Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-20

tine i,esreat" building Is still standing at the
north end OF the Baltimore and-Ohio depot
Before the war il was occupied by the NJ. YER
non cane factory. which was established by tie
late ). l.. Crutehett. The Rest and the
buildings connected herewith the headquRr-
tcrs. guard house. kitchens. &c.-have long
s.uce Disappeared These were located oppo-
| site II he Retreat" and on the south side Of
the railroad track. extending outward facing
the track. which was bu; few yards from the
entrance to the Rest. The establishment Of
the Rest and Retreat WAS a necessity, especially
when the call for 5000 men was issued after
the first battle of Bull Run. July n. ls6i. Prior
u this troops by companies. battalions and reg
Irnents were arriving. often unheralded. and
the officers on duty here were at a loss to find
quarters. Private houses which happened 90
be vacant were taken and the rental arranged
for afterWard
TIE INAUGURAL RAIL BUILDING.
Among the buildings for barracks put up at
tins time was the frame structure erected near
the north wall of the court house. which had
been built for the inaugural ball of March 4.
1861. Several organizations. enlisted fo<thfee
months, were qs~-sered in this bydding in
April and May, 1851. and after the advance Of
the troops In May u was continued tenn
porary quarters for organizations en- route.
Immediately after the battle of Bull Run the
| building taken down and rebuilt near this
] uefot ae The hest. IL was 25O feet long and 90
feet wide. and the $4,000 feet Of floor space
which the grand promenade of the inaugural
| ball. followed by the dance took place became 10
many patriotic young soldier en- route to the
| front a temporary biyouac. The Retreat build
| ing frame structure 50 by $50 feet IL
was established by the late Col then
| Capt) BeckwIth. commissary of subsist-
ence. and in the immediate charge
| of Messrs. Thomas u. Donanue and James II.
| Searles. two trusty agents, who had lust come
| y IA Ia mn, tr..1
| post until late in 1865, when the building was
closed. He is still living in this city and is in
active business.
The Retreat was fitted up with tables. NJ
which meals were served TO troops in detnch-
ments of 800 at time. Refugees, paroled
prisoners and now and then deserters here
partook OF Uncle Sans hospitality.
TEE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
The Headquarters building was a neat frame
structure on North Capitol street south of the
Retreat. and the kitchens were located to the
east and in the rear. There were about sixty
persons employed in the Retreat, including
| cooks. In the kitchens there we've thirty
boilers. the larges; having capacity Of 40
gallons. Some idea of the work DONE and fire.
quently continued night aud day. may be
gained from the fact that in one day in 1862
$1,000 men were fed there; that 520 gallons Of
! coffee were often prepared at one time: that
100 barrels OF meat were boiled in a day and
that the rations for Burnside's expedition to
North Carolina and seven days rations for the
twelfth corps. en- route west, were put up in one
day and shipped with the corps. Breakfast
dinner and supper were the regular meals all Of
which-with the exception of the bread baked
at the government bakery-ware cooked in the
kitchen Coffee. bread. ham or corped beef
were usually prepared for breakfast and
supper. while bean soup, split peas, ham. corn
beef and occasionally roast beef constituts,d
the bill of fare for dinner.
In 1862 Capt L. NJ Camp. having been an
pointed an assistant quartermakter vas placed
in charge OF the building, With military guard.
the latter. however, being calAfd on but seldom
4 TO make arrest or take extrerSe measured Or
with the prospect of substantial meals and a
place for quiet rest for ever short time the
most reckless would place themselves on Their
good behavior. In the building called the
Hest many took their fret lesson in sleepinu \.
soldiers sleep-which experience proved 10 be
anywhere when nature requires repose-and Al
| times MANY two regiments rolled an
blankets slept the sleep OF the Just to 20 fort,
| in the morning to their posts of duty The
privileges of these buildings we're Restricted AZ
| a rule to Union soldiers, but refugecs re,ensea
prisoners and deserters from the confederate
side we're welcomed. aud on one occasion
several hundred boys IN gray stopped ct this
hotel.
THE JoHSSrxs' BAND.
This in the latter part Of 1864. and amone
the number were a couple Of dozen musicians
who brought with them their instrumept.
They were able to organize q complete band.
with the exception OF the bass drum. which v.s
lost somewhere in the scramble. These men
were 80 proud Of the fact Of having crossed The
lines that they hastily formed a band. procur-
ing by loan bass drum. and. accompanied By
Major Camp and 4 number OF oficer,. ons
afternoon they serenaded President Lipcoio A
the White House. Secretary stanton at shs
War Department and Others. The spectacle al
rebel band serenading federal diguitariss
naturally attracted large and curious crel