source The militia was kept Oh the
alert, and several m1uoted companies were
gathered Tor temporary service, and nlatchcd
to the Ecishborhood OF Winchester. The State
records contain the names OF the officers and
members of tho Fairfax troop Of horse which
was gathered at Alexandra soon alter the do,
feat, and in the ial! eallopcd away toward the
| So do 90 fall .
Lewis EiIzey, captain Sampson Turley, lieu
tenant Samuel Tett, corporal James Til.
lett, DO. Sampson Demovill, do; jeremiah
Hutchinson, do; Joseph Stephens, do; Philip
Grymes, d.. Gilbert Simpson, jun., do;
troopers. George Shortridge, Benjamin Ladd,
Nathan Williamson, Vincent Boggess, Joseph
Fry, Daniel Thomas, Benjamin lIutchison,
George Sinp:oo, Holland Middleton, Shonas
Shcre, William Southland, Robert Watson,
servaot to Lewis EIzey. Thomas Simmonds,
John Berkeley, junior, Francis Eaton, William
Pickett, Jesse Martin, Charles NcWland, Thos.
West, Johu Price, Richard NewalI. James
Chambcriayue, Thomas Cartwright, David
Thanas, Junior, Edward Davis, VIM. Peake,
Junior, William Trammell, VIM. Scutt, VIM.
Musgrove, YIN. Hayes, Edwsrd Masersor,
Mark Chiffon, Thomas Triplett, VIM. Norris,
VIZ. Smith, John Stephens Thomas Osborn.
George Saunders, Daniel Shoemaker, Joseph
Burson, Simon Shoemaker, Edward Hardin,
Nicholas Grymes. Michael Rcgan junior, VIM.
ORsey, Joseph Jones. Joseph MARTIN, Wm.
Stsckhouse, John Snclare, David Smith,
Clement Gamer aud John Dawson.
Each of these troopers was furnished with q
saddle and breastplate, cIupper ard curb, bride,
carbinc and bucket, holsters, case OF pistols,
cutting sword, double cartridge box, with prop
: rlr & firm Sj c6
the powder, lead and i!nts for this service.
Benz. Vslaudingham, an ancestor OF the late
! Hon. 9. Il. Yaandingham, of Ohio, was en-
gagged al express rider with this troop, as were
Thomas Grafert and Garrett Bolin, who had
been the chain carriers in laying out Ale2au.
dria. John Gladin who bad put posts to the
town lots, Richard MoxIoy Edward Seed and
! VIM. West were among the purVeyors Tor this
| troop.
As tho alarm On The frontier drove many
settlers back into safer places, the farms near
the iowa Increased 10 number. TIC supply and
recruitment Of the troops added to lis trade,
and business went up faster than at any pro-
| vOus period OF its short cxlstenoa. There was
a general alarm 10 October and County Lieu.
tenant Fairfax called cut the militia Of the
! town and county, but their services were not
needed. All 'tramps" were seized and put ia
| tho army, and every twentieth militia man
conscr pied for regular service. On one occasion
Capt. Waggener marched with thirty recruits
| from Alexandria to Winchester 10 three days,
which Washington 'ssid was "a great march
indeed" Washington was in Alexandria for
! the last time in 1855, during the first days Of
December. Ga the 4.h ten officers arrived,
| with whom he expected largo number Of re-
cruita, but to his disappointed lhoy brought
| only twenty. lie spent his Christmas on the
frontier, and the town closed the year in peace,
while his troops under Providence, kept it SAFE
1856. ashington was again in Alexandria
in January 1885, la pursuance Of his power
to enforce the orders OF the Governor in tho
army, be scot the skipper Of weasel who had
been embeEzng military stores to Williams
burg in 4 vessel in chargc of Maj. Carlyle.
Poulson having left him TO join Gage 4 rcRi-
ment he warmly recommended Dennis hlcCsrty
iJr the vacant commission.
The following mouth he left town again to
visit, at Boston, Gen. Shirley, Commander in