Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-12

partment, to be mustered into the United
States service. 1 will quote a brief alb
stract Of the minutes of the meeting OF
Company A. Union Regiment Captain
mel Chas. p. Stone appeared during the
drill and made known the request OF the
Secretary of War for the company to re-
port at the War Department on the next
morning, April 10. There were 10 men
present, and every man responded and
promised to be on hand In the morning"
Further on we find these words in the
minutes: AT the call of the War Depart
ment the company was marched TO the War
Department and was sworn into the service
or the United States on the 10th day OF
April, 1861, between the hours of 10 and IL,
and thus became the first company Of vol
unteers that entered the service of the
United States in that memorable struggle"
The above quotations from the minutes of
the company. along with the official records
taken from the Official Records Of the Re-
bellion, ought to settle the question once
and for all. Mr.. King says / overlooked
vital point" where 1t was stated that zone
private reconsidered the and was
sworn in 1 noticed that sentence in Col
McDowelrs report and thought Il very
strange to be there. The only conclusion
can come to is that there must have been
some talk about swearing In the men who
were willing to take the oath and wait
until the next day to swear in the balance.
Here comes ''vital point Mr.. King over
looked, and that the next sentence of Col
McDowells report:
THE company now was under the mimi
mum Of forty-two privates, but as 1t only
required five more, and the officers assured
me that number could be easily obtained
in the morning, I deferred final action in
the case till that time.
There is another point Mr.. King over
looks, and that is Carringtons company
had been accepted and sworn in before
Captain Towers company was presented
for muster-in, Captain Smeads company
being the first offered and declined on ac-
count of so many refusing TO take the oath,
leaving them in a minority. Then Car
rington's company was offered and
cepted and sworn in. Next came Captain
Balbach's company, but not having enough
men present they We're excused until the
next day. Then Captain Towers company
was offered, ffty-four strong. but some
sixteen refusing to take the oath, left the
company in the same condition as Smeads
company and Captain Balbach's
Now, admitting for arguments sake that
Col. Mcdowell did swear in a portion OF
the company and defer final action until
the next day. would not that make them
the first company sworn in. as Carrlngtons
company had been mustered in before Capt.
Towers company was presented for mus
tering. 1 will here again call Mr.. Kings
attention to the report of Col. Mcdowell
TO the adjutant general, dated April IL,
1851: Yesterday L mustered into the ser
vice the following companies of militia:
Capt Towers, aggregate "a; Capt. Kelly's.
aggregate 60: Capt Mally's. aggregate Gs;
u s.
OF the above Captain Towers and Bal
back Companies were two Of those who
were offered on the 10th, they both having
completed their organizations since then.
Further comment on this is not necessary.
Mr. King calls attention to the official rec
ord as published in the Volunteer Army
Register in August, 1865 1t Is here stated
that Captain Carringtons company was
mustered In April Is and discharged July
10, 1861. How can you account for the
members Of that company now living have
discharges that state they were mustered
in April 10 and discharged July 10, 1857
These discharges can be seen at almost
any time by calling on the following COM
rades: Wash. B. Williams, Louis p. Sci
bold, 81st street northwest; VIM. Scott,
VIM. LaPorte, John Dice. at the govern
ment printing office; M. ]. Sautes, iii 7th
street northwest John Shedd, 112S It'll
street northwest, and others.
BY looking over the files of The Evening
star you will see it stated on the 18th day
company was mustered in the service yes
terday." am Informed by reliable parties.
I think from the data here furnished, the
official reports Of Col Mcdowell, the min
utes OF Company A, Union Regiment Gar
rington's company, the discharges OF the
members Of the company and The Evening
Star Of April Ii, 1861, II Ia plain to any one
that Captain Carrington's company. Com
pany A, Union Regiment, was the first vol
unteer company to be mustered In the
service OF the United States for the civil
war, and Is entitled to that honor.
JOSIAH T. FORD,
President d. C. Vols, 1881,
63S New York avenue northwest