Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-11-18
THE WARS BEGINNING.
How the Union Soldiers We're Quar-.
tered in Capitol Building.

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The first troops which arrived ct Washine-
ton in April, 1881, were quartered in ths
capitol Tho Pennsylvanians were billetsd
in the committee-rooms and Offices Of the
house, the representative hall being reserved
for the Seventh regiment. Armsd nan and
the rude implements Of carnage masssd in
these marble corridors and gorgeous rooms,
awakened me to . deep ssnse Of the power
and the abandon Of military ruiz. On Tie
luxurious damask and hrocatel covered sofas
lay stretched men who probably never before
reposed In such magnifcence Over the
tapestrial carpet Of the door were strewn in
profusion and disorder the suddenly accumu-
lated stores Of the commissary's department
here slab Of bacon, there quarter Of
beet, Or nddle Of mutton, or Virgins
ham, sea-biscuit. tin drinking cups, papers
Of pepper, bags Of salt and cans OF vinegar
hlling up the insterssices, and rounding M
tho pyramid Upon the rich and costly
bronze ornaments, upon the gas chandelier.
and upon tie gilt brackets that held back
the silk and lace curtains, were festooned
knapsack and belt, cartridge-box and bay.
ouet-scabbard, the smaller implements and
surroundings Of soldier
In the halls and corridors the men wsv
being drilled and taught the expertneo Of
carnage. In broad contrast to the dark and
polished Tennessee marble wainscoting,
were the blue uniforms and rough hearing
OF the men Upon the rich encaustic filings
fell with dull, heavy sound the iron-shod
butts Of musket and rife. The arched and
frescoed ceiling echoed and re-echoed the
ringing clatter Of the ramrod, as the recruits
perfected themselves in the manual Of load
ing their pieces. In the senate chamber
were quartered the Sixth Massachusetts, reg.
iment Upon the cushioned sofas of the gal
leries OF the senate chamber the men found
excellent couches. When they had concluded
breakfast in the morning, and the guard for
the day being detailed, the remainder OF the
command were at their ease. In the vice
presidents chair sat Col Jones, the COM
mander Of the force, a frank, free-hearted,
soldierly- looking man. The clerks desk was
occupied by the adjutant and his assistants.
engaged in making up the muster-roll, re-
turns and acquisitions incident to active serv-
ics. The privates were engaged at the sem
ators' desks writing letters.
All the statuary in the halls Of the capitol,
and IN the old rotunda, had been boxed, to
preserve it from injury through carelessness
The pictures in the panels had also been faced
over with heavy planking, which secured
them from harm. The porticos Of the capitol
building were barricaded to the height of
about eight feet The iron plates for the |
new dome were used for the breastworks be- |
tween the marble columns Behind these |
werO placed barrels Of cement piles Of stone |
and timber, forming an impenetrable bar |
rier, in the rear of which the troops |
could take shelter in case Of an at |
tack. 1t seemed a strange contradiction /
to ses the workmen engaged in the construc |
ton Of the portico, going on with their |
labor of laying the foundation, amid thou. |
sands Of armed men; the click of the chisel, |
the stroke Of the hammer, and the ring Of |
the trowel, blending with the word Of com
mand, the challenge Of the guard, and the
tramp of the batallions drilling in the CORR
doris. So reluctant was civilization to receds
before the adv ancing desolation of war, tina.
he artisan fingered to enrich with his skill
the parnpet and dome that the morrow may
zee leveled to their foundations. Within
musket range Of the outposts Of the troops
we're even then q score Of men chiseling in
marble the flowers and clusters Of grape and
ivy wreaths, with which the finished portions
Of the capitol were 40 profusely decorated