Evening star., 1901-11-09
EARLY CIVIL WAR EVENTS
HOW JOHN BROWNS RAID SET
WASHINGTON AFLAME.
A Patriotic French Tailor - What 1t
cruits Died of Homesfckness.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Washington has witnessed many exciting
scenes, but probably it was never as wild
as when the news came at the beginning Of
the crisis that was to be the most momen-
tous in the countrys history, Of John
Browns raid.
John Brown has attacked the garrison
at Harper's Ferry, armed the slaves with
guns and pixies, poisoned all the springs
and wells and the war is onr'
This was the alarming outcry that set
the streets of Washington afiame. Men
flew to arms, as their forefathers had at
Lexington. Drums beat, bugles blew, troops
of regular and improvised cavalry, batter
les of artillery. marching infantry. armed
with all manner of offensive weapons. hur-
ried by one impulse to queil the threaten
ing trouble.
Robert E. Lee, fighting then for the
starry flag and the Union soon estopped
the first leak, but a torrent came and
swept half of the states out of the Union,
and the allegiance of Lee and many other
mighty and noble men went with them.
The peace congress assembled in Wizards
Hall on F street. 1t could not agree and
and invaded Virginia. All! how We all sat
at our open windows that night and listen
ed to the first guns Of the first battle OF
Bull Run.
crowding every drinking place in the city
self-abandoned and without control-scarce-
ly recovered from their terrific fear O.
''The Black Horse Cavalry
The war was on. Rattling drums and
screaming flies resounded. Recruiting was
going on. here, there and everywhere Lit
tie Peter Tor Paul. Denis. the French tailor
on 9th near G street, uncrossed his legs,
flung aside his goose, lapboard, tapes. shears.
chalks. needles and thread and resumed
the scarlet breeches of French zouave,
clad in which he had mounted many a bar
ricade in Paris, and wherefore he was then
In Washington, drew his newly FURNISHED
sword and with the colors of his adopted
country floating over his black. bristling
waxed mustache and military chin whis
kers, marched fiercely day after day
kindling into blazing wrath the sparks of
patriotism. He fought nobly, brave little
Denis did, and so he fell.
Later, volunteers not offering in sufficient
numbers to fill the depleted ranks as the
war progressed, and recruiting proving in
sufficient. resort was had to the draft.
Among others, besides Grover Cleveland
and also the humble writer of this was
drafted l don't know how Grover felt
about it, but l felt awful We each fur
nished substitute and braveIy and pa
triotically stayed at home.
Major Jim O'Beirne Of the Engineer
Corps, provost marshal was experimenting
the drafting business in the District of Co
lumbia
On notification I went up to see him. and
made all my representations-to no effect
l was sent in to "the doctor" in an adjoin-
ing frame shanty, who ordered me to strip,
somewhat. and handled me, and tapped me.
and punched me. and auscultated me. He
asked me various impertinent questions,
weighed and measured me, and-the rascal,
who was personal friend Of my father
and of mine-gave me certificate to hand
In to OBeirne, stating that the bearer had
passed all tests favorably. The scamp then
will 1xo
a bully little soldier; report to the major!
Substitutes came high, but we had to
have them 1 have before me now my
drafting papers and the correspondence
which ensued with the War Department.
First, had to pay substitute broker $500
TO procure for me fellow who was will
ing to be shot or otherwise done to death
In my place. He turned out within the
next ten days to be bounty jumper and
skipped with all the Notwithstanding the
service and me, too. l was notified by the
department and directed to find another
one. On the heels of this came another
communfca ton from the department. say
ing: Your substitute has been captured
and al j., portion of the money found hidden
deficiency I did SO. and before I was
clear Of the scrape 1 had paid out $3.50 or
$500. There has been lot of talk ever
since about Congress reimbursing Grover
ana me and the others, with interest on
this investment, but it has not yet ma
terialized
Shortly after 1 got out Of this hole poor
old Joe Conoway fine old negro fam
lly servant of my wife's, was also drafted
He was not at all martial and no ways
belligerent. worked in every way for the
poor fellow. but all In vain
Joe had to leave wife, two children and
cart driving and go down to the nearest
camp to be mustered in, drilled, etc
In one week after word was sent TO me-
through the authorities, that Joe Como
way was dead-dieu of nostalgia (home-
sicknesst. So common a case did This he
come that all pension papers admit nostal-
gia as cause of death. If proven sufficient
to secure the Endorsement approved.