Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-27

Il
what shall we 90 now?' said MoMakin. i saw q
far is Laurel asked se tSres
| miles back So of we started and .tramped to
Laurel, where we broke the lock and chain OF
| the hand-car. and, piling in, started back spin
| ming to Washington. 1t was q four hours ride
| and constant exercise for some of us. We met
| to keep on. We got into Washington about
pm. That lesson cured one of the party of put
| ting on camp airs at temporary guard"
THE OCCUPATION OF ALEXANDRIA,
1.-THE next reminiscence," continues Mr. Pyne,
| sis the occupation of Alexandria. On the
evening of May Oath, 1861, word was whispered
about that an advance was to be made into Viz
| ginia over our old acquaintance, the Long
bridge, and thatSwe were to take part therein.
Later in the evening the rumor took more
decided shape, and we all knew that the COM
Long bridge. Leaving O small guard at the
armory, the company marched down about 10
pm. through the quiet and deserted streets.
left, acting as usually did as left guide, Lieut.
Matthews came up and whispered we are to
| once occurred to my mind: Experinaentuna fat
in corp0re riti. When we reached the bridge
at the corner Of 14th street, We saw q
for while Capt. Smead and Mr.. Hudson
Taylor were apparently making arrangements
for the Rifles to 60 across the river in two or
three boats belonging to a boat club, but this
Idea was soon given up. While we were watt
Ing another regiment came down and began to
go across the bridge They had heavy wooden
| stockings drawn over their shoes, and they
seemed like an army of ghosts, as they made
for the Rifles to advance. The state troops had
all formed in line on the left side of the BRIDGE
and nl,o our little company Of about fifty men
Alexandria draw we found it still open, and
the 18th New York standing at order arms on
draw and marched on. AS we passed off
the draw on to the wooden part Of the
bridge, word came to break step, which
we unconsciously fell into the measured march
ing tread. 1t was not long before the bridge
| and had not Smead, in language more emphatic
than polite, made us break step again, the whole
company would have ended its service in a few
moments in the Potomac river. AS we passed
| quickly and silently on the solid ground, near
the corner stone of the now celebrated city of
jackson, We saw a force of mounted pickets
standing on small eminence just ahead OF us.
The company was halted, and a detachment of
four or five men was sent forward to capture
and, i think the pickets, with their horses,
| would have been easily captured, had it not
been for an unfortunate movement, of which
suspect and one other person only know the
| secret. Before starting from the city end
! of the bridge another on-commissiOned
officer had taken my place as lett guide, and
rear of the left platoon. 1t was a bright MOON
! light night, and the men were drawn up COM
pany front in the heavy shade OF the trees. One
of the men in front Of me, becoming much ex-
cited at seeing SUCH beautiful mark as the
and put it up to his shoulder to pick one of them
! of. seized the piece before he could fire and
ordered him to be quiet and wait for orders. A
| struggling moonbeam shone on the rifle band
| as he recovered his piece, and Immediately we
| heard the sound of the horses feet as pickets
started full-tilt down to Alexandria verify
believe that this glimmer of the moon on our
| comrades rifle was the first thing that warned
the pickets of their danger. The Rifles were
TO
| at a small bridge, while the 10Th New
York and other troops passed on
| soon heard the Alexandria bells ringing tu-
multuously, and when Ellsworth with his Fire
Zouaves reached that city the rebel troops,
such as they were, had been gone for an hour or
more. As morning came we could see the
| United States flag planted in several impro-
| of District troops held the road which we had
| occupied until relieved in the early morning by
Pennsylvania detachment, and then we re-
| turned to Washington. | had been left with
| five men to guard the bridge, and came in
about ten in the morning, AS we came back
road, where they had made an advance march.
| AS we marched back we learned of the sad
DEATH OF COL. ELLSWORTH,
| the first blood shed in the war. We all look
| upon his fOOl-hardy action at Alexandria in its
| proper light now-as a mere tempting of Provt-
dence; but none OF us can forget the excite
ment it caused at that time. Neither is the
| scene OF his funeral nor the alarm that was
| raised during it soon to be forgotten. And who
the services of the District troops that was ac-
corded shortly after? All the eight battalions
| President. 1t was a special day for the Rifles,
| as it was the first time the company marched
| under the United States flag.
THE ROCKVILLE EXPEDITION.
"My next "Reminiscences" continued Mr. Pyne,
els of the Rockville expedition. Only about half
| the company could go on the expedition that
portion of the command formed of department
clerks could not he spared from their desks,
ana an were ordered to remain In Washington,
battalions did duty at nearer distances from
| the CapitOl-the third was the only one that
TALON consisted OF the National Rifles, Capt
Smead; Cameron Rifles, Capt Elder; Slemmer
Guards. Capt Knight, and fourth COM
4th, 1861, and spent our first night under can
of Mr.. Edward Boyce, at Georgetown Heights,
Mr.. Boyce recognized several friends in our
ranks, and asking where We were going told US
he would fire a salute. In a few minutes gun
sounded from the cupola of the house and,
after three cheers, John Moore struck up his
favorite cheer, There was a butcher had a dog
| and Bingo was his name, &C. John was full Of
| fun and had a song for every occasion. He
and his brother William were two of the most
| most popular and influential man in the corps
was our friend Smedberg. l always
noticed that when smedberg suggested any
! thing, his suggestion was followed. Our
marches were not by any means toilsonne. The
first day, as l said, took us to Tenieytown, four
miles from Washington; the second day took US
| to Rockville, about nine miles further on. Here
we stayed about a week, and were instructed
| in the various duties of camp life. Another
short march brought us to Jamestown, where
we remained about a week more, and then we
| made night march to Poolesville, where we
regularly settled down TO camp life.
| IN CAMP AT POOLESvILLR.
Our camp was on splendidly dry hill, over
looking a beautiful valley, which afterwards l
| believe became somewhat historical in the his
/ tory of Gen. Stones command. One day passed
very liAe another, SO there is not much to re-
our disgust, that we were not to go ago inst the
! enemy after all, but were merely acting as a
| quartermasters train guard. During the eXpe-
| ditiOn, and before Col. stones brigade had be.
| come concentrated, the colonel made his head
quarters near us, and one morning order
| was read from the colonel that all the District
| troops who desired to return to await their
| muster out in Washington, should be permit
ted TO do SO; but those who desired to remain
Internationally and go wherever led, should
| give in their names. The main part OF
the detachment returned to Washington.
OF the rest of the battalion the whole
OF the Cameron Rifles returned some
of Capt. knights company and some OF
Smedberg, Bailey, Waluski, Garrett Moore,
Clayton, Pyne, Baldwin and Lieut.. Matthews
with two others. l remained as quartermaster
sergeant to Col. Stones brigade. The evening
the company started on their home trip down
| the canal was noticeable for the sudden appear
ance of
| THE COMET OF 1861.