The National tribune., 1902-04-17

| constructed for the defense Of this section
of our maritime frontier.
This arsenal is situated on the Reister-
| town turnpike road, eight miles from the
city of Baltimore. The general aspect of
the country around the arsenal is re-
markable for its fertility OF soil, gently
rolling and well wooded, and is watered
| by Jones's and Gwynn's Falls. The sit
uation is very healthy. These advantages
render it a proper position for an encamp-
ment of troops and of military supplies"
Shortly after or during the late war the
old arsenal was abandoned as a military
post, and in 1880 the Federal Government
relinquished it to the State of Maryland.
! Its cOmmandant in 1860, just preceding
the civil war Benz. Huger, who after
| wards attained the rank Of Lieutenant
General in the Confederate army.
| The State, after taking possession Of the
property, made no practical use of it; in
fact, it became an item of expense for sew
eral years by reason of the salary Of the
custodian. No repairs had been placed on
the building for 20 years, and its condition
at the time of its transfer to the Mary
land Line was little short of that of a
ruin. Work was commenced and on June
| 27, 1888, had so far progressed as to ad-
init of the formal opening and dedication.
The administration of the Home rests
with the Board OF Governors of the AssO-
citation of the Maryland Line, and is I'M
der the immediate supervision of a Board
Of Managers, who are largely aided in
| their duties by Board of Visitors which
is composed Of well-known ladies. The
command Of the Home is intrusted to n
Superintendent, himself Confederate vet
eran.
| 1t was determined from the first to
make the institution in fact what it was
in name-a home for those who sought
| its sheltering care, and this view has been
held in the furnishing of the rooms and
the rules enacted for the government of
the inmates. These have been framed so
as TO insure the least restraint possible
with the maintenance Of proper discipline
and decOrum.
The separate buildings have been named
after wcll-known Maryland Confederate
soldiers and sailors, and the rooms have
| been furnished as memorials by the
| friends or relatives of some one who gave
! his life for the lost cause"
| The rooms have been furnished in sub
stantial manner, with many of the com
| forts and elegances found in private
! homes, and at an estimated cost Of so, 600.
The State has continued to make apprO-
priations, which, supplemented by gcner-
Gus private contributions, both in money
and material, have enabled the manage
ment to maintain the high standard of
comfort originally had in view.
The home comprises 10 buildings, named
as follows: Trimble, Buchanan, Little,
| Tilghman, Archer Semmes, Elzey,
| Winder, Mackall, and Jackson. The Mai
Gen. Isaac X. Trimbe Building contains
the Relic Hall, also n bath room and five
| memorial rooms. Among the articles
in the Relic Hall are a number of
gray uniforms worn by Maryland sol
diers during the war; typical Confed-
crate soldiers haversack; Confederate bat
| tie flags; John Browns pike, captured at
Harper's Ferry, Oct. 16, 1853; regimental
colOrs of the I'd Md, G. S. a., being the
first flag planted on Culps Hill in the
works captured by Stewards Brigade,
July =, 1865; Confederate candle or taper;
uniform coat worn by Admiral Franklin
| Buchanan in the engagement between the
! Mcrrimac and Monitor; three fints issued
to Corpl Il. III. Browne, Co. c, 10th Va,
/ for his flmt-lOck musket, about April p,
! 1861; bullet dug from the brcaStwOrkS of
! Fort Hill, on the plank road near Peters
burg, Va, by John Walsh, and many other
relies of 1SG1-1SGJ.
| In a conspicuous place Oh the walls of
the home hangs the legend of Adjt. Colds
borough, who stated that when advancing.
Stonewall Jackson almost invariably Sc
lectcd the LIST Md. as his advance guard,
and while making a retrOgrade movement
that regiment was as regularly assigned US
rear guard.
The Maryland Home is picturesque in
stitution, and many visitors call on the
aged men in gray-fOr they still wear uni
| forms of that color-tO talk with them
over the days OF fire, smoke and carnage
in the COS, and to inspect the last home
they will occupy on earth before joining
the silent majority in the great bivouac of
the dead.