Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-19
DEFENDERS OF THE CAPITAL
ANDREW ID. HOOVER AMONG THE
FIRST TO VOLUNTEER.
List of District Companies, With
Their Captains, Who Were
First Mustered In.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:

To the Editor OF Inc Evening star:
By the death of Mr.. Andrew d. Hoover,
noticed in late number of The Evening
Star, the District of Columbia not only
lost one of it's oldest inhabitants, but also
the oldest defender of the capital when,
in 1861, it was threatened by invasion.
Although fifty-seven years of age, and
consequently 10 longer liable to military
duty, he yet was one of the first to answer
Mr.. LincoIn's first call in April, 1861. When
this call was made the number of white
male inhabitants in the District between
the ages of twenty and fifty, and thus
liable to military service, was $4,000. 1t is
fair to assume that at least 1000 of these
joined the confederate army at or before
this call The quota of the District under
the call was ,62I: the number furnished
under the same was APO, or one man out
of every three liable to service. Excluding
those who were physically disabled the
proportion is even greater, and is believed
to exceed that of any other state or terri
tory.
The APO men were organized and mus
tered into the United States military ser
vice between April 10 and %, 1861, as thir-
ty-siX independent companies and We're sub
sequently organized into eight battalions of
infantry. Two of the three companies of
cavalry Joined the Maryland volunteers and
one company of infantry Joined the Penn
%lvania volunteers before muster in.
The men who thus exhibited their patri-
OtiSm at the very beginning of the war,
when public sentiment in the District was
wavering, and when the capital was looked
upon as the ''enemy's country are fast
passing away. OF the thirty-eight captains
who commanded them l note only the
names of Boyd, Knight, Marks, Powell,
Nally, Clark, Morgan and Ferguson as be-
ing still residents here.
The Columbia Historical Society is doing
grand work In rescuinS from oblivion much
that will be of great interest to posterity.
If one of the survivors of these first de-
tenders" would write a short history of the
events of that period far as his associ-
ates are concerned it would no doubt be
received as valuable addition to it's ar
chives
Inasmuch as the original organization of
these troops is very little known, and in
view of the interest which The Evening
Star has babitually taken in local affairs,
l venture to furnish the following state
ment with the request that it will be pub
lished:
Organization of the District of Columbia
Volunteers of April, 1861.
Cavalry.
Presidents Mounted Guard, Capt Samuel
w Owens; Putnam Rangers, Capt. George
H. Thirstleton. This company subsequently
became Company L, list Maryland Cavalry
Capt. Louis F. Whitney's company, SUISSE
quently Capt. William H. Orton's company,
independent cavalry. This company subse-
quently became Company NJ, LIST Maryland
cavalry. Captain Bakers Independent COM
pany. This company was on duty only a
short time, but subsequently Joined the LIST
District of Columbia Cavalry; three years
service.
Infantry.
Company E. list District of Columbia In
fantry, Joined the I'd Regiment Pennsylva-
MIA Reserve Corps as Company F.
inf
Henry HOllingsworth. Company A, Ander-
son Rifles, Capt Charles H. Rodier; Com
pany B, Darlington Home Guards, Capt
James Goddard; Company c. Andrew John
son Guards Capt. John H. McBlair; Com
pany d, Potomac Light Guard, Capt. Rob
ert Boyd.
Second Battalion, fnfantry-Capt. ]. Grey
Jewell. Company A. Union Volunteers
Capt Edward c. Darlington; Company B.
Union Volunteers, Capt. James Kelly; Com
Pany c, Henderson Guards. Capt. Gabriel
j. l.. FoXwell; Company d, Union Volun-
teers, Capt. John McCleliand; Company E.
Union Volunteers Capt James y. Callan
Third Battalion, infantry-Capt. John R.
John r. Smeas; Company B, Slemmer
Guards, Capt. Henry NJ. Knight; Company
{, Cameron Guards, Capt. James Elder;
Company F, Union Volunteers, Capt. James
Fletcher.
Fourth Battalion, infantry-Captain Lem
uel Towers. Company a, Washington Light
Infantry Captain L. Towers Captain Lem
uel Williams; Company b. Washington
Light Guard, Captain Samuel A. H. Marks,
Jr.; Company c, District Union Rifles Cap
tain Charles j. Morrison; Company d,
Washington Light Infantry, Washington
Zouaves, Captain J. Tyler Powell.
Fifth Battalion, infantry-Captain Chas
Everett. Company a, Putnam Rifles, Cap
tain G. H. ThistletOn; Company b, Putnam
Rifles, Captain ]. b. Grinnell; Company
c, Jackson Guards, Captain John McDer-
Captain William H. NalIy.
Sixth Battalion, infantry-Captan James
TAFT. Company a, National Guard, Cap
tain P. H. King. Captain Thos. H. Lloyd
Company B, Constitution Rifles, Captain
William H. Degges; Company C, National
Guard Captain S. A. H McKim, Captain
T. Edward Clark; Company E National
Guard, Captain Richard Morgan; Company
F, National Guard, Captain William p
Ferguson.
Seventh Battalion, fnfantry-Captain
Patrick H. King. Company A, Mechanics
Union Rifles, Captain Alexander Ruther-
ford; Company B, Washington City
Guards. Captain Robert Clarke; Company
c. Union Volunteers. Captain George H
Miller; Company D. Washington Light In
fantry, Howitzer Company, Captain Jere-
miah Cross.
Eighth Battalion infantry - Captain
Arthur Balbach. Company A, Turner
Rifles, Captain A. Balbach. Captain Ernst
Loeffier; Company B, Turner Rifles, Cap
tain Joseph Gerhard: Company c, Turner
Rifles, Captain vladimir Kezyzanowski.
CHARLES F. KEEFER.
S125 to baltimore and Return vim r.