Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-06
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE SOLDIERS OF '6I.
The Members of the Old Constitutional
Guards Meet Again.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FORTHCOMING ANN
VERsARY CELEBRATION - THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE PREPARING FOR PARADE
WHAT SOME OF THE DISTRICT TROOPS DID.
Thirteen members of the Constitutional
Guards, or Degges' company, as they were per-
maps better known twenty-five years ago, met
last evening at Cosmopolitan hall to make ar
rangements for taking part as q company in
the anniversary celebration of the mastering in
OF the District volunteers. A quarter of CEN
fury has elapsed since they stood in company
front before the War department and
responded as their names were read by
Capt. Mcdowell and volunteered their services
not only in defense of their country but of their
homes, which were threatened. AT that time
the company numbered ia, but subsequently
II men were added to the ranks from the Put
nam Guards. They were commanded by Capt.
VIM. III. Degges a welI-known builder and con-
tractor in the District, who had seen service in
the Mexican war, and this latter fact as we'll as
his personal qualities soon brought about him
volunteers, and under the name which they
had selected the Guards were able to present
themselves among the first of the District COM
panies to be mustered in. OF this goodly num-
Der that originally filed their ranks, only a
corporaps guard, as it were, attended the meet
ing last evening. 1t was thought that the bad
weather prevented some from attending and
DR.. ]. Lee Adams, who was chosen president,
stated that while he had been unable to obtain
a roster OF the company, he had made out list
could recOllect, aided by the memory Of others.
THE ROSTER.
This list, which he read, was as follows:
;, Living in this city,. Lee Adams, Jacob
Bon Sontz. W; 3; Braun John Bryan, 1t: Glenn
Ian, Henry Dice, Chris. Dice, B. S. Ferguson,
earv as d. w GRAY Pau
" oxen F ". Hitter IT,, 8 Samuel oaei Reblns sec
?; Smith, Henry Smith, Geo schlosher Jas. E.
Waugh, Josiah ,Trunnell, W: NJ. Wallingford,
=, Away from the city---James Bryan, ]. G.
h BaasI Joseph FrtC Iss. VIM Hbu
SS osias 4 c Gssn John Wood
Dead,Capt w. H. Degges, Lieut.. H. Beal,
and wm xshdo%n, corpo asn ley I. Wiison
Turner, = Turner, - Davidson, Jas. sher-
Geo. Crawford.
ANSWERING THE ROLL.
A rather affecting feature of this reunion
arose from the request OF member that as the
roll was called each one should stand up, so
that his comrades, many of whom had not
seen one another since they were mustered out,
might be able to recognize him. As each one
arose his features, disguised by the changes
wrought by a quarter of century, were
eagerly scanned by his comrades in the search
tor the features with which they had been
familiar IN the years gone by.
Josiah I. Ford was elected secretary and John
Hewlett treasurer. a committee, consisting of
was appointed to confer with the family of
capt. Degges, who died about four years ago, in
order to ascertain it they retained in their pos
session the nag OF the company. 1t was also
thought that the muster-out roll of the COM
pany might be in the same custody, and the
committee was instructed 70 obtain. ii possible.
a list OF the members, and invite those still
living 10 participate in the parade of the Dis
trict volunteers on the 18th inst, in which it
Dody In case they were not able to get a list
OF members from this source the committee
was Instructed to call upon the adjutant gene
to hold another meeting on Friday night, and
there being no further business, adjourned until
that time.
RECALLING OLD SCENES.
During the meeting many of the survivors
INDUCED in "reminiscences of their experience
OF volunteer soldier life in and around the Dis
trlct. The old arrnory was recalled. It was
located on the upper floor OF the building on
9TH street, just south of E street. From their
armory they were frequently called out for duty
III various parts OF the city, and on the night
when the District troops crossed over into Vir-
the first to stand on Virginia soil. Their most
perllous duty was when they were ordered out
for the defense OF the upper Potomac and pro-
ceeded as far as Seneca, where they had q
sharp skirmish with the enemy, and with such
good results that the next morning, when the
other troops from the District put in an appear
ance, the enemy had disappeared. They were
ready for duty outside OF the District as well as
within its limits, and wherever they were
willing.
MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
AT the meeting last evening of the executive
committee in charge of the arrangements for
the parade, the committee TO make arrange
ments with the railroads reported that the
Pennsylvania railroad will issue excursion
tickets from Baltimore at cents per mile:
from New York, 1912, and from Philadelphia
$5.52-tickets to be sold from the 10th TO 18th
inst, good to return until the 14th inst. Capt.
Wagner reported that he had visited Baltimore
to invite the Grand Army posts to participate
IN the parade, and that 1t was probable that q
large number would come over. Capt z. L.
ROdler, chief marshal, asked that the members
assist him In selecting the assistant marshals,
elghteen In number, two from each battalion
and two from the Grand Army. The executive
comm extended an invitation to all the
three-month veterans to meet them at COsmo-
politan hall Thursday evening.
THE METROPOLITAN RIFLES.
The metropolitan Rifles were organized in
the early part Of 1860 In a room In the lower
part of the Columbian Law school building, on
9th street, above u. The company was re-
In the city. Several parades were made that
year. The members of the company uniformed
1 III gray Jacket and caps with yellow trim
q line appearance. The Union spirit of the
Rifles was shown on the occasion of a parade
OF the Mt. Vernon Guards from Alexandria in
the fall OF 1861. The Alexandrians had the
Virginia coat-of-arms on their flag, and it was
with some difficulty that q number of the Nets
were restrained from Selling the flag During
the inauguration OF President Lincoln a detail
from the Rifles guarded the Patent Office build
ing, while the company proper was in the pro
plenty Of ammunition. The company guarded
The building frequently, and on being mustered
In on April IL til took quarters in the building
1t was probably the largest company in the
three months service. 1t was imposed mainly
OF the members of the Metropolitan hOOk-and-
ladder company, located on Massachusetts ave-
rue, between 4th and 9Th streets There were
8 sergeants and corporals and lOl priyates.
making, with the o11icers-Capt. W. n. Nalley
Lieuts j. NJ. Knott, John T. Chauncey and Da-
vid Lewis-a total of LA men. Had there been
authority the number could have been doubled
In many instances, when members returned to
their homes on account of sickness Others took
number of Baltimoreans were anxious to
enter this corps, and three Of them were allowed
to enlist.
THE ROSTER.
The roster of the company is as follows: Ser
geants B. B. Burr, w. A. Chauncey, C. Sher-
wood, and Is. ID. Lewiss Corporals VIM. Daw-
son, e. G. McElfreshs, Charles Holbrook James
Blakemey, and Thos. j. Fraysier and Priyates
J. Atwell', r. w. Burr, w. A. Baird, J. J.
Byrnes, J. A. Bowen, G. Brown, ID. r. p. Bieleya
II. III. Boswell, Thomas Babcock* G. McD.
Brown, VIM. Biddlemans, II. Burr<, X. Cox. j,
M. Clements, w. NJ. Chandler A. Columbus. J.
!: Cassidy, +. C. Cissel, J. P. b. Cation, w. 81.
Cissel, S. T: Crown. A. Carrier, ]. r &. DOM,
A. Devers, George NJ. Dove, George Doueherty'
E. Dubant, Chas. Dowden, j. Dickerson. W. H'
Devers, 4. G. Eckiof A. EckloE. j. g. Essex*
III. Evans, T.. III. Everts, T. H B. Fowler r n
EAles*, E.ed. Foot q: Grammar, j. T. Goheens,