Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-27

eof. 0en FRANKLIN fierce, 70 the Wnfte House,
formed In two ranks. In open order, along
Pennsylvania avenue. on the north side. along
Lafayette Square, and presented arms the
Presidents carriage passed. Mr.. Buchanan
was stout and rosy. Gen. Pierce, thought,
did not appear to be in good health. The next
day French's battery drilled on the White Lot,
firing blank cartridges.
THE BATTERY DRILL on THE WHITE LOT.
1t is said that $4,000 people witnessed the
drill, sometimes pressing % closely upon the
battery that the evolutions were made with diff
Guilty. Firing with the prolonge'-that is, fir
ing while retreating, dragging the gun by .
prolonge rope attached 10 the climber" or two
front wheels-caused the utmost wonder awe
and admiration, as very few Of the crowd had
ever seen a light battery before. The colored
element was not then so prominent as now on
occasions OF this kind, as slavery existed in q
mild form in the District, and the crowd Of
colored boys which now sweeps around the
street corners Just ahead OF the leading band,
like dead leaves before a hurricane, in every
parade was either very small or entirely alb
sent.
In those days there existed, especially in the
northern states, q prejudice against the uni
forming OF officials. uniform, except when
worn by the military, was considered q nom
American livery of servitude. Policemen In
northern cities wore badges on their breasts and
small patent-leather tips around the tops of
their high silk hats; but the idea of fully uni
forming any one but a soldier, whose dress was
too often ridiculously gaudy, was considered pre-
posterous The mayor Of Washington-for this
city then had q mayor and city government
about this time uniformed his police force Of
some thirty men in white linen suits for warm
weather. The rough element laughed at this
dress, for they could see the policeman on
the darkest nigh. and easily escape across some
OF the many vacant lots
About the time of President Buchanans in
the enlistment of 200 additional men, raising
the corps to 200 or 400 men. Many Of the
recruits who came from Philadelphia and New
York to Washington were young Americans who
had been thrown out of employment in mercan-
tile establishments on account of the business
failures and consequent "hard times in
1857. Previously was informed the marines
were mostly Of foreign birth. The newcomers,
like myself, were anxious to go to sea. and were
much disappointed when the Niagara. sent out
to lay the first Atlantic cable furnished
with picked guard of older soldiers, and an
other frigate, think the Minnesota, going to
China could not accommodate half the new
men. was disappointed in missing the China
cruise, and was devoutly thankful afterward
ELECTION DAY IN WASHINGTON
Monday, the 1st of June, 1857. was election
day in Washington and there was much excite
ment. It was stated that the Baltimore plug
uglies" were in the habit OF coming to Wash
ington and "bossing" the city elections. and
the old soldiers of the navy yard guard stated
that troops had sometimes been called out, only
to be insulted and sometimes assaulted 1t was
known that certain "toughs" who worked in
the navy yard had in some way Gt was alleged
by thefO obtained possession Of old muskets,
which they sawed off just below the small of the
stock and just above the lower band on the
barrel, making very short guns, called plug
pistols" The weapons which would carry a
md alasl III hrnt hp,a
carried attached to the waist behind, concealed
by the coat skirts. The plugs" were also well
supplied with the revolvers in use at that time.
They were generally called pepper boxes" as
the six barrels were all bored in one piece of
iron, which revolved as the piece was cooked
As the barrel was moving while the shooter was
taking aim and the pistol generally jumped up
ward when fired, the weapon was not SO danger
GUS as it appeared to be.
AN EARLY MORNING RIOT.
Early in the morning the rioting commenced.
Several persons-among them a little girl
were wounded by bullets from struggling
riotors. In one part of the city a number of
leading citizens came out OF their homes with
firearms and the rowdies left. i do not re-
member the yard in which this took place.
Mayor Magruder, whom 1 remember fine
looking, fearless and able man. did all in his
power, with his small police force, to preserve
| order, but in vain. The rough element ruled
the city. The marines were kept in their
quarters, but the mayor finally called on the
local military ompanies-among them IremSp-
Der the Light Infantry, the Montgomery
Guards, the German Jaegers and the Presi-
dents Mounted Guard. The troops, however,
reported that it was all they could do to keep
the rioters out of their armories. There
were no regular soldiers nearer than Fort Nc
Henry, Baltimore, which was garrisoned by
French's light battery X of the first artillery,
about ninety men in all. As last resort Presi-
dent Buchanan ordered out the marines.
MARINES TO THE RESCUE.
Our recruits some sixty of whom had never
carried muskets, were much excited when about
twenty-five old Mexican war veterans from the
navy yard marched into the barracks 1t was
near noon. rainy, but very warm. and we were
all thinking about dinner CALL" when every
man who could fight was called to arms-only
two or three crippled old veterans being left to
guard the place. Had the rioters known this
after we left they might have scaled the wall
which was the same as it is today. except that
it was washed yellow instead Of blue-and OBJ
tanned arms and ammunition, with the loss of
some men, for the old veterans would certainly
have sold their lives dearly. We were supplied
with twenty rounds each, think. Of buck and
BALI cartridges. These cartridges each con-
tanned a round ball with three buckshot on top
of it, all fastened with small Irvine or thread to
the paper cylinder containing heavy charge Of
gunpowder. The muskets were not SO heavy
as the old flintlocks, which weighed fourteen
pounds. including the bayonets. Ours were
smoothbores. with percussion locks, and
weighed, with the bayonet, about twelve
pounds. The drummers and fifers were
plucky and wished to 60, but none
under sixteen years old were permitted to do
SO. Two OF the OF our drill sergeant
Hamilton-and an excellent instructor he was
were in the ranks. Thomas. o fifer was about
twenty years old, while James, a drummer, was
only about sixteen. Both were excellent SOL
diers.
The Marine Band, however, disguised every
body by refusing to turn out. One Of them
said, 'Ze band is to play moosic; no to fght.'
Nearly all the bandsmen appeared to be Portu-
guese or Italians, and their slovenly appear
ance on parade was in striking contrast with
the brilliant show made by Sousa and his excel
lent band at present. Gen. Henderson, a gal
liant and popular old veteran of the Mexican
and Florida wars, was then in command Of the
marine brigade, and he joined us down town in
citizens dress, not having time to get his uni
form, as the summons was unexpected. In his
absence Capt. Tyler took command.
SOME OF THE OFFICERS.
He was in citizens dress at first and hurri-
eddy sent for his uniform. Some panic-stricken
servant or relative sent him his full-dress uni
form coat, very dark blue, blazing with gold
and scarlet, and he presented a rather singular
appearance in that conspicuous garment with
q high silk hat and black vest and trousers and