The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-05
WASHINGT0N'S SIZED.
HOW THE SOLDIERS LAUGHED At
BARON STEuBEN.
TIE MILITARY CtNP AT Giles
TERRIFIED COURTHOUSE
INCIDENTS OF TuE NOIED MEDICAL
RIOT"
The Great Men who Aided In Putting
pownthe Mob-Remini-cences OF Col.
william Heth-interesting lie tee
From the Times Antiausfy.

If Richmond once had smai'rOX war
win it, little sfer Mancn, sl,r ;, did
another much greater city have IFS inter
uerine trouble, which might have fraught
with consequences far moie serious Than
the former. Indeed on This latter The
most valuable heads and brains In all he
land were not only actively employee
but were seriously lmperilcd washing
ION had not even been inBugurated iiist
President of the United states. He wa
then At Mount Vernon riding over Biz
Potomac estates on his Old sOrrel war
horse Nelson" with his four white fe' I
AID baz' face THIS was his iivOrtc
.ised. lie rode him during the last cam
paign ut The Wat, and sat upon him al
Doe surrender of Esrl Cornwall $ army
Al Yorktown. When he l,ft Mount Yer.
non 10 90 10 New York 10 be l'r s'deni,
he ordered that no one was ever 30
mount his oil friend again. nor did be
ever DO IL himself. but bee would 20 out
every day 20 pay him a visit In The pas
ture 10 which he had been retired from
public life, when the veteran ttvOriie,
recognizing his master, would always
approach tO receive cAresses that many
an animal Of higher degree would have
delighted tO acknowledge. But Congress
was In session in New York city, and ;he
ass mbled wisdom of young nation was
present From Virginia, Madison, Page,
Ire, and the Biands were there. Bnl
We do not find that iney WIRE so unwise
is 10 expose their valuable persons to
the dangers of q medical riot The in-
cident 20 which we are about 10 refer
occurred just about one year before
Washington loft Mount Vernon In hi,
travelling carriage 90 he made head Of the
new Republic But those who were pre-
pairing ID e temple Of Liberty for his re-
rspliOn were there. Hamilton and Jay,
Richard Henry lee, and OTIS and Nor
rs were there. Baron Stouben had re-
turned 40 New York with the intention
OBJ making his home in that state for thc
lime, aud was actually engaged In me
sfair Of which we are about 90 speak.
'ie was naturally pugnaciols; had
fought under the Great FIederck; had
been one OF his aids In the srven-years-
war. and had refused high places with
kings and emper0rs 90 come 10 America
lo give the struggling patriots the bene-
its Of his military abilities and eXpen-
cncc. lie WAS "a great organizer OF
troops, AN efficient dill officer, and The
siriclisl of disCiplinarians. lie was short
md stout oi person, pletl0rlc, and
lrascihle. When he first arrived Ia
America 10 las be was about forty
light years Of age, and met Washington
Tor the first time IN the Jerseys. lie "as
made Inspector general Of the army on
account Of his peculiar fitness for Thai
po ition. The troops needed such an
hi or TO establish and maintain discip-
lnc. But The Baron could not speak "a
SOrd of English, and many laughabic
anecdotes are told of his suilering- on
lnis account lie was extremely anxious
10 correct the mistakes of the awkward
and undiiled squads mustered daily be
tore him for Instruction. Ills Z.al and
earnesiness in this respect often met
with signal failure. which caused the
most ridiculous explosions Of passion on
his part. OF course his did not aid iO
he dignity OF bis appearance nor give
force 10 his authority. 50 far from il
such scenes were accompanied by an
comfortable explosions Of merriment and
laughter among the troops. After
while, however, the good Baron learned
English; became cndearcd 10 the officers
aud men of the army and rendered the
most valuable services of any other
foreign officer, excepting only Lafayette
himself For long time he had charge
Of military camp of instruction IA
Chesterfield cOurl-hOuse, almost IN sight
0i Richmond he organized an army OF
militia there; had them drilled, clad and
prepared for war. He became person
ally attached to the Nirginians aud fol-
lowed their fortunes until he saw their
enemies captured al Yorktown. Ii was
one OF his engineers that located and
built the fort at Hoods, or "Old Fort
POwhatau," on James river, and the APP
pIOaches al York were begun in part by
the same officers This veteran was near
being killed in "A street riot In New
lOra. was struck on the head by 4 missile,
and carried of theground with cOnsideTa
bic loss Of blood. after the establishment
Of peace he acquired property IN the
State Of New York, where be lived
hOnOred and loved until his death, which
occurred in 1875. His memory is for
ever stamped upon the territory Of tie
Empire state by the great county bear
ing his name.
Another prominent individual had
much narrower escape. The new gov
eminent was we'll nigh losing the man
WhOafierWards became first Chief Justice, .
then envoy extraordinary TO Great +
Britain, aud afterwards governor OF
New York State. Imagine the gentle, T.
serene, and gifted Jay taking part In .
street riot One might almost have tx
pecled the philosophic Madison or the .
polished and efudite Lee himself ID lave .
been party 10 a public brOil ss lo have .
found the Illus rlOus son al the Empire 7
stale In such prediCamtnt. We know
not how many more distinguished men
took part in the exciting scenes which [
kept the New York community in a
stale Of turmoil Tor several days one
other, General Armstrong, another noted
man, WAS in the same riot and cot
severe wound. He Was OF Irish birth,
but came TO America very young and
settled in Pennsylvania lie served with
credit in the old French War. When the
revolution came on he entered the army
and commanded the Pennsylvania militia
at the battles Of Brandywine and Ger
mantOHn. He was on General MERGERS
siah when that gallant officer fell NOR
tally wounded nj Princeton, and bore his
fallen chief OIL the field in his arms
Now he was a member or Congress from
helping TO build up
government and TO put down not.
By this time the reader may wish TO
know the cause OF trouble in which such
people rs We have here referred TO, wer4
Engaged Ii is TOO true that medical
Students. especially when assembled in
arge eli s. are not remarkable Tor r.
inement of manners or The best b.
lsyior. o course there are honorable
to this rule. We need not stop
o give reasons for. but merely Ia state !
he fact. The following extract from a !
etter written 10 Governor Randolph, IL
Virginia from the city Of New York Ia I
april, 1888, by his friend, Colonel WI
lam Helh, viii tell The story: We
ave been ia a state OF great lumult fora
lay or two pass, The causes OF which,
- well as | can digest them, from
4rfoue arrOuufa are ~ fGllDW.. The !