Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-30
HE Regular Troops at the Inaugural.
ton of President Lincoln. March 4.


The Regular Troops at the lnaugura.
ton of President Lincoln. March 4.
1861.
To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
The recent article of Gen. Chas p Stone, en-
titled Washington on the Eve of the War" as
published in The STAR of Thursday, is most
wonderful production, characterized by very
marked peculiarities, fertility of Imagination,
some force and vigcr OF expression. but. withal,
an INSCRIPTIONS infdelty to actual reality No
other writer OF the history of the war possesses
To like degree the p0rtentous power of identi-
Tying himself with such multitude of the most
diverse indlvidualities, and OF identifying him.
self so completely that all other participants in
the stirring scenes he relatesare utterly ignored
and lost sight of. Referring to the Inauguration
OF President Lincoln. March f. 1861 to the
District militia, body of inexperienced. undis-
cipiined men. (and IN some instances Of ques-
tioBahie ioyalty,) recruited from the engine
houses and the highways and byways Of the
District. he aecords all the honor and
credit attaching TO the protection Of the person
OF che President on that occasion. or the
regular troops; the cavalry company from the
school OF practice. Carlisle barracks, Pennsyi-
vania; the company of sappers and miners from
West Point aud the battery of artillery. priuc-
paiiy veterans in the best condition Of drill and
discipline which fierce. particularly the cavalry
cGnt's-,. Dy special order constituted the Presi-
dent personal escort. and ,rds such to all in
Cents and purposes. Gen. Stone has nothing to
say except In terms Of dispara.ement and in
contra'listinction to the eminent services of the
raw recruits that composed the District yoluu-
teers- OF the REGULAR officers attached TO the
organizations nanled-Stuart. Griffin. Maeru-
der and I.omax. graduates of the military AGA
deny. and others. and their participation in the
President eseort--there Is not q single syllable
IL this extended statement.
With no desire 10 criticise or c0ntrovert Gen.
stones general history Of the Inauguration
am, however, compelled to say that his disposi-
ton of the regular cavalry Is absolutely and IN
qualihedly erroneous. When ii In understood
that regular officer. in command ct the time
subsequently wrote q correct history Of the
affair, which has been universally regarded as
the best authority In the matter. Cen Stones
perversion OF the facts in this regard = nj the
more incomprehensble.
Attached, as i was, to the cavalry COMPANY
which came here long before the appearance
Gin uniformly OF any new organization OF District
volunteers, and which company was drilled fol
weeks In the Monument lot preparatory to the
Inauguration ceremonies, escort duty, } know
eomething0f the arrangements Ia connection
Herewith, and now, after period Of twenty.
two years, In the name Of the few survivors Of
the company, old veterans, .infaitessinals OF
wR, passers ut the last hour and standing IL
the radiance Of the tomb, / protest against
the UNAUTHORIZED and unwarranted statements
OF any man falsifying their services and record
On that memorable occasion
w. F. MELBOURNE.