The Washington critic., 1886-03-08

formed its companies and drilled in.
dustriously. Petty rivalries disap.
peared and each company strove to cX-
Gel the Others in drill and discipline.
DISTRICT sEcEssIoNIsTs.
While the volunteer force for the
support of the Government was organ
i2ing, another force with exactly the
opposite purpose was in course of for
nation. | learned that the great hall
over Beach's livery stable was nightly
filled with men, who were actively
drilled. DR.. b, of well.known SO
ccssion tendencies, was the moving spirit
of these men, and he was assisted by
other citizens of high standing, among
whom was connection of the Cover.
nor of Virginia. The number of these
occupants of Beachs Hall increased
rapidly, and | found it well to have a
skillful New York detective officer,
who had been placed at my disposition,
enrolled among them. These men
called themselves National Volun.
teers," and openly discussed in their
meetings, the seizure, Of the National
N"pi'"i III the proper inOIncut'
THE CAPITALS DEFENSE.
DR.. B--subscqucntly proved the sim
cerity of his principles by abandoning
his pleasant home in Washington, his
large and valuable property, and CIV
ing his earnest service to the Confedcr-
atc cause. The National Volunteer"
organization broke up without further
trouble. With the breaking up of the
National Volunteers" with the trans.
formation of the secession company of
National Rifles" into a thoroughly
faithful and admirabl ydrilled company
ready for the service of the Govern
ment; with the arrival from West
Point of the company of sappers and
miners, and, later the arrival of the
Military Academy battery under Grif-
fin; and with the formation in the Dis
trict of thirty new companies of in
fantry and riilcmen from among the
good citizens of Washington and
Georgetown the face of things in the
National Capital had much changed
before the 4th of March, 1861.
UNApPREcIATED SERVICES.
think that the country has never
properly appreciated the services of
those District of Columbia volunteers.
1t certainly has not appreciated the
difficulties surmounted in their organi
zation. Those volunteers were citi-
zens of the Federal District, and there
fore had not at the time, nor have they
ever since had, the powerful stimulant
of n State feeling, nor the powerful
support of State government, a
States pride, State press to set forth
and make much of their services. They
did their duty quietly and they did
it well and faithfully. Although not
mustered into the service and placed
on pay until after the fatal day when
the flag was fired upon for the first
time at Sumter, yet they rendered great
service before that time in giving con.
fidence to those citizens of the District
who were faithful to the Government,
in giving confidence to members of the
National Legislature, and in giving
confidence also to the President in the
knowledge that there was at least a
small force at his disposal ready to re.
spond at any moment to his call
THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS.
IL should also be remembered OF
them, that the first troops mustered
into the service were sixteen companies
of these volunteers; and that, during
the dark days when Washington was
cut off from communication with the
North; when railway bridges were
burned and tracks torn up; when the
Potomac was blockadcd; these troops
were the only reliance of the Govern.
ment for guarding the public De.
partments; for preserving order and
for holding the bridges and Other
outposts; that these were the troops
which recovered possession of the rail
way from Washington to Annapolis
Junction and made practicable the re
opening of communication. They
also formed the advance guard of tho
force which first crossed the Poto
mac into Virginia, and captured thu
city of Alexandria. These were thu
troops which insured the regular inau
guration on the steps of the Capitol o
the constitutionally elected President
l firmly believe that without them Mr.
Lincoln would never have been inau
| purntel