Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-12
THE DISTRICT VOLUNTEERS.
Their Invaluable Services I'm Defense of
the Union and the National Capital.
THE FIRST MEN TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES TO THEIR
couNrRY-THEY SAVED THE NATION FROM THE
DISGRACE OF AN ABANDONMENT OF THE CAPITAL
CITY

The men who claim the benefit Of the &C
were the first men to enlist and offer thei
services In defense OF the country during the
late war"
These are the sentiments of the House com
mittee on war claims, and the committee was
talking about the District of Columbia volun
teers when it uttered the paragraph just
quoted. Lots of people have attempted tc
decry the services of the loyal men of this city
and great many folks have been ready anc
anxious to laugh a. propositions to legisate a
bounty into the pockets Of these men who
went out from their Offices work benches and
homes to assist in keeping the federal Union
| lone and indiyisible.'
| No one knew more about the District and its
volunteers than Gen. Charles I. Stone, and a
/ reproduction of a portion OF the Letter he wrote
/ years ago describing their action cannot fail to
J be of interest now that bounty bill has been
/ favorably reported to the House. In the intro
ductory TO the report the committee says that
| Gen. Scott was satisfied early as January,
/ 1861, that there was a secret organization In
this city drilling and recruiting with the avowed
| purpose OF taking possession Of government
property. and to counteract this he authorized
! Gen. Stone to organize the loyal men of the
/ District. Thirty-iiye companies were organ
/ lied.
GEN. STONES STORY
Of the circumstances under which the volun-
| teers were organized and mustered into the
service and their action i'll service is as follows
ION the 3lst of December, 1860. when the
political situation was so critical that no man
could see the outcome the government of the
United States had in its capital city no effective
armed force for sustaining its dignity. presery-
ing public order or even protecting its exist
ence IN the capital. 4 few enlisted men of
ordnance occupied the arsenal. two men had
the care OF the Columbia armory and small
! force of marines formed the guard OF the navy
yard. but these were not in sufficient number
to effectively guard their own positions The
organization of the militia of the District had
been broken up i'll anticipation of new law on
the subject but the proposed new law had not
been acted upon by the Congress and there
could be no hope under the then existing cir
cumstances that action would be taken on it
during that session. This condition of affairs
was the subject of a serious conference between
Lieut.. Gen. Scott then commanding the army
and myself on the evening of the 3lst Decem-
Der 1861 he having come from New York to
Washington. called by the President for con-
suitation on the policy to be pursued by the
government.
GEN. SCOTS soLIcIIUDE.
''The aged general expressed to me his solic-
itude on the want of any military strength in
the capital and asked me what would, in nv
opinion, be the attitude of the people of the
Il deral district toward the government of the
United States III of any serious danger
threatening its stability. had made that sub
}ect one OF careful study and informed him that
L felt confident that two-thirds of the fighting
stock OF the District would be ready to stand
by the government and defend it: that great
anxiety and uneaslness prevailed among the
people. and that while thousands were ready
to do their utmost for the stability of the gov
ernment no one knew its policy or its desires;
that there were plenty Of suggestions but no
sound plan OF action. and there no rallying
point for such as desired to be of service TO as
scmblc upon. Our conference was closed by
the arrival OF the hour at which the general
ln-chlef had an appointment to call upon the
fresldent; but rs he was about entering his car
rage he turned to me and, placing his hand
upon my shoulder. said very emphatically:
y Ou say that these people have 10 rallying
point. Make yourself that ralying point
He drove off to the executive mansion and on
the following morning. January /, 1851, | was
appointed by the President colonel III the staff
and inspector general of the District of Column
bia. On the I'd January qualified and entered
on my new duties under the direct orders of
the general-ln-chief. | Immediately addressed
letters to large number OF influential citizens
and addressed myself personally to Others
stating that 1t would be agreeable to the gov
eminent should each OF them raise company
OF one hundred men, volunteers. for service in
the District This action was the first intma-
ton from the government to the people that a
mixture of force was to enter into It's policy
which up to that time had been one OF concill-
alton pure and simple.
PROMPT RESPONSE OF THE DISTRICT MEN
The responses OF the men OF the federal
district was prompt and not to be mistaken or
misunderstood Old volunteer organizations
assembled and filled their ranks and new COM
panles OF volunteers formed rapidly and pre-
scented themselves. The people were enthusi-
astlc and the newly formed companies pur-
chased their uniforms themselves, hired and
PAD Tor armorles IL which to assemble for
drill and called upon the government for arms
equipments and ammunition only. by the 22d
OF February a respectable force of, as nearly as
L can now remember, about 1000 Of these
troops paraded III honor of the day and made it
evident to all present in the capital that the
government had at its disposal at least a GER
tam military force in case OF necessity The
number of companies increased daily or almost
daily, and 1t was this force which on the 4th
March, 1861 together with handful of regular
troops which Gen. Scott had been able to as
semble Gas nearly as / remember. two batteries
OF artillery, one company engineer troops and
some 200 cavalry, rendered prac teal and safe
the quiet Inauguration of the consttutionaIy
elected President. battalion OF District
troops guarded, under Col. TAFT. the position
where the President took the oath of office and
made his inaugural address. District of
SoiuiHpld NoluHteeE coNuirS guarded the car
riaGe III which the two Presidents rode while the
engineer company (Duane) marched before the
carriage and Distr let volunteers behind it.
DISTRICT VOLUNTEER RIFLEMEN
occupied the windows of the Capitol overlook
ing the ceremony of Inauguration and also oc-
cupied the roofs OF the houses along Pennsyi-
wanna avenue. through which the procession
passed. During the month of March, 1861
these volunteers were active i'll drilling and
perfectlng their discipline and. although not
yet mustered into the service most of them
held themselves constantly ready for service in
case OF need. The case of need soon came
Before the firing of the first hostile shot against
Fort Sumter the condition OF affairs at the Can't
tai rendered ii II ccssary for the government
to have troops for the protection of the public
departments, and the master into service of at
first four companies, then eight companies
and before that could be accomplished of ali
the District volunteers, was ordered This
muster-in was commenced on the 10th April
1861. AS had organized these troops and in
structed them the honor of commanding them
Ill service was conferred on me, and il was with
full knowledge of the duty performed by them
and OF the manner in which 1t was performed
that can state their service.
WHAT THEY DID FOR THE COUNTRY
"They numbered say $500 men, and can
truthfully state that during much Of their three
months service they performed duty which in
ordinary war service would reasonably REQUIRE
twice their number. They guarded the public
buildings aud property. They at the same time
guarded th, BRIDGES and ads giving entranco