Evening star., 1902-04-05
The First District Volunteers of 1861.

To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
I was very much interested In reading
the paper read by Mr.. NJ. W. King before
the Oldest Inhabitants Association at It's
meeting Wednesday night and published in
The Star Thursday. The entire statement
ne read was the truth with the exception
of the closing portion In reference to the
first company mustered in the United States
service 1 do not desire to detract one
word of praise from any of the companies
that formed that noble and loyal body of
citizens known as the District volunteers
Of 1861. But truth compells me to correct
the error made by Mr.. King and | would
call his attention to the official facts as
published by the War Department. On
page 321 of series l, volume 81, part l, oc-
cur the following order:
War Department,
"Washington, April Q, 1861.
Major General r. c. Weightman Com
manding Militia District of Columbia.
Sir: Under the twenty-fourth section of
the act approved March 3, 1903, the Presi-
dent desires that you cali out, to be mus
tered into the service Of the United States.
ten companies Of militia, constituted pre-
ferably of the uniformed volunteer COM
panies. Major Mcdowell, assistant adju-
tant general, will muster the troops into
presented.
Il am. sir, very sincerely, your obedient
servant, SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary Of War;
This is the first call mentioned in the
official records made by President Lincoln.
and not for one. On page 322 of the same
volume (series l, volume 81, part u you
will find the report of Major Mcdowell to
Col. Thomas, adjutant general, of the prog
Mass nf 81 L.
militia under orders from the Secretary of
War, dated April 8, 1851:
The first company which was present ed
was Capt. John r. Smead's. Only twenty
four privates having offered themselves 1
declined to accept the company, requiring a
minimum Of forty-two. A large number of
the men Of this company resigned at the last
moment rather than come into the service.
The captain thinking he could OBJ
tain enough men 1 dismissed the company
until the next day. The second company
was Capt. e. c. Darlington, which / ac-
cepted. 1t consisted of l captain, 1 first
lieutenant, 1 second lieutenant, third lieu
tenant. IL non-commissioned officers and
50 privates. The third company offered was
Capt. Basbach's which company falling
below the minimum and the captain as
suring me that he could have his company
filled by the next day, dismissed the com
pany until the next morning The fourth
company, Captain Towers offered itself
with sergeants. corporals and Sc pri-
Yates. 1t was inspected and would have
been accepted but when the oath came to
be administered 1 sergeant, / corporal and
IA privates declined to take 1t. The COM
pany now was under the minimum of AZ
prtvates, but as it only required and the
officers assured me that number could be
easily obtained by morning, deferred final
action to that time. There were two other
companies declined that day. April 10 on
account of the deficiency in number"
From the above 1t Is to be seen that the
company having the honor Of being the first
company to enlist in "the defense of the
Union was Capt. E. c. Carrington's COM
pany of the Union Regiment, afterward
known as Company A, I'd Battalion, D. c,
Volunteers. On page 324 same volume,
you will see where Major Mcdowell, on April
II, mustered in Captain Towers, aggregate
o.; Captain Kelly, aggregate 60; Captain
Nally, aggregate, 6S, and five other compa-
nies. On the 18th 10 recruits were added to
Towers and Rutherfords company, max
ing a total Of 67.
From the above 1t will be seen that the
honor must be placed where 1t belongs I
appreciate the work OF Mr.. King and so
Will every comrade now living and hope
the time will come when the work perform
ed by the volunteers of the District OF CO.
lumbia will be acknowledged and appre-
ciated not only by the United States gov
ernment in responding to our appeal for
the bounty OF the hundred dollars now
pending before Congress as well as the en-
tire American people.
JOSIAH T. FORD,
Pres. y. g. Volunteer Association. 1861.