Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-21
DEFENDERS OF THE CAPITOL.
District Volunteers the Ffrss 20 he Mastered
In.

District Volunteer the First to he Mastered
TIE RECORDS Snow THIS TO BIZ rHR CASE
GEN. STONE GIVES VALUABLE TESTIMONY on
THE QUESTION AND coNrLrnKSrs rax pisraior
TROOPS.
The sixth Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania
volunteer survivors will head the grand parade
during the encampment, which 10 . perfectly
agreeable arrangement 70, the District volun-
teers. although the records and history shows
clearly that the honor Of first defenders" Of
the capital At the opening Of the var rests with
the local volunteers at that time
THE WAR RRcoRps
The records show that before there was q
single soldier from the north mustered into
federal service at the outbreak Of the war the
troops Of the District were guarding the public
buildings, the bridges, roads and ferries. When
1t was feared that there would be an outbreak
at the Inauguration Of President Lincoln il
was the District militia that marched with
loaded muskets, stationed themselves on house
tops and guarded the public build
ings. prepared for any emergency The
National Guard battalion had charge Of the
Capitol, and the Washington Light Infantry
guarded the approach to the White House,
while Gen. Scott, npprehensive Of trouble, had
the few regulars here 30 stationed that they
could have been brought into action at once
The fact is that before any northern troops ar
rived here District companies were marching
up to the War Department and mastering in
daily.
When the authorities stopped the .smusterine"
there were other companies waiting to be sworn
In and there was scarcely q neighborhood in the
District where company was not being re-
cruited. The figures Of tho War Department
chow, too, that the District had population In
1850 OF $3.50, and furnished 22l per cent Of
this for the war.
WHEN THEY wERE MUSTERED IN.
The records show the muster in Of the Dis
trict companies at the following dates.
April lo--Capt. L. Williams, company A,
W. II.
April 11-Capt ". H.. Nalley, Metropolitan
Rifles; Capt. s. A. H. McKim. company C, Ma
tonal Guard; Capt. Joseph Gerhardt. company
A, Turner Rifles; Capt. A. Rutherford. Me-
chanics' Union Rifles; Capt. Loeffier. Washing
ton Rifles; Capt James Kelly (B, Union regi-
ment); Capt. George Thistleton, company A,
Putnam Rifles.
April ls-Capt. E. c. Darlington, company
A, U. r.; Capt. c. H. Rodier. Anderson Rifles.
April l5-Capt. ]. r. Smead, National Rides;
Capt. P. II. King, d. n. g.; Capt. @. J. L. Fox
well, Henderson Guards.
April l7-Capt. James Goddard, Darlington
Home Guards; Capt s. A. II. Marks, ir., Wash
inston Light Guards: Capt. Richard Morgan,
company ID, n. c.; Capt. G. W. Miller, com
tional Guards.
April ls-Cspt. Robert Boyd, Potomac Light
Guard: Capt. John McDermott, Jackson Guards;
Capt. II. NJ. Knight, Slemmer Guards.
April l9-Capt. S. W. Owen, Presidents
Mounted Guard.
Apri1 fen, Z Efa.-
Capt. j. Tyler Powell, company E, W. /.
lzouaves); Capt John Mcclellan, company d,
U. r..
April 22-Capt. Gameweii, company b, Put
nam Rifles; Capt. W. B. Ferguson, company F,
National Guard; Capt. S. Cross, company d,
Light Infantry (howitzer corps); Capt. Jas. N.
Caiian, Watson Gnard; Capt Krzyanowski,
company B, Turner Rifles.
April 23-Capt j. H. McBiair, Andrew John
son Guards; Capt. G. r. Morrison. District
Union Rifles.
April 24-Capt JAS Fletcher, company F,
Union Rifles; Capt Robert Clark, City
Guards.
on DUTY BEFORE.
These are only the actual dates Of mastering
in, and at considerably previous dates in many
instances the companies had been formed,
their service accepted and were doing active
duty. There were thirty-four companies &C.
cepted and In many cases they exceeded 100
prlvates. Most of them had been recruited
up to that number. Besides these there were
companies in the various public buildings, one
In the Capitol, composed of employees of the
Senate. named the Hamlin Guards, in compli-
ment Of the Vice President, under Can't. Bas
sett, the veteran doorkeeper
GEN. STONES TESTIMONY.
The late Gen. Charles P. Stone, who was A.
signed by Gen. Scott to the command of the
District volunteers, has given the strongest
kind Of testimony to the prompt patriotism of
the District troops OF 1861. In report made
year or two before his death Gen. Stone gave
an account Of the rallying Of the District
troops at his call as early as January /, 1861.
1.-The responses of the men of the federal
district, he said, ''were prompt and not to be
mistaken or misunderstood Old volunteer
organizations assembled and filed their ranks
and new companies OF volunteers formed rap
idly and presented themselves. Tho people
were enthusiastic and the newly formed COM
panies purchased their uniforms themselves
hired and paid for armories in which to as
semble for drill and called upon the govern
ment for arms. equipments and ammunition
only. BY the 22d of February respectable
force Of, as nearly as l can remember, about
1000 OF these troops parnded in honor of the
day and made it evident to all present in the
capital that the government had at its disposal
ut least certain military force in case Of ne
Scsehy. iuo nuHDcr OF companies increased
daily, or almost daily. and it was this force
which, on the 4th of March, 1861, together
with handful Of regular troops which Gen.
Scott had been able to assemble los nearly ss 1
remember, two batteries Of artillery, one COM
pany engineer troops and some 200 cavalry,
rendered practical and safe the quiet inaugura-
ton OF the constitutionally elected President.
A battalion OF District troops guarded, under
Col Iait, the position where the President
took the oath Of office and made his inaugural
address. District % Co1umbia volunteer cav
airy guarded tn Arriage in which the two
Presidents rode while the engineer company
(Duane) marched before the carriage and Dis
trict volunteers behind it.
District volunteer rifemen occupied the
windows OF the Capitol oven Hooking the cere-
mony Of Inauguration and also occupied the
roofs Of the houses along Pennsylvsnia avenue.
through which the procession passed. During
the month OF March 1851, these volunteers
we're active In drilling and perfecting their
discipline, and, although not yet mustered into
the service, most Of them held themselves
constantly ready for tervice in case Of need.
The case OF need soon came. Before the firing
Of the FIRST hostile shot against Fort Sumter ths
condition Of Affairs at the capital rendered Il
necessary for DE government TO have troons
for the protectf,n Of the public Department..
and the mastering into service Of the ART four
companies, then eight companies, and befors
that could be accomplished, Of ali the District
volunteers, was ordered. This muster in vas com
menced on the 10th Of April, 1851 Az had organ
lied these troops and instructed them the honorof
commanding them in service WAS conferred
upon me, and it was with full knowledse of tbe
duty uarSormed nv them aud ~ A. -S--