Evening star., 1897-03-06
"reminiscences Of Inauguration Pa
rades Of Ante-Bellum Days.
TIE GROWTH OF TIE PAGEANT
Some Of the Organizations That
Used to Appear.
NJ E NJ 0 r A LIE AIR S

tons of ante-bellum days. said an old
citizen to a reporter of The Star ''if for
nothing else than purposes of comparison.
1t seemed in old times that outside the
official ceremonies at the Capitol the gov
ernment troops took no part in the pro-
cessions. Excepting the marines at the
barracks and navy yard, ofttimes mere
hand full, and detachment of ordnance
men at the arsenal, there were no govern
ment uniformed men nearer than Fort
Washington, below Alexandra, and Fort
McHenry, Baltimore. Therefore. the vol
unteers made up the escort, and that neces-
sary appendage, the national salute, was
fired by our local artillery from the six
FOUNDER guns kept in the city hall build
ing, now the court house, and usually it
was fired in the square. This was a fine
company of solid citizens in the conti-
mental uniform, and was commanded by
Capt. Caleb Buckingham, and after its
disbandment in the early part of the 5Os
the government for inaugurations ordered
over the United States light batteries from
Fort McHenry to parade and fire the sa-
lutes. 1t was at the inauguration of Presi-
dent Pierce. 1 believe. that a light battery
of the regular army, and the United States
marines first took part, but Oh the occa-
sions of the funerals of Harrison and Tay-
lor the regulars were in line. Since 1Sii
the United States troops have been feat
THE first President l saw take his seat
for such was the ceremony called in the
old days" continued the old man, was Old
Tippecanoe-Gen. w. II. Harrison-in 1S41,
and to me 1t was a grand affair. AS
recollect it, the procession formed in front
of the City Hall, and marched by 9th and
E streets to the residence of Col w. W.
Seaton, on E between Ith and Sth Opposite
the main door of the Post Office Depart
menD, where Gen. Harrison, who had been
Mr.. Seaton's guest mounted on a white
charger, and fanked by fourteen marshals
took his lace in the line. An elegant coach
had been presented him the day before by
the wings of Baltimore in which to ride.
but he preferred the saddle. The military
escort was not large one, put to my eyes
II was a magnificent sight. The National
Gfays or Philadelphia were here, and with
the old Columbian Artillery, the Washing
ton Light Infantry, the National Blues and
Independent Grays of Georgetown formed
the military division. 1t was the civil divi-
sion that attracted the most attention out
side the President. for there were quite a
number of clubs in the line, with floats on
which were log cabins with barrels of hard
cider, live 'coons. dead roosters and numer-
GUS party emblems, and the strains of
Rally, Whigs,' was heard from the bands.
The enthusiasm Of the people was some
thlng wonderful, and the whole proceed
lngs We're accompanied by joyous spirit,
although the weather. light snow settiu q
IN as the general was en- route to the White
House-was calculated to dampen the ardor
Oh the most ardent. Gen. Harrison, de-
spile tne snow. rode with his hat in his
his death in one short month.
Formed Mt the City Hall.
AT President Polks Inauguration. con-
tinued the old-timer, Il took more inter-
est for 1 was four years older. and 7
was one of those who wanted to know
Who is this man Polk, anyhow This
at ha
took up the President at the National Ho-
tel and escorted him to the CAPITOL The
VISITING military were the Blues of Ralti-
more, an infantry company from Savage
,,.o ac.ory C; Nd the Fairfax Dragons and
the Columbia Rif1emen of Alexandria who
with with the Columbian Artillery Potomac
Dras soons, National Blues, MechanicaI
nhienieh' Independent Grays, Union Guards
ana Morgan Rifiemen of this city, formed
the military division Besides nur loci
democrats and the Young Hickories there
were numbers of outside clubs, the Emnire
OF New York. with brass cannon and
was uanesous a state organizations in line
the flag of blue. with single star Ghe Texan ~,
ensign), and 1 noted that the outeoina
Eles1dent, Tyler rode in the carriage win
Mr.. Polk. Will
so much interest was there to SEQ thu
feroes of the Mexican war" writes ,I,. tne nie
man, that when Old Rough and Readv;
as General Taylor was called. was inaney-
ia.eo M tne turnout was general, and there
was more enthusiasm than had neen e,,ar
evoked before. While there was a contin-
uous cheer as the coach in vhi.h r.
Presidents Polk and Taylor, rode. f1antsd
sS pS one hundred marshals. appeared, when
some prominent hero of the war c,na ~
sight the cheering would be repeated The
OUTSIDE military was mostly from Ralti
more the Blues, 1st Baltimore Sharpshoof-
srs; ar;;,,os,s. Washington Guards, the Junior
Laurel Dragons, commanded by Colonel
Horace Cspron. Capron (afterward com
missioner OF agriculture) headed the line.
ana 5ne gallant Colonel Charles May, COM
manding the military, came in for mnch an
Plause. The Grays Of Georgetown. the
National Grays, Light Infantry and Walker
oharpshooters were the District com
pshles' the latter taking their name in
honor of Major Samuel H. Walker who
was killed in Mexico after making a most
brilliant record. The civic portion of the
line was brilliant one, and there were
many, many housh and Ready clubs present, but
party insignia were for the most part
escheWed, and there was more unanimitv
OF feeling than was expected, for the dem
ocrats regarded the President as more Of
a patriot than partisan.
IA pleasing incident was that the carr;a, 20
IN which rode Gen. Taylor, who had heen
taken up at Wizards Opened but a short
time before under that name), and Robert
Z. winthrop. the Speaker of the House.
and w. w. Seaton, mayor of Washjnpton
drove out of the procession at 18th street
to the Irving Hotel "a newly established
hotel on the site of the Raleigh, and n
Polk. having vacated the White House the
day before, Joined and cordially greeted the
old warrior and accompanied him to the
Capitol. This act was greeted with three
times three (and I may say continuousl
cheers.
Government Troops.
ut was at the Inauguration of Franklin
Pierce that the government troops put in
an appearance, being represented by a bat
terry of flying artillery from Fort McHenrv
and the marines from the barracks. The
city was full of people before midnight Of
the Sd of March, and numbers of military
companies arrived from other cities to saw
nothing of the clubs and associations. The
procession. under the marshalship of Jonah
D. Hoover, was one of the most imnosino
seen. In the military pageant were the
Light Artillery from Fort McHenry, Emer-
son Artillery Of Portsmouth, Va: Mechan-
les Artillery Of Alexandra, Va: III. s.
marines. Washington Light Infantry. Law
Grays of Baltimore, National Guard Of
Harrisburg, Walker SharpshOoters First
Baltimore Sharpshooters, MontRomery
Guards. Mt. Vernon Guards Of Alexandria
Boone Rides. Continental Guards of New
York. National Grays. Washington Guards
Of Baltimore, Continental Guard. German