Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-02
BATTLES TO BE FOUGHT OVER
Gen. Hsmilton's War "Reminiscences
May Stir Up tho Warriors.

Ten. HamfItOn's War "Reminiscences
May Stir Up tho Warriors.
The New York Herald prints extracts
from Gen. Alexander Hamilton's remin-
iscences of the late war. The author is a
grandson of Alexander Hamilton, Washing
toms Secretary of the Treasury. From 1861 TO
1866 he was trusted with many important mis-
sions ana duties. After having served sew
eral years as lieutenant in the second regiment
of artillery Of the New York state militia Mai.
Gen. Macomb, in April, 1870. promised him a
commission in the regular army, and gave him
at the same time an order signed by Secretary
OF War Poinsett which admitted him to the
West Point Military Academy. There he met
Halleck. who afterward became his brosU er-in-
law. When tho war came he was burning
charcoal In the Ramapo mountains in New
| Jersey,
When the tidings came that Sumter had been
nred upon Alexander Hamilton instantly ac-
cepted position on the staff Of Gen. Charles
w. Sandford. One of his first services was TO
| secure the detention Of vessels loaded with mu-
nitions of war in New York harbor; his next
was to foil plot for destroying the Croton
aqueduct. Meanwhile Gen. Hamilton was en-
ergetically fastening regiments to Washington.
| Inc tweifth, the sixty-nlnth and the seventy
nrst regiments were mustered into the federal
service ana marched on Sunday, April q, 1861.
Gen Hamilton hurried off tho fifth and second
regiments to Washington, giving them their
nrst marching orders even before he had re-
cei'ed the requisite authority from Gov. Nor
gan.
scoTT's ANACONDA PLAN.
Gen. Winfield SCOTS scheme for grinding
disloyalty out of the south is thus set forth by
Gen. Hamilton:
Taking his pencil and making a blue mark
| on Inc map, he drew a line thr0uCh Eradariaks-
! to Richmond
Il shall move the army after the September
gaies are over, he said to the eight New York
oHcers direct by this route to Richmond
ishall swing an army from the west through
plan"
Gen. W. I. Sherman was not present there,
out probably learned Lieut. Gen. Scotts
plan.
On May "a, 1861, the fifth. sixty-ninth and
other regiments crossed into Virginia through
the bed OF the canal at Georgetown. the seventy
nrst and Ellsworth's Zouaves going by steam
boat to Alexandria and the central body adj
Vanclng over the Long Bridge. BY daybreak
the New Workers and Gen. Runyons New
Jersey troops had formidable earthworks well
under way.
The occupants of Arlington House fed in hot
haste, and on the same day Gen. Hamilton,
with a detachment of the eighth New York
regiment. took charge of it and held il until re-
neved by Gen. Mcdowell. That the scare at
this time was not restricted to confederate
sympathizers is attested in the following entry:
Usually at Gen. SCOTS headquarters until he
| reureu AT night, on one occasion was ordered
to have five full regiments under arms ready
1or instant service and at a given signal to
move them to the White House and public
buildings, form them inside the iron railing
ana repel the invading rebels (who, 1t was APP
pretended. would attack Washington that
nlght while the President and family and
| the archives OF the government were removed
to place OF safety, which meant the cars for
| Baltimore
This proved unnecessary, as the resident
rebels doubtless had communicated our prepa-
rations to the advancing enemy, then encamped
| beyond our fortticatlons. They transmitted
Intelligence of Union acts and movements by
means OF lights placed in windows of buildings,
on emlnences, behind papers OF different
coiors, and thus intelligence was conveyed
from house to house almost mmcdiately.
AMBUSH NEAR BRIaHrwoop.
Gen. Hamilton was returning from q recon-
noisance at Brightwood on June 2l when he
| was fired upon from a thicket and wounded in
the leg. Leading charge of the eighth New
Workers into the wood he received another
less.
Nevertheless he had sufficiently recovered
Dy July to climb upon the platform whence
the PRESIDENT reviewed "a 900 New York volun-
teers Il heard William II. Seward address
the assembled multitude, the foreign min
listers particularly, calling to their notice
the veteran appearance of the regiments many
foreign veterans being among them, and say
ing: There, you can see that the state of New
York alone can whip out this rebellion"
MCCLELLAN AND THE sKvxNrY-SNTH.
Hamilton and Mcclellan met at dinner in
Gen. SCOTS house on August 4, and they were
fated from the outset to develop friction that
| rlpened into feeling of mutual dislike. The
survivor handles Little Mac" with undisguised
hostility, as excerpts from the "Reminiscences"
| will attest
| The seventy-ninth regiment (Highlanders)
mustered GAO men when turned over by Mai.
hamilton to Col Cameron, brother of Secre-
| tary OF war Cameron. Col. Cameron who
afterward fell at Chantilly, was elected to COM
mand the regiment under the laws of the state
Of New York.
| These fighting Highlanders were so badly
| cut up at the first battle Of Bull Run that only
| TWENTY-FIVE officers and 693 men got back TO
| Washington. and the survivors asked to be sent
| to Fort Columbus or Fort Hamilton to recruit
! III health and numbers, as they had sworn in
as volunteers for the\war. The President and
| Secretary Cameron issued orders to have the
| requisite papers drawn and indorsed.
Meantime Gen. Mcclellan had issued orders
| to brigade the seventy-ninth under Gen Dam
lei l.. Sickles. Then the circus began The
men OF the seventy ninth grumbled, and were
| hhotShSu Win arms ana without
their colors into Washington from their camp.
| GENERAL" sICKLEs.
hurried up to tho Secretary of Wars house
and told him what course Mcclellan had taken.
He was bitterly incensed and ordered me to re-
| port at the war Office at 8 next morning and
bring with me Lieut.. Col Elliott and Gen.
| Sandford
Gen. Sandford was very feeble and lame.
but he rode up in a carriage. His term of sery.
ice expired that day.
Tho Secretary of War asked him where Gen.
Sickles obtained his rank of brigadier general
that he had not given it to him. Did Gov.
| Morgan commission him as general?
NO" said Gen. SANFORD; "he told me he
would not"
| Gen. Mcclellan having boon summoned the
Secretary said to him: General, 1 ordered
| Maj. Hamilton, by instructions of the Presi
dent. to see that the seventy-ninth regiment
went to New York harbor. Now | learn that
You have ordered them to be brigaded under a
Gen. Sckles. Who is this Gen. Sickles? How
does he get his rank? Who gave il to him?"
| II do not know" said Gen. Mcclellan "He
| reported to me for duty az brigadier general
wearing the uniform. II is impossible for me
| to know who all the officers are or how com
missioned"
That Is So" replied Secretary Cameron
| Col. Hamilton, go for the President and sond
| for the members of the cabinet in my name to
| meet here at once"
The cabinet officers we're all soon there ex
ceptlng Secretary Chase, whose first assistant
MIR. Harrington came instead. i had briefly
told the President the circumstances He en-
tered soon after 0aye him cbai ao,3