Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-05
AT THE BUGLE'S CALL
The Old Keystone State Was the First
to Respond, and Our
GALLANTBOYS WENTTOTHE FRONT
And Calamity offered Their Lives to Pre-
serve the Union.
A CONTEMPTIBLE KICK REPELlED

ESPECIAL rELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.1
WASHINGTON, March .4.-Amid the din
and hustle of preparation for the inaugura-
tion which exended to every house in the
city perhaps the most frequent observation
one heard in any crow6 had reference to the
Pennsylvania troops. The interest of all
classes, from the humblest. contraband to
the grand military mogul. seemed to center
on the appearance of Pennsylvania's old
guard, with their knapsacks, hayersacks,
eanteens, blankets, etc, ON the last two occa-
sions and the anticipation in the coming
event was enhanced by the fact that the
Governor would command this time.
While the comments on Pennsylvania are
of the most hattering character, it is some
what tempered by the severe criticisms of
the old rebel element at Washington, who so
gladly avail themselves of the opportunity
to CRAFTY their hatred and revenge by ex-
aggeration to the press of this city of the
shameful conduct of few of the many who
visited the city, to assist by their presence
in attracting great crowd, from which the
aforesaid residents may reap their harvest OF
extortion and robbery.
1t goes without saying, that the majority
of the residents of Washington do not hesi-
tate to charge the visitor most exorbitant
rates for their meager hospitslity-yet, when
few Pennsylvania troops from Pittsburg,
last inauguration, upset the wagon OF
Virginia Yankee, who charged 25 cents
apiece for apples, and rsided a couple of
saloons, whose gentlemanly proprietors
charged 25 cents for watered whisky and
then refused to return any change, great
outery was made in the New York and New
England papers by the officials of the city
government to whom exaggerated COM
plants had been made.
A CONTEMPTIBLE KICK.
The officers of the Pennsylvania troops
were not notified, until their attention had
been called to the Yituperative dispatches in
the press of these cities who were envious of
the Pennsylvanians.. 1t is a matter of Off
cial record that careful investigation into
the damage done by the troops showed it did
not amount to 5000. When it is recalled that
nearly 5000 troops Of the State were in the
city, the average cash left with the residents
by the force probably exceeded $50, 900, the
indignation turns to contempt for this exhi-
bition of Washington hospitality and cour-
tesy.
The colored population are quite solicit
GUS about "Dem Pennsyltucky Sogers."
The pickaninnies of four years ago have re-
tanned lively recollection of their blanket
tossing, and numerous old uncles and
aunties dread their temperance as much
as that of the "night doctors"
The visitors from all States, the dele
cation of G. A. r. comrades, the foreign
observer@all want to see on Pennsylvania
avenue, from the Capitol to the Treasury,
the grand column of Pennsyl1ania's troops
marching company front. 1t brings to
the hearts of the old veterans of both armies
the days of 1861 to '65. In this connection
it may be appropriate to bring to the atten-
tion of the boys and girls of 1889 some Penn
sylvania history that is not told in the
school books and histories that we have in
New England.
A HISTORIC LIE.
The statement so generally believed, per-
haps because so persistently kept from the
public that the Massachusetts, were the
first to reach Washington City as the call
on President Lincoln, is in plain words
historical lie.
We are told in "Robert Elsmere" that
"history is testimony" L submit herewith
the testimony of General Hastings, the Ad-
jutant General of Pennsylvania, sub
stantiated by the records of the War De-
partment at Washington, and the records of
Congress to prove that Pennsylvania was
the first to respond to the Presidents call.
There were five companies of Pennsylvania
troops who were the first to reach the city
of w Washington, viz, the Logan Guards, of
Lewistown; the Washington Artillery and
the National Light Infantry, of Pottsville;
the Allen Rifles, of Allentown, and the
Ringgold Light Artillery, of Reading.
These organizations arrived in Washington,
April Is, 1861, and for their promptness,
and for being the first troops in Washing
ton they received the thanks of Congress,
dated July %, 1861. On the 18th of April,
the day following the arrival of the Penn
sylvania troops in Washington, the Massa-
chusetts troops were attacked in Baltimore
PATRIOTIC PENNSYLVANIA.
The old Keystone did not stop sending
her troops to Washington, however, after
the first year OF the war, nor did she send
her recruiting agents in place of troops to
buy colored substitutes to fill up their
quotas as some of the other States did who
are now prominent in newspaper war his
tory. 1t is matter of record, not generally
known in our own State, that Pennsylvania
sent one out of every seven of her entire
population to the war. The attention of the
"overpowered Confederacy". is also called to
some remarkable fgures first printed in
The PITTSBURG DISPATCH.
1s61-Under call Of President, April
Pennsylvania Reserves, cali Of
July q lool. 10, $50