Evening star., 1902-08-27
CIVIL WAR MEMORIES
Incidents of the Period From
1861 to 1865.
CAMPS AND HOSPITALS
DISPOSITION OF TROOPS IN AND
ABOUT WASHINGTON.
Early Days When ALI Was Turmoil
and Chaos-Gen. Scott's Order
Confscating Flour.
CAMPS AND HOSPITALS

Chairman w. P. Van Wickle of the COM
mittee on marking historic spots, has re-
ceived from Mr.. W. w. Birth a very inter
estfng paper on 1.-The Stormy and Exciting
Days of the Civil War" The writer, who
is one of the cfty's oldest and best-informed
inhabitants, is nearly ninety-five years of
age. His hearing is much impaired and his
limbs are very feeble. He feels, conse-
quenuy, that he cannot participate In any
of the committee meetings, but expresses
himself much interested in the COM
mittee's work. The text of the paper fol-
lows:
Il was then during the war; busily en-
gagged in merchandising, and from the ne
cessity of constant and vgilant watchful-
ness over my business, so confined as to
be unable to make visits of inspection to
the localities. except in the near neighbor-
hood of my business place
THE hospital in Trinity Church. corner
Sd and streets northwest, and the
grounds adjoining on the east of it, used
as a sick-horse station, together with the
occupancy of the fremont Hotel building,
then in use as printing Office. corner of
I'd street and Indiana avenue, being near
my place of business, I necessarily knew
something of.
There were two other places nearby Of
which l had an intimate knowledge One
Immediately adjoining the old city hall was
occupied by the first troops reaching here
from Pennsylvania. These were ununi-
formed and unarmed, and not by any means
a phenomenally quiet lot. They had moth
Ing to do for several days. and like unem-
ployed promiscuous crowds in such times,
inclined to be very troublesome. There
was another body of Pennsylvanians, uni
formed and armed company, called the
Buck Tails from the ornament on their
hats. These men were orderly and inof-
fensive, but did not remain long They
were quartered on the corner of I'd and D
streets northwest.
Excitement and Bustle.
These places were all near the Baltimore
and Ohio depot, and necessarily the local
ity was one of much excitement and con-
slant hustle. Thousands and thousands of
troops passing day and night. hurrying to
Virginia. then the point of danger, made
the scenes very inspiring, and, too, very
distressing.
"Other hospital localities were: One in
the old theater, then on the south side of
Louisiana avenue near 9th street, and one
In the building on the southeast corner of
Pennsylvania avenue and 18th street, now
In use as bookbindery. A very large col
lection of frame structures for hospital
purposes was erected on the west side of
Judiciary Square. fronting on 5th street
between and G streets. These were in
U
war. There were many others, but I can
not now recall their localities.
The troop stations were numerous. re-
call large one on the north and northeast
sides Of the old Observatory Grounds.
There and nearby were posted a great num-
Der of horses. and recollect fire occurred
In corral there on a Saturday night, de-
stroying everything, building, horses, their
trappings and provender. This was a Sc
rious loss. and 1t was sad sight to see the
dead animals as they lay very much distort-
ed in the positions in which they fell, indi-
eating great suffering. There was no doubt
as to the origin of the fret was the work
of incendiaries, southern sympat thiZers, who
were then numerous in our city.
"A large body of cavalry was located on
the east side Of Connecticut avenue between
Rhode Island and Massachusetts, avenues.
Another Of Michigan cavalry was posted
between 1st and Sd streets, and NJ and
Boundary streets south of lexington.
There was also one in the dense woods in
the southwest corner of the lexington es-
tate. Near this last. and in west of Ecking-
ton, the Rhode Island infantry were en-
camped, and 1 recollect witnessing a re-
view there on Sunday. There was a regi-
ment of infantry posted between I'd and
4th and l. and NJ streets northeast-these
troops, 1 think. were from Pennsylvania.
President Reviews Troops.
Large bodies of each arm of the service
were in camp on and around the locality
OF Lincoln Park, and there 1 witnessed
review before President Lincoln. and a very
imposing sight it was, too. After the war
was ended statement came that among
the prisoners in the old Capitol, then stand
Ing at the corner Of 1st and A streets north
east, there was a young man who 1t was
afterward learned, was present as a south
ern spy witnessing this review. His correct
statement as to the position of Mr.. Lin
coins carriage and the positions of the
respective bodies of troops confirmed the
truth of his presence
"The confiscation by General Scott of all
the flour held for sale In the District most
ly held in Georgetown, and its removal to
the Capitol and other public buildings, was
one OF the most exciting occurrences in the
city of Washington. Hundreds Of teams Of
all kinds were pressed into service convey
ing this staff of life into storage to provide
for emergency in case of siege which was
among the things possible and not unlikely
to happen. thus providing for the susie
nance OF the people who might be shut up
within the city limits and thus shut off
from supplies. This act caused more com
plant here than anything else that took
place during the war. The people could not
see into the necessity Of the case, and
many Of them, good Union men and women
too, denounced the experienced and wise
and patriotic old soldier for causing a very
stiff rise In the cost Of breadstuffs. These
conditions are always attendant on war
but all could not then understand them
Il just recall large body Of troops who
were encamped on the ground adjoining
Mount Pleasant on the eastern side be-
tween 9TH and 14th streets. 1 visited the
spot on Sunday. the day after they left
on a hurried call for the front There were
evidences of great waste in quantities of
rice and other provisions scattered widely
over the ground. The troops left in the
night.
The southern part of this tract was COW
cred with a handsome collection or original
forest trees. Now all Is changed, city
streets and dwellings have displaced trees
and cultivated fields. l remember, too. that
there was a hospital at Kalorama In the
west end OF the city,"
COOL NIGHTS.