The Washington times., 1902-08-28
William w. Birth Tells of
the Expected Siege
OF the City.
BREADSTUFFS CONFISCATED
General Scott Pressed Every Manner of
Vehicle Into Service to Accumulate
Food Against a Famine - Where
Troops Were Located.

4de tAClllis Gays at the outbreak OF
the civil war, when the Government
seized and confscated all of the bread
stuffs that we're TO be found in the city
of Washington, in anticipation of a
siege of the city by the Confederate
fdaces, is most interestingly described
in a communication received yesterday
by Chairman w. P. Van Wickle. of the
committee on the marking of historic
spots.
Several weeks ago Mr.. Van Wickle
sent out a request that all of the older
residents of the city. who were in
formed as TO the conditions that pre-
vailed during the war period. notify
him of all historic spots about the
city that had not been mentioned in
ths general list published at the time.
Slice then numerous responses have
been received that were fraught with
the most interesting matter.
Probably the most interesting of
these. however. is the one that came
yesterday from Mr.. William W Birth.
Mr.. Birth is nearly ninety-five years
old, his hearing is much impaired and
his limbs are feeble. His advanced
age prevents him from attending any
of the meetings of the committee of
which Mr.. Van Wickle is chairman.
but he takes the deepest interest in
their proceedings.
Mr.. Birth tells very interestingly
many of the occurrences, the fears and
the hopes Of those who remained in the
city throughout the years OF the war
His story of the rumor that siege was
to be laid to Washington, and the ac-
ton taken 20 prevent a famine, is
highly entertaining and contains history
that is not generally known. He says
in part:
Siege of Washington.
''The confiscation by General Scott of
all the -four held for sale in the Dis
trict. mostly in. Georgetown, and its
removal 10 the Capitol and other pub
lie buildings was one of the most ex-
citing occurrences in the city of Wash
ington. Hundreds of teams of all kinds
were pressed into service. conveying
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 sustenance Of the people who
might be shut up within the city lin
its and thus shut OFF from supplies
This act caused more complaint here
than anything else that took place dur
ing the war.
THE people could not sec into the
n % 4h.a nd 80
them, good Union men and women. too,
denounced the experienced and wise
and patriotic old soldier for causing
very stiff rise in the cost of bread
stuffs. These conditions are always at
tendant upon war, but all could not
then understand them.
Il just recall a large body of troops
who were encamped on the ground ad-
joining Mount Pleasant on the eastern
side, between Seventh and Fourteenth
Streets. l visited the spot one Sun
day. the day after they left on a hur-
ried 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
covered with a handsome collection of
original forest trees. Now all is
changed; city streets and dwellings
have displaced trees and cultivated
fields. | remember. too. that there
was hospital at Kalorama in the west
end Of the city
Where Troops Were Stationed.
Mr.. Birth also tells of the various
places where troops we're camped within
the city lines and of the various hos
pitfalls. Among the latter was Trinity
Church, corner OF Third and C Streets
northwest, where adjoining on the east
the sick horse station was located. Con
tinuing. the letter states:
There were other places nearby of
which I had an intimate knowledge. One
Immediately adjoining the old City Hall
was occupied by the first troops reach
ing here from Pennsylvania; these were
uGGniformed and unarmed. and not BY
any means a phenomenally quiet lot.
nothing to do for several days. and like
unemployed, promiscuous crowds in sucn
times, inclined TO be very troublesome. !
There was another body % Pennsylva-
mans. a uniformed and armed company
called the Buck Tails from the ornament
on their hats; these men we're orderly |
siAbEFtHlNts bAl ulA not remain IDNE. /
They were quartered on the corner Of |
Second and d Streets northwest.
These places were all near the Bal |
timore and Ohio depot and necessarily |
the locality was one Of much excitement
and constant hustle. Thousands and
thousands of troops passing day and /
night, hurrying TO Virginia. then the |
point OF danger, the scenes very inspir- /
ing. and, too. very distressing.
other hospital localities were one
in the old thcater then on the south 1
side of Louisiana Avenue near Sixth
Street. and one in the building on the /
southeast corner Of Pennsylvania Ave
rue and Thirteenth Street. now in use
as a book bindery. a very large col
lection OF frame structures for hospital /
purposes were erected on the west side .
OF Judiciary Square, fronting on Fifth
Street between and Streets. these /
were in use until some time after the 4
end Of the war. There were many
others. but l cannot now recall their
localities
A Disastrous Fire.
The troop stations were numerous.
recall large one on the north aui
northeast sides OF The old Observatory
Grounds There, and nearby, were post
ed great number Of horses, and rec
oIIect a fire occurred in corral there
on q Saturday night. destroying every
thing, buildings. horses, their trappings