Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-29
EsCORT no PIERCE.
The Virginia Rifles Given the
Post of UopOr--The Trip.


MIR. Louis Rueger, Sr.. one OF Rich
mond's oldest German citizens con-
tributes TO the DISPATCH the following
| interesting "reminiscences anent the
part borne by Richmond company IN
the Inauguration OF Mr.. Pierce
Reading IN your popular paper that
f! Colonel Wickham had been unsuccessful
in bis efforts to procure for his the First
Virginia. regiment of cavalry the honor
ed position Of special escort at the lnau-
quration of Mr.. Cleveland reminds me
that Richmond company had the honor
10 escort sir. Pierce at his Inauguration
the 4th of March, 1853, nearly forty
years ago. This company, OF which the
writer was member, was the Virginia
Rifle Company-A. Bodeker, captain /;
Louis Rueger, first lieutenant; August
Schad, second lieutenant, and George
LEM. third lieutenant
Our company; fifty-six men rank and
file, accompanied by the Armory Band,
eighteen pieces 81. Smith, leader, start
ed on the evening of March 3, 1858.
from the corner of Eighth and Broad
streets in special car OF the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad
for Washington. We were invited by
the Washington Rifles. Captain Schwarz-
man. to be their guests during our stay
in Washington.
PUSHED THE TRAIN.
The train was very crowded, and / re-
member that when we got to that part OF
the road this side OF Fredericksburg,
where there used to be heavy grade,
the locomotive was not able to pull the
train, and our company got out aud
pushed it up the hill. 1t was about 8
o'clock p. NJ. when we arrived at Aqua
Creek. where We took the Potomac boat.
The boat landed in Washington the
next morning after . o'clock. We were
received at the wharf by detachment
of the Washington Rifles and marched
in a hurry to hotel, where we took a
hasty breakfast. On arriving at Penn
sylvania avenue we found that the pro-
cession, consisting of a long line OF
military and fire companies and many
civic organizations, had already been
formed. After the ceremonies at the
Capitol were concluded all in the line
were, by the chief-marshal, assigned to
their positions in the parade. The Young
Guards Captain John Richardson) and
the Montgomery Guards Captain Pat.
Moore), both of Richmond, were also
represented in the parade.
THE Posr OF HONOR.
Our company was ordered TO take po-
sition Immediately in rear OF the car
risge of President Pierce. (By the way,
this splendid carriage, drawn by two
fine. large horses, was, as We were told,
a present made to the President by
some citizens OF Boston. As we marched
down the avenue to the White House
the Virginia kihe Company, headed by
three tail pioneers, each over six feet
high, with bearskin hats and large axes
on their shoulders, and the splendid
Armory Band, attracted considerable
attention. Captain James Smith and his
band were then in their prime. There
were many larger bands in Washington
that day, but none excelled the Armory
Band in respect OF fine music. Our
company had first-rate time with the
Washington Rifles, though it was snow
ing more or less the whole day. Captain
Schwarzman did all in his power to
make us have an agreeable time. Cap
tain SchwarZman, German by birth,
held at that time good Office in Wash
ington in the Dead-Letter Department,
but resigned when the war broke out
and joined the Confederate army.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
We started for home again the same
evening, being accompanied to the boat
by the Washington Rifles. In getting
ON the boat we came near having seri-
Gus accident. 1t being very dark at the
wharf and showing hard, our iagbearer
missed the gangway and fell III between
the boat and the wharf. Fortunately,
however, there was more mud than wa
ter where he fell in, and we soon pulled
him out by the flagstaff to which he held
on. He was not at all hurt, but muddy
to his breast.
When the boat was about to leave the
wharf Captain Schwarzman requested
Smith to play go, carry me back, 0,
carry me back to old Virginia shore,
and we all joined in singing that favor
tie song while the boat was sailing down
the Potomac. Next morning, March
5tn, about 10 o'clock, We arrived home
tired and worn out, because we did not
get much sleep for two nights. but l
often recall with pleasure this glorious
trip. The Virginia Rife Company. or
Company X OF the old First Virginia
Regiment, the Young Guards, and the
Montgomery Guards were all three
commissioned by Governor John B.
Floyd in 1850. The Virginia Rifles do
not claim to have acted as special escort
at the Inauguration of Mr.. Pierce, but
that they had the honor to escort the
President after tho Inauguration from
the Capitol TO the White House and at
the head of the column.