The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1904-02-05
ELLSWORTH-JACKSON
KILLING IN 1861,


eous bayoneting of Jackson by Sergt.
Francis E. Brownell, was the first
bloodshed-was inaugural of the great
war between the States. 1t occurred
on the morning of May "a, 1861, at
the Marshall House, King street,
Alexandria, Va, of which Jackson
was the proprietor.
At the time OF which write the
Filth Auditors Office of Washington
was well-nigh decimated by resigna-
lions, alone remaining of those ia
miliar with official routine. In con-
sequence became Auditor pro tenn.
at the request of Secretary Chase,
holding the bureau together till an
acceptable successor could be chosen
and installed. I finally resigned,
took my little family within the Con-
federate lines In Virginia, and was re-
turning to Washington to finally ar
range some affairs.
AS has been my custom, stopped
at the Marshall House. Within the
week or ten days last past the situa-
ton at and about Washington had
changed somewhat. While still some
thing panicky and unstable, some
thing like order had been restored
and a crude system OF operations In
augurated. The transport Harriet
Lane, with troops, had passed Alex
andrla and arrived at the capital de-
spite the threats of the Contederates
to sink her; Massachusetts, and New
York troops had rushed into the city,
aud Alexandria was occupied by 5000
or 5000 Federal soldiers. The grand
skedaddle of week before was a
"free for all and devil take the hind
most" 1 was now confronted by
Federal bayonets and demand for
the countersign at ever turn.
In wandering over the vsnerated
town 1 had encountered squards OF
soldiers In blue making merry over
captured Confederate flags, and was
at the desk of Marshall House telling
Jackson of this and, with others,
suggesting, as a prudential measure
In the existing fevered state OF
things, that he remove the offensive
emblem floating from his hotel.
Jackson was a remarkably mild
hammered, self-contained man.--one
OF the last to be suspected of an act of
desperation. But there was some
thing forceful In his reply to friendly
admonitions, Ia this: "I'll take 1t
down when get ready. If any man
attemps to haul 1t down without my
consent I'll kill him on the spot"
Just at this juncture three or four
Federal soldiers, singing patriotic
songs, entered from King street,
their arms full OF captured flags.
Without word to anyone or seeming
thought eff trouble they filed through
the lower hall, passed the Office and
made their way to the fifth floor
above, their object being plain to all.
Jackson was leaning against the
counter, with an expression of coun-
tenance simply impossible to describe
In words. 1t was a striking picture
just here-intensly dramatic, with an
uncanny iorefend OF the tragedy soon
to be enacted.
For a moment Jackson dropped his
head upon his breast-he was suffer-
Ing from "crick" In his neck and
had tied a white handkerchief about
his head, per force, to one side-then
walked few PAGES behind the coun-
ter, picked up double.barrel shot
gun, advanced to the entrance OF the
hall from the Office, and stood In calm
waiting. To me there was some
thing ominous In all this, and / cross
ed the hall, taking my stand just
within the parlor door, heartily wish
Ing myself In the street; but I could
not get there for the crowd.
At the same moment the soldiers
upon their return from the roof came
In sight, the leader being Col. Ellis
worth, of the New York Fire Zouaves,
whom I recognized by his peculiar
uniform, as seen at his drills In
Washington. He was followed by
three or four more, all singing and
making merry.
Ellsworth had reached the second
or third step from the first floor In
the stairway, when Jackson bounded
like a tiger into the hall, discharged
both barrels OF his gun into the breast
of Ellsworth who fell dead without a