The National tribune., 1901-11-14
DEFENSE OF THE CAPITAL.
Organization OF the Militia OF the District
of Columbia in January, 1861.

An interesting paper written by Gen.
Charles 7. Stone, who was Inspector
General of the Military forces of the Dis
trict of Columbia during the early part
of the war of the rebellion, is being EN-
ployed by the District Volunteers i'll their
effort to secure bounty.
Gen. Stones paper is of interest to
veterans of all sections Of the country, as
it deals with the peculiar and complex
situation existing at the Nations Capital
at the outbreak of the war. and before
the volunteer organizations of the States
had reached here. Gen. Stone says:
The circumstances under which the
| District of Columbia volunteers were or
ganized and mustered into service, and
| their actions in service, were as follows:
! On December 81, 1850. when the pOliti-
cal situation was so critical that no man
could fOreSee the outcome, the Govern
ment of the United States had i'll its
Capital City no effective armed force for
sustaining its dignity, preserving public
order, or even protecting its existence in
the Capital. A few enlisted men of ord
nance occupied the Arsenal tnOw Wash
ingtOn BarrackSD; two men had the care
| of the Columbian Armory (nOw the Fish
! Commission depot, and small force of
marines formed the guard of the Navy
! Yard, but these We're not in sufficient
! HulIp'I " tHttNiNtIE Suilu lH'Il 'Nii
! positions. The organization of the militia
of the District of Columbia had been
broken up in anticipation of new law
on the subject but the proposed new law
| mad not been acted upon by Congress,
and there could be no hope under the
| then existing circumstances that action
would be taken on it during that session.
This condition of affairs was the sub
| Ject of a serious conference between
Lieut. Gen. Scott, then commanding the
Army, and myself, on the evening of Dec.
! 81, 1860, he having come from New York
to Washington, called by the President
for consultation on the policy to be pur-
sued by the Government
THE aged General expressed to me his
| sOlicitUde on the want of any military
strength in the Capital. and asked me
what would, i'll my opinion, be the atti-
tude of the people of the Federal Dis
trict towards the Government OF the
| United States i'll case of any serious dan
ger threatening its stability. | had made
| that subject one of careful study. and in
formed him that | felt confident that two
| thirds of the fighting stock of the Dis
trict would be ready to stand by the Gov
ernment and defend it; that great anxiety
and mcasinesS prevailed among the peo-
| pie, and that while thousands We're ready
| to do their utmost for the stability Of the
| Government, no one knew its policy or
| its desires; that there were plenty of sUg-
gestions, but no sound plan of action, and
there was no rallying point for such as
desired to be Of service to assemble upon.
Our conference was closed by the ar
rival Of the hour at which the Gcneral-in-
| Chief had an appointment to call upon
! the President; but as he was about enter
ing his carriage he turned to me, and plac-
ing his hand upon my shoulder, said very
emphatically: You say these people have
no rallying point. Make yourself that
rallying point He drove off to the
Executive Mansion, and ON the following
morning, Jan. !, 1861, | was appointed
by the President Colonel on the staff and
Inspector General of the District of Co
lumbia.
"On January l qualified and entered
on my new duties under the direct or
ders Of the Gencral-in- Chief. | imme-
diately addressed letters to q large num-
Der of influential citizens and addressed
myself personally to others, stating that
it would be agreeable to the Government
should each of them raise company of
100 men, volunteers, for service in the
District.
"This action was the first intimation
from the Government to the people that
q mixed force was to enter into its policy,
which, up to that time, had been one Of
Cancellation pure and simple. The re-
SItDllSe VI lUt men VI tue ButIdl us
trict was prompt and not to be mistaken
or misunderstood. Old volunteer organiza-
tions assembled and filled their ranks and
new companies of volunteers formed
rapidly and presented themselves. The
people were enthusiastic, and the newly
formed companies purchased their uni
forms themselves, hired and paid for
armories in which to assemble for drill,
and called upon the Government for arms,
| opuipfpnuts and ammunition only
by Feb 22, 1861, respectable force
of, as nearly as L can now remember,
about 1000 of these troops paraded in
honor Of the day (Washington's Birth
day., and made it evident to all present
in the Capital that the Government had
at its disposal at least a certain military
force in case Of necessity.
"'rhe number of companies increased
daily, and it was this force which on
March 4, 1861, together with a handful
| of Regular troops which Gen. Scott had
been able to assemble Gas nearly as | re-
member two batteries of artillery, one
| company of Engineer troops, and some
200 cavalry, rendered practicable and
safe the quiet Inauguration of the cOnsti-
| tutiOnally-eected President 4 battalion
| of District troops, under Col. TAFT, guard
ed the position where President Lincoln
took the oath of office, and made his in
! augural address. District of Columbia
Volunteer Cavalry guarded the carriage
in which the two Presidents rode, while
the Engineer company Duane) marched
before the carriage and District NOlun-
teers behind it.
District of Columbia volunteer rifle
men occupied the windows of the Capitol,
overlooking the ceremony of Inauguration,
and also occupied the roofs of the houses
along Pennsylvania Avenue through which
the procession passed"
These precautions were taken by the
authorities, as it had been reported that
there was 4 secret organization in Wash
ingtOn, which had been actively engaged
iii drilling and recruiting, and being com
posed of Secessionists, it was feared an
attempt might he made to aSSassinate
President Lincoln and prevent his inaugu
ration.
During the month of March, 1861,
continues Gen. Stone, ''these District
volunteers We're active in drilling and per
fecting their discipline, and although not
yet mustered into the service, most OF
them held themselves constantly ready fol
service in case of need. The case of neet
soon came. Before the firing of the firs
hostile shot against Fort Sumter the con
dition of affairs at the Capital rendered