The Washington critic., 1886-03-08
DISTRICT VETERANS.
What They Did for Their Country
twenty-five Years Ago.
COMING ANNIVERSARIES.
Interesting "reminiscences of the Most
Critical Period in Our History.

If II were not for the new genera
tion that has grown up around them,
the wonderful changes which the city
has undergone and their own gray heads,
few of the Washingtonians who were
interested spectators, If not active par
ticipants, in the events Of the war
period, would realize today that
quarter of a century has since passed
down the river of time. And few
others, in these "piping times of peace
realize to-day the fury into which at
that time partisan passion had been
lashed. 1t was natural that right here,
where, for years prior to the bursting
Of the war clouds, these passions had
found vent in the burning eloquence
OF the most eminent men of the time,
the greatest extremes should meet, as
they did. In retrospective view OF
these now historic times, there Is
abundant food for reflection for every
thoughtful citizen. If he is capable of
any patriotic feeling, 1t must do his
heart good to see how completely these
passions have subsidized, giving way to
just pride In all that the wonderful
energies of the American people, then
wasted in weary war, were capable
of accomplishing; since that eventful
period, how Southern men have
settled in the North, and Northern
people in the South; and how both
did their best, shoulder to shoulder, to
assist in developing the great West
and the ineXhaustible resources Of the
whole country So great have been
these changes that to-day he sees the
South furnish three of its best men to
the Cabinet Council of the President to
labor faithfully for the best interests Of
the whole country.
CELEBRATING THEIR MUsTER.IN.
In such spirit as this the cclebra-
tion of the anniversaries Of the first
troops that kept step to the music of
the Union can have nothing sectional
or partisan about it on the contrary,
1t will help to realize still more forcibly
the changes for the better that have
taken place in public sentiment. Two
organizations are making active prepa.
rations to celebrate properly the TWEEN.
ty.fifth anniversary of the muster-in,
on the 10th and 11th of April, 1861, re-.
spectively, the Washington Light In
fantry and the German Veterans of the
Eighth Battalion, District of Columbia
Volunteers. The former, as already
reported in the columns of The CRITIC,
viii receive next Thursday evening tn
report of its committee of arrangements
appointed last Thursday the latter
held another meeting yesterday after
noon at German Hall. and approved
the report of the committee of arrange
ments. 1t was decided to hold memo
rial services on April II and q banquet
at night. The following day parade
will take place, followed by call upon
the President. Committees were ap.
pointed as follows:
On Arrangements--Geo Wagner, Verne,
Koch, ID. Pfeil, Captain Charles Krause,
Louis Kettler and Christian Dleterlch. Fl
nance-Messrs. Wagner, Koch, Kettler,
Krausc, ADgerman, j. X. Pfeil, r. Dieterlch
p. Henser, NJ Hoffa, A. L. l.. Reese, j. G.
Reisinger and A. Becker. Press-W. Koch
d. Skutch, Jucnger and Herninghausen OF
Baltimore. nvitaton-Juenger, Herning-
hausen, Hotfa, Wagner, Krause and A
Becker. Memorial Services Wagner, Kett.
Ter, Reisiager and Augerman. Procession
frost, II. Dieterich, Duehring, Reese and l..
Mundhem. Banquet-Wagner, Krause
Kettler, Koch, d. Pfeil, Angerman, G.
Dieterich, Hofa, Frank Miller, Herning-
hausen and Juenger.
Besides these the old members of the
National Rifles intend to organize, and
others will no doubt follow. If al
these organizations were to unite upor
a general celebration it could no doub
be made gala occasion for this Dis
trict and day of honor to these gal
| liant men.
AFFAIRS IN 1860.
In very interesting magazine arti
Gle published few years ago by Gen
eral Charles p. Stone (aftcrward Ston,
Pacha), entitled washington on til,
Eve of the War;" he gives the follow
ing creditable account of the service
of the District militia:
The country at this time Decem
Der, 1867 was in a curious and alarm
ing condition; one State (South Caro-
lina) had already passed an ordinance
of secession from the Union, and othe
States were preparing to follow he
lead.
The only regular troops near tn
Capital of the country were three hun
dred or four hundred marines ut tn
Marine Barracks, and perhaps hun
dred enlisted men of ordnance ut tn
Washington Arsenal. The old milit
system had been abandoned (withou
being legally abolishcdD, and Congress
had passed no law establishing neS
one. The only armed volunteer organ
izations in the District of Columb
were: One company of riilemen a
Georgetown Uhe Potomac Light In
fantry), one company of riilcmen il
Washington Che National Riiles),
skeleton battlion of infantry Uhe Wash
ington Light Infantry of about on
hundred and sixty men, and anothe
small organization called the Nationa
Guard Battalion.
was commissioned by the Prcsiden
colonel in the staff and Inspector sen
eral OF the District of Columbia, an
mustered into the service of tn
United States from tho I'd day of Jan
uary, 1861, on the special requistion o
the Gcnaral-in- Chief, and thus becam
the first one of the million citizen
called into the military service of tn
Government to defend it against scces
sion.
Having taken the first necessary step
toward security, / commenced til
work of providing n force of volur
teers.
THE DISTRICT MILITIA.
The Washington Light Infantry ol
ganization and the National Guard wer
old volunteers composed Of Washing
ton people, and were almost to a ma
faithful to the Government. OF thei