Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-03
DISTRICT VOLUNTEERS
Theme Of Paper Read Before
Oldest Inhabitants.
SOLDIERS OF l86l-65
REVIVAL OF sEcAIoNAL BITTER
NESS DEPRECATED.
District Association of Veteran Citi-
zens Holds Regular Meeting
COLLATION. Served.

The regular monthly meeting Of the Old
est Inhabitants Association was held last
evening at their room, No. Corcoran
building. There was full attendance of
members when the president, Mr.. 8. T.
Brown, took the chair with Mr.. B. w
Reiss secretary.
Mr.. Ragan read the report of the COM
mittee on renovating the room. stating
that the painting and scrubbing cost SI.61,
the gas fixtures $3.50. the papering was
contributed by Albert Grupe. and articles
purchased made the whole cost S14.I5
Thanks were voted to the committee, es-
pecially to Mr.. Grupe.
The following We're elected members: F.
8. Calvert, w. H. II. Hoover. n. Watkins.
Chas. Shambaugh F. NJ. Detweiler. c. NJ
Handley and F. Peterson.
Mr.. A. Grupe was elected a vice presi-
dent. vice s. Thomas Brown. and J. D.
Sathell was chosen vice president vice S
j. Fague. deceased.
An invitation to attend the Masonic fair
was accepted.
Mr.. n. W. King read paper on the
District Volunteers of 1851" Mr. King
prefaced by saying that he had not gone
into the details of the organization or en-
larged upon the services OF the first vol
unteers In 1861. but had endeavored to pre-
pare a brief statement. in the form of
letter. touching some of the events Of that
trying period. with the view of having it
filed among the archives of the association
Mr.. Kings Paper.
The reading of the paper followed. 1t
was in part follows:
AT the meeting of the association De-
cember T. 1901. a member presented a
framed copy of an old memorial to Con-
gress for bounty for the three months
volunteers of the District of Columbia in
1861. which proved to be fruitleSs effort
in their behalf as it never became law
Notwithstanding 1t had been twice favor
ably reported and recommended by con-
gressional committee.
From the remarks of the gentleman who
presented the memorial 1t was understood
| that the cause of it's failure and the rea-
son why no provision for bounty had been
made for these volunteers was the fact
that there was no record in the War De-
partment of the services claimed for them
and 1t was stated that Col. Charles p.
Stone had never presented himself to the
organized militia of the District with Or
ders from the Secretary of War for troops
in the emergency.
That the War Department was in pos
| session Of all the information touching
the enlistment Of volunteers in April. 1881,
may be clearly seen by reference to tab
ulated statement "a copy OF which is at,
tached hereto) published by the record and
pension office of the War Department in
January 1892 which shows that OF all
the states which furnished volunteers I'M
der President LincOln's call of April To-
1881. for 5000 militia for three months
there were but five-New York. Pennsyl-
vania. Ohio. Illinois and Mtssouri-which
furnished more men than did the District
Of Columbia. the District having furnished
4. TO. Just 100 less than the number fur
nished by the great state OF Illinois, the
home of President Lincoln.
Paid for Their Own Uniforms.
.It is true no bounty was ever provided
for these men. nor have they been paid for
their personal uniforms. which were worn
out in the service; but. under the depend
ent pension law Of June 81. 1880. every SOL
der who served honestly and faithfully for
ninety days during the war of the rebel
lion is entitled to a pension. If he is now
| disabled from any cause not the result OF
his own misconduct.
I'm letter dated May II, 1886. to the
chairman of the congressional committee
on war claims. when the bill containing
the appropria ton for this bounty was I'M
der consideration. Colonel Stone urged the
passage of the law as a simple act OF JUS
tice by the United States government, the
circumstances under which the District
volunteers were organized and mustered
into the service. and their action In service.
demanding such recognition. He said the
situation during the latter part of the year
1880 had become so critical that no man
could foresee the outcome, there being no
effective United States armed forces within
the capital except a few ordnance men at
the arsenal, two men at the Columbia Ar
mory and a small force of marines at the
navy yard. Upon this state of affairs being
reported to Lieut.. Gen. Winfield Scott. who
had lust come from New York to Washing
ton to consult with the President. ne was
informed that two-thirds OF the fighting
stock OF the District would stand by the
government. but there was no militia law,
and consequently no rallying point upon
which they might assemble.
fhnc ha r.
point? Then make yourself the rallying
point remarked the general, and SO Col.
Stone was appointed inspector general for
the District Of Columbia and as such as
sumed command in the District.
Gen. Scott's Confidence.
1.-THE confidence of General Scott and Colo
mel Stone in the loyalty of the people Of
the District was fully justified by the
promptness with which the old militia or
CARNATIONS recruited their ranks and the
rapid orga IMITATION of others. The men fur
nished their own uniforms paid rent for
armor1es. and called on the government
only for equipments and ammunition. 1t
was this force. with an additional handful
of regular troops which rendered practical
Lincoln the 4th of March. 1851. Rifiemen
occupied the windows Of the Capitol and
the house tops along Pennsylvania avenue;
battalion Of infantry was deployed at the
east 1FOut OF the Cdpltoi lis NACihiSy
while cavalry, infantry and a company of
engineers guarded the carriage In which
President Buchanan and Mr.. Lincoln rode
to the Capitol on that eventful day.
ION the night Of May %. 1861. just six
weeks after the muster in of the first COM
pany Of volunteers. the advance into Vir-
ginia across the Long bridge was made. the
Washington Light Infantry showing the
way. and the morning following. after Al
exandria had been captured. the first real
tragedy Of the war was enacted. Elmer E.
Ellsworth colonel Of the New York Fire
Zouaves having hauled down the confeder-
ate flag from the Marshall House. was shot
and killed by J.. W. Jackson. the proprietor
of the hotel, while descending the hotel
stairs-Jackson, in turn. being shot and
killed by Frank Brownell. a Fire Zouave.
who was acting as orderly for Col. Ellis
worth.
Tour Of the Zouaves.
'"The mention Of the name Of this brave
soldier by Secretary Of State Hay in his re-
cent eulogy upon the late President Will
lam Mckinley. as having attracted national
attention by drilling a militia company, re-
calls the famous tour of the country by
the Chicago Zouave Cadets. under COM
I