Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-09-18
The OLD ARMORY.


Where the District Militia Used 20 A..
semble Before che War.
! HALLS ONCE BRIsTLING WITH BAYoNErs now
GIVEN UP TO PEACEFUL FIsH-HOw THE
BUILDING CANE TO BE EREcrED-BALLooN
EXPERIMENTS THERE DURING THE WAR.
"Why do you call tina: building the armory?''
asked a stranger, pointing to the three-stOried
brick building on the Mall, near the intersec-
ton Of 9th and b streets with Maine avenue
southwest, now used by the fish commission.
"What connection has the commission with an
armory?" Not only are many strangers uu-
aware Of the origin of the name, bat many resi-
dents of the city who have settled or grown up
here since the war are ignorant of the fact that
the building was once veritable armOry.
Many OF those who remember how and for what
purpose it was erected question the right Of the
government to use 1t tor any other purpose than
that for which 1t was erected.
Prior to 1855 there was quite military spirit
among the middle-aged and young men of the
District, and companies were to be found
The aSst every section Of the city
Guard, the Montgomery Guards, the German
Yagers. the Continental Guards, the Column
bian Artillery, the Boone Rifles, the fndepend-
ent Grays ana Potomac Light Infantry, the
Presidents Mounted Guard and the Potomac
Dragons were among these companies There
Guards, Green Mountain Boys, Rough and
Ready Artillery, with small field pieces, and
the Union Infantry. The officers ana MEM
bers kept up these companies with but little
outside aid and were dependent on an Occ6-
sional ball, picnic or excursion to raise funds to
PAY RENT FOR ARMORIEs,
to pay for music for parades, and to entertain
visiting companies. Indeed, playing soldiers
in those days was to many q costly affair. The
government furnished the arms and accOutre-
ments, which included belts, cartridge boxes
and bayonet scabDards, but with most OF the
n r,al, hot fha
musket may be said to have been the only ar
ticle tor which the citizen soldier did not have
to pay. About 1854 movement was made
looking 10 obtaining government aid.
THE MILITARY CONVENTION.
The result was that convention of delegates
OF the various companies was called. The sen.
timent OF some was that the government should
from some fund appropriate money to pay
room rent, and others that music should be
furnished from the marine barracks, thus re.
ievIng the members OF a music tax Others
favored grand central armory tor q gen.
erai meeting place, the companies having
the privilege OF meeting in smaller halls
nearer their homes, where few muskets could
be kept, with which squad might drill. The
result was that through Gen. Weightman and
Col. Hickey, then clerk in the Office OF the
secretary oi the Senate, the attention OF Con-
gress was drawn to the subject, and principally
through the efforts OF Gen. Shields the necss.
sary legislation was obtained.
THE APPROPRIATION.
This was a clause In the appropriation bill
approved March Sd, 1865, directing the Secre-
tary of War"t cause to be constructed on such
site in a central position, on the public grounds
In the city of Washington, may be selected
by the PRESIDENT, suitable building for the
care and 'eservation of the ordnance and
arms and Announcements OF the United States
required for the use OF the volunteers and mill
Tia ol tht District of Columbia, and the care and
preservation of tue military trophies OF the
revolutionary and other wars and Tor the de-
post OF newly-invented and model arms for the
military service. the said ordnance and arms
and the building to be used by the volunteers
and militia OF the District OF Columbia under
such regulations as may be prescribed by the
President" This appropriated $4,000, and
March Sd, 1857, S.,S27 was appropriated tor
finishing ana furnishing the arlnOry, The net
cost being S31,S27
THE BUILDING
is of three stories, 1O3 feet by 81. The first
floor was arranged Tor artillery, the second as a
drill room and the third for meeting rooms
committee rooms etc. On the completion and
occupancy of the building the field pieces of the
Colun olan artillery, Capt. Caleb Buckingh hams
Earthquake Guards were moved from the
northwest basement room OF the court house
and two other field pieces were sent up from
the arsenal and the military companies moved
their arms to the upper stories, most of them
changing their quarters for those furnished by
the government. The companies located In
parts OF the city remote from the arnIUry re-
tanned at their meeting places few arms with
then under the command of Col. ]. A. TAFT
having previously had their armOry al
lsianu nan, virginia avenue and 9th
street, at once made this building its perma-
nent headquarters, and other companies also
moved in. Then The usual parade ground for
the District troops, commanded by Col. Bacon,
who succeeded Col Hickey, was on the mall.
The government placed the building in charge
OF the late Samuel ByingtOn and afterwards
sergeant y Brien, OF The ordnance corps, had
charge OF it.
DURING THE WAR.
Just prior to and in the earlier days OF, the
war 1t was busy place. In February, 1861,
the Sappers and Miners, from West Point were
ordered here by Gen. Scott and remained at
the armory till ordered to the field. 1t was also
the quarters of several of the District com.
panies in the early days of the war. Next the
United States Balloon corps had their quarters
here, and quite often the balloons afterwards
used at the front were tried here. For the
greater portion OF the war it was used as q
laboratory for the manufacture OF cartridges.
The citizens of Washington got SO much ex-
perlence during the war that IL was some years
before the military spirit revived, and after the
partial occupancy Of the building for a few
months the government determined TO remove
II, and had gone SO Tar to contract Tor its de-
motion. The fish commission, however, took
possession, and nave it still. AS, however, the
law states explicitly Tor what it was built it is
held that If the military should ask for it the
authorities would turn it over to them