Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-13
THE DISTRICT VOLUNTEERS.
The Banquet Of the German BattaliOn
ut Abner's Hall.

Mt Abner's Hall.
AND orHERs-GEN. STONES "REMINISCENCES
OF 61-rHE PRESIDENTS MOUNTED GUARDS
ENTERTAINED BY MRS. OWEN.
yesterday several of the organizations in the
line continued the celebration of the anniver-
sary by holding reunions.
The members of the Presidents Mounted
Guard, who were in the procession OF veterans,
rode, when the line was dispersed, to the resi-
dence of Mrs. Owen, widow of their lamented
commander, at 1915 r street northwest, and
paid their respects. Among the delegation were
Capt o. E. Duffy, Sergeants George Seitz, Robt.
Laskey, William Dayton, COrporals A. Swartz,
j. F. Hodgson, w. P. Cannon, c. Langley G. H.
Noerr, ]. W. Burch, ]. c. Pfeiffer, w. Hender-
son and T. III. Tucker. Mrs. Owens, assisted by
her daughters, received the visitors. There
were present, also, Col. r. ]. Fleming and Mr..
Mills Dean, both of whom were in the confeder-
ate service The company was handsomely en-
drank to the "Blue and the Gray" One to the
memory of Capt. Owen was responded to feel
Remarks We're also made BY Capt. Duty S and
Sergeant Seitz. The health Of Mrs. Owen was
drank at parting.
| THE BANQUET OF THE GERMAN BATTALION.
Last evening a banquet was given at Abners
hall TO celebrate the anniversary of the "mus-
ter in of the 9Th Germany battalion. Nearly
two hundred persons, including survivors OF
the battalion and their guests, sat down in the
hall which was tasteiully decorated. At the
head of the table Mr.. Wagner, chairman of the
executive committee, presided, having On his
right Senator sherman and Gen. Charles p.
Stone, and on his left Commissioners Webb,
Wheatley and Ludlow, Gen. s. s. Burdett.
commander In chief of the Grand Army; Gen.
Jerome b. Burke, commander OF the depart
Periey Poore, Representative Guenther, Major
Dye, Simon Wolf, Capt: T. l.; Rodier, Col. VIM.
tables were cleared MIR. Wagner, as toast mas
| ter. proposed "The President OF the United
States, which was drank with cheers.
A SPEECH BY SENATOR SHERMAN.
The next toast, "Our Country" was responded
| to by Senator Sherman. Referring to.the early
| days of 1861 Mr.. Sherman said the interests of
the people of the District were not with q state
| or a city, but with the country, and it was
natural that the District people should have
been loyal, for If the south had been successful
the capital would have been on the border and
| it would have an instance of the folly OF man.
kind. With Maryland and Virginia on either
peared and were heard of afterwards in the
confederate lines, but the great body of people
were loyal. He remembered that Gen. Scott
was then the commander in chief of the army,
but we had no army. On one side it was ex-
pected the neighboring state of Virginia would
secede, and no one knew what course Mary
land would take, and it was impossible for tire
government TO get one thousand of its troops
here, for they were scattered in the far west.
their aid under Gen. Scott and their guest, Gen.
Stone, it was made possible to inaugurate Abra-
ham Lincoln.
The Senator related a number OF amusing
anecdotes connected with those times and paid
an eloquent tribute to the District volunteers.
sour HCnOred Guests" was to have been
responded to by Gen. Krzyanowski formerly of
the Sth battalion, but he was not present.
After telegram from him had been read Gen.
pliInents to Senator Sherman, Gen. SLone the
District Commissioners and others.
GEN. STONE TALKS OF 81.
Mr.. Sherman announced the toast 'eThe
Associated Veterans of the District of Column
bia,' and called upon Gen. Chas. P. Stone to
respond.
Gen. stone. when he arose, was greeted with
great applause, and it was some minutes before
he could proceed. Finally, when quiet was
restored he remarked that this was the re-
venge of time. He was proud that he had been
associated with the volunteers of the District
of Columbia. He knew them and what they
were, and felt deeply the honor of>having been
their commander and of being privileged to
look on each of them as a friend. The country,
ne said, should honor them for what they did.
Who We're the first to volunteer? Who gave
the government the time necessary to make
the call? Who made it possible that such call
could be responded to successfully? "YOu!
you, the volunteers of the District of Column
bia! he answered, amid the most tumuItuous
applause. Many know not the real danger Of
those days of 1860 and 81. when the com.
mander-in-chief, Gen. Scott, said, "a little more
OF the policy Of Cancellation and the country
Is ruined. The time has come to use force and
tact" Gen. Scott asked him, "As You are con-
versant with the people of the District of Col
stand BY she He ehg Te pne9lc %
eral, twO-thirds Of the fighting stock of the Dis
trict are with the government" That was on
morning he found that he was colonel and in
spector general OF the militia OF the District.
Then it was that Gen. Scott said to him,
| "Ioung man, careful, careful, careful. This
D1strlct Is In such condition that
DOG FIGHT
may make the cutters in the streets run with
blood" Those who were here and know the
temper OF the people know that this statement
was warranted. There was no call officially,
but he sent forty or fifty notes to gentlemen
stating that it would be agreeable to the gov
eminent for each TO raise q company of 100
men. Some of the replies were in effect: 81 am
proud 10 receive this expression of confidence,
and Will do my best TO raise a company" Others
read: II never had amy military pirations,
and II L had this is not the time and place for
me to act" Then came companies from the
various sections of the Distribution from the
German element. The question with them was
shall this government stand?" Then came
the question of arming them, and it was asked
Will 1t be safe to put arms in their hands. The
District volunteers proved their devotion TO
duty. 1t was not political bias that influenced
them, but sense of duty to preserve the union.
They were not impelled to it by the excite
ment following the firing on Fort Sumter.
They volunteered without being urged ON by
neighbours sympathy, but in the face of appeals
against their course made by neighbOrs and re-
natives. In TACT there was more TO impel them
TO keep out of the service here than any where
In the land, but the uppermost thought was
"the government must be preserved, and we
| must add and they did it. When called on to
take the oath which would place them under
the stringent law there were but few instances
OF faltering-
THE FIRST SERVICE OF THE DISTRICT TROOPS.
Before the intentions of the government were
known, the District troops had siezed the flour
in Georgetown which was to feed Washington
and night after night they guarded the depart
ments, going to them quietly at night and re-
turning in the early morning, the citizens not
knowing 1t. They were posted OH the roads
and bridges, and no troops did better service.
When the order was given to sieze the boats at
the telegraph wires were busy with orders to
New York for cannon and powder IL was the
troops of the District of Columbia who sieZed
the telegraph offices and stopped that business
Most of the rolling stock of the Il. Il .. r. r. had
been removed. Then the District troops going
to the depot, took possession, finding two old
engines and two old cars there. Getting In these
cars they lay in wait, and when train came in
sliced II. Waiting awhile longer, they siezed
dred troops to recOnnOiter the railroad, he
started out to find company and struck that
OF Capt. krZyanOwski, and addressed him, say
ing: You are sworn in for service in the Dis
trlct and there is no law by which you can be
compelled TO go outside its limits; but want
two hundred men to so to a certain place, which
Will be named by your commander. Those who
are willing To go Will step one pace forward"
Immediately, with the exception of one man.
the company advanced one pace. Capt. krzya-
nOwski, asking permission To say word, spoke
Il m ypar,