Evening star., 1902-05-08
FIRST TO VOLUNTEER
POINT RAISED AMONG DEFEND
ERS OF THE UNION.
Paper Read by MI. N. w. King Before
Oldest Inhabitants Association
Routine Business

evening ana was We'll attended. The
death of Smith Thompson, whose funeral
took place Tuesday, was announced, with
the statement that the association was
well represented al the funeral. Matthew
Goddard G. w. Corbett and Charles T.
Wood were proposed and elected members
DIR. Joseph T. Howard, prefacing with
the remark that history repeats itself,
read an article from Washington paper
of May 1895, under the head of Beef
Still High" to show that the present con-
ditton of the beef market was similar to
what it was seven years ago.
Mr.. James Croggon discussed the pro-
jected bridge to Arlington, stating that it
is not new proposition, though the me-
mortal feature is. In a sketch it is stated
that since 1885 the project has been dis.
cussed at intervals, but the erection Of
a bridge across the Potomac at a point
near Arlington has been agitated for
almost a century. 1t is known, he said,
that President Thomas Jefferson favored
the project, and one of the earliest speeches
of Henry Clay in Congress was in behalf
of an appropriation for that purpose In
the memoirs of Col. w. w. Seaton, Mr..
Croggon alleged, is to be found a letter
of Col G. w. P. Custis asking Mr.. Seaton
to favor in the Intelligencer the project of
building bridge on the lines suggested
by Mr.. Jefferson, and stating that should
it touch the Arlington tract the land neceS-
sary for the abutments and approac aches
would cost nothing.
DIR. Howard, Mr. Green and others re-
membered the discussion of the project be-
fore the war
Mr.. j. 1. Keefer called up the subject
of incorporating the association. and read
the law relating to interpretations. After
some discussion Mr. keefer received the
thanks of the association for his services
and the matter was laid on the table.
Two handsome framed pictures-the sign
Ing of the Declaration of Independence and
a fac simle of that instrument and a
print of Gen. George Washington-were pre-
sented to the association by Mr.. Walter B.
Williams. resolution of thanks was or
dered to be ensrossed and sent to Mr..
Williams
Mr.. ]. A. Wineberger read a recent pub
lication in The Star in reference to the
Unitarian Church bell now All Souls
Church. and said that by act of the coun-
ellis in 1921 two bells were purchased for
the purpose of giving alarms of fire, one
being placed on ST. Johns Church and
the other on the Unitarian Church. They
for sounding fire alarms for years. Up to
that date there were no bells in the city
for public use.
The First Volunteers.
Mr.. Genau had read the reply of Mr.. ].
T. Ford, president of the District of Column
bia Volunteers Association, to the paper
read by Mr.. n. w. King at the last meet
ing, which was published in The Star of
April 4. Mr.. King thereupon read the fol-
lowing:
Referring to the paper on the first vol
unteers of 1861, read by me at the last
meeting of this association and published
in The Evening Star the Sd ultimo, and to
the courteous criticism of it by Mr.. Josiah
T. Ford, president of the District of Co.
lumbia Volunteers Association, 1861, pub
lished in The Star two days later, in which
he acknowledges the truth of my entire
statement, with the exception of my refer
ence to the call for one company of the
Washington Light Infantry, l desire to ask
your attention to the following in reply,
with no shadow of intent to detract one
word of praise from any of the companies
that formed that noble and loyal body of
citizens.
"As stated by me on that OCCASION my
object was simply to dispel the fallacious
idea that the reason no bounty had been
provided for these men was because the
War Department had no record of their
vices. and. incidentally, to touch upon
few points of interest connected with the
history of that period
While Mr.. Ford denied the truth of my
statement about the muster in of the one
company called for, he accepted as true
the visit of Colonel Stone to the infantry
armory the night of April o. 1861, with
orders from the War Department for
troops. 1t is true the order of the Secretary
of War of that date to General Weight
man, commanding the District militia was
for ten companies of militia, but Colonel
Stones instructions, on reading the order
at the time mentioned, was for only one
company of Colonel Davis battalion, which,
being the senior. best equipped and the
most conveniently located organiza ton,
was the first visited Colonel Stone no
doubt expected to secure the other nine
companies as he made his rounds of the
District.
Touching the question of the first COM
pany mustered in. and to prove my error
in stating that the Washington Light In
fantry is entitled to that distinction, my
attention is invited to the letters of Major
Irwin Mcdowell. assistant adjutant general.
11 ed
April 10 and II, 1861. to Adjutant General
Lorenzo Thomas, published in the official
records of the rebellion In these letters it
is asserted that on April 10. 1861 one cGm-
pany Captain CarringtOn's) was accepted;
that two other companies were rejected be-
cause of insufficient numbers and that
Captain Towers company was then pre-
sented and was inspected and would have
been accepted if number of it's members
Qike members of other companies) had not
refused to take the oath read to them.
This may all be true, but right here most
vital point is overlooked by Mr.. Ford. for it is
shown that of this company one private re-
considered his course and was sworn in and
that the nOn-jurOrS We're marched off by
themselves to deposit their in the
armory,' leaving the others. it is evident
(the jurors who were sworn in) on the
ground for service.
1T is not possible that Ma jor Mcdowell
would have sworn in on the same day one
private who had hesitated to take the oath
after he had rejected the others who had
not hesitated and who were ready for duty
The Official Record
With the hope of a satisfactory solution
of the problem always respecting the sane
tity of official records, the following data
Is submitted from the Volunteer Army
Register, published by the War Depart
nent in August, 1865, In which may be seen
the names of the captains and the dates of
organization and muster out of the compa-
MES of District volunteers. 1861. as shown
| by the then completed record of the events
of that period:
Captain Towers CWilliams) company,
! from April 10 to July 10, 1861.
Captain Nally's, Captain Thistleton's,
Captain McKims, Captain Gerhard's, Cap
tain Rutherford's, Captain Loeffier's and
Captain Kelly's companies, from April II to
| July II. 1861.
Captain Carrington's company, from
| April 13 to July 10, 1861.
Captain Rodier's company, from April 13
| to July 13. 1861
Captain Smead's, Capt. Kings and Cap
tain Foxwelps companies, from April 10 to
| July 10, 1861.
Captain Goddard's. Captain Marks, Cap
| tain Morgan's, Captain Miller's and Cap
| tain Degges' companies, from April II to
| July II. 1861.