Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-27
THE RIFLES IN 'eI.
Of the District vOlun.
teerS In the Three Months Service.

teers in the Three Months Service.
How THE RIFLES WERE MUSTERED IN-rHE
MARCH on ALExANDRIA-AN EXPEDITION
TO RoCKyILLE-CAMP LIFE AT PooLESvILLE.
II was one of the few Of the three months
men of the National Rifles" writes Charles
March Pyne now a retired army officer, Iiv-
Ing in Newark, n. j., in entertaining
sketch for Messrs. At Lee and Matthews
celebration, of his recollection OF the time
when he associated with this body of
the District volunteers. On April 10. 1861 word
had quietly gone out that an inspection of the
District militia was ordered, beginning with the
National Rifles, and that they would probably
be called into service. remember abandoning
my purpose of going to my office, and walking
down to the armOry viewed the inspection.
Col. C. p Stone, the inspector general of the
District, came in, rigidly inspected the COM
mand, and then going to the table wrote out an
order, handed IL TO Capt Smead and left the
company and read the order, which was to
march the company up to the War department
to be mustered into the service Of the United
states. A number of the members earnestly
protested against any action which might ar
ray them against their states, and then handed
in their designations. If may be permitted
word about myself, would suggest, modestly,
that an action of mine checked the rout and
gave courage to the timid ones. Seeing how
asked permission to withdraw my resignation,
(which had been rendered sometime before on
the war feelingD some members jumped to
their feet with
HURRAH,
and the permission was granted me- In the
evening Mr.. l.. L. Watkins, formerly the first
lieutenant of the company, who had also re-
signed, withdrew his resignation, and, declin-
ing to take advantage of the non-acceptance of
the resignation of his commission, took his
place in the ranks. SO. though have never
Joined In the discussion as TO who were
THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS
in the late war, have always held quietly but
firmly that to the District of Columbia volun-
teers belongs that honor. For the first officer
to be mustered in was Col Charles p. Stone,
some time in December, 1860, or January,
1861, and the first volunteer was myself, April
10th. 1861. However others may carry on the
discussion, District troops were the first mus
tered. as Capt. +. G. Carrington's company was
mustered in April 18th, 1861, four days before
day the NationaI Rifies the rst for orr that nur
pose, presented themselves to be mustered in,
but were declined, being short of men. We
managed to carry up that day fourteen men,
all the others had resigned or were absent
Major Irwin Mcdowell and Mr.. Geo. C.Thomas,
a Justice of the peace, and major general of
militia met us at the War department and after
calling the muster roll, informed the captain
that twenty-six men were necessary before the
company could be accepted. So we were
marched back and went to work recruiting"
ITO the best of my recollection" continues
the narrative, "the fourteen Fifteen with the
captain) men who presented themselves for
muster on April IL (the anniversary, by the by,
OF the company's first parade) were Capt. John
4; Smead, LIST Lieut.. A; d; Davis, I'd Lieut.. W.
w. Webb, list Sergeant Il. b. Mayo, Sergeant E.
I. Matthews, Joseph McMakin, John q. Clarke,
w. III. Fuller, Charles NJ. Pyne, Henry Ingie, j.
III. Heath, c. E. HELEN, Eugene Fitzgerald, b.
Rothrock and John Quincy Adams. In the
course of a week we had gained over twenty
six men and were mustered in April Is, others
being mustered in on subsequent days. Almost
Immediately after being mustered into service
the men OF the company were ordered to make
their permanent quarters at the armory in
temperance hall, h street, between 9th and
10th. The attack on the Sixth Massachusetts
and a Pennsylvania regiment in Baltimore had
led to the burning OF the bridge OF the p, w
and b. railroad, and soon the b. and .. stopped
their trains on the Washington branch. This
shut off Washington from the north and the
south was pretty open side, and heavy guard
duty fell on the District troops.
THE FIRST DUTY.
Almost the first duty the company had to do
was to guard the State department on or about
the night of April 18th or 18th. The only
special Renaissance 1 have of this duty was
being detailed as corporal and acting sergeant
of the guard. About ten o'clock the Secretary
OF State, Mr.. Seward, came from the White
House, of course without the cOuntersign, and
was halted by the sentinel. was called and inn
mediately admitted him. TheSecretary looked
at us, as let him in, and recognizing me, said:
so you are the corporal of the guard, are your
Then taking out his portmonnaie. he handed
me gold dollar, saying: Get your men some
cigars The money bought twenty pretty
fair ones, which 1 distributed to those Of the
%opr sompany, o remarks s sS Mr. P PSu "was
made into Company \, third battalion, D. c.
volunteers. There were eight battalions Col
our captain, Capt. Smead, was the battalion
commander. He was man of great energy
and push a thorough soldier, but his discipline
at one time made him unpopular with some of
the command, who could not forget militia
habits easily. One night something or other
called him with small detachment of the
company to the armOry OF the Cameron rifles
which was company Il, third battalion. While
he was there some occurrence caused him to
issue orders In quick peremptOry voice, such
as soldiers during the war became accustomed
to, but which was new thing then. One OF the
captain, turned round on Captain Smead and
said: w by, major, you aust think yourself
using an expression 1 do not care to repeat.
smead. I'm show you who / ann That man
was on his back, twenty feet away, before he
could even wink a second time. Now get up
anu go 10 work, Said the captain. He was in
stantIy obeyed without a word, and that was
the FIRST and last time anything like insubordi-
nation was exhibited towards Capt. Smead by
any OF the ID. c. volunteers.
THE LONG BRIDGE
was the scene of most of our work, though it
was diversified by guard duty in all parts of
the city. The three weeks that the capital was
shut up are well remembered as the dark DAYS
Not night during that time did any of the I'M
detailed men of the company sleep in bed The
Long bridge, the departments, the steamboat
wharyes, all were looked after by the District
troops. When l remember those days ca u
hardly realize the twenty-five or more days and
nights steady work which the thirty-siX hum
dred OF The District companies did. The work
they did without interlnission was undoubt-
edly what saved Washington. For it was the
TACT which the troops in Virginia were kept well
aware that the city was effectively guarded
that kept these troops from attempting to Oc-
eupy it. All this is owing to Gen. stone and the
District troops. 1t is, however, never mentioned
In the histories of the war. The safety OF Wash
lngton Is attributed to the New York seventh
regiment and the other troops who came in to
occupy what We had with much hard work
saved for them to occupy
But, as have said" he resumes after this
brief diversion TO pay deserved, Ii tardy, trib-
ute 10 the services of our home troops, 1.-THE
Long bridge was the chief scene of our nights
duty. There, regularly about three nights in
neis drew back the inner side of the Alexandria
draw, and Kept good watch. Regularly at a
title before sunrise, John Moore would sound
his reVelIie by singing the following verse:
Awake from your suInber, the bright morning skies
fToclaiIn that the sun IS now ready to rise;
ne ords they are singing. and this is their song:
Awake rom your slulnDer, you re sleeping too long
about midnight OF the last of the dark DAYS -
continues the narrative, when, in considera-
been doing for several nights, we had kept on
guard In The armory, an order came for a de-
tachment 10 be sent to the Baltimore and Ohio
depot prepared to go TO
OPEN THE RAILROAD
to Ann S@lta