The National tribune., 1907-01-10

with blood" When the time was ripe
a muster roll of the National Volun-
teers was obtained. which was intima-
ton to them that the Government
knew who they were and their inten-
tions. Next Capt. Schaeffer was dealt
with He was ordered to turn in his
howitzers. sabers and revolvers. and
the order was conveyed in such 6. way
| that he saw that it could be inforced
and the arms taken away from him by
/ force if necessary. He was called upon
to take the oath of allegiance, which he
declined to do, and thereupon left with
the Secessionist members of his COM
pany for the South. The Union men,
bers remaining elected a strong, loyal
man, Lieut.. Smead, of the I'd U. S.
Art, as Captain. and the organization
became thoroly trustworthy.
There is little doubt that ii was in
tended that Schaeffer should take, pos
session of the Treasury for the benefit
of the Southern Confederacy.
| Gen. Scott had ordered the company
of sappers and miners and Barry's Bat
terry from West Point to give Stone GER
tain backing. His volunteers We're now
well enough drilled to receive arms, but
| upon his application at the War De-
partment for them he found that the
| President had given an order prohibit
ing the issuance of any arms to the
militia. Stone went Immediately TO the
Secretary of War, who advised him to
see the President. Unless the order
was revoked both Stone and Secretary
| Holt would resign. President Buchanan
upon being visited told Stone that he
had issued the order upon the advice
of the District Attorney, Robert Ould,
who was an old Washingtonian, and
who had insisted that if the volunteers
orTtnc tIn n11 rin hot
the different fire companies would
break out afresh and the streets be de-
luged with blood. Stone assured the
President that the. old factional feeling
had been burned out by the rising ex-
citement of the war, which the District
Attorney knew as well as anybody.
After some little hesitation Buchanan
revoked his order and allowed Stone to
have the arms, placing upon him the
responsibility for any bloodshed. Col
Stone pays this tribute to the men of
his command:
Tribute to the Militia.
81 think the country has never prop
erly appreciated the services of those
District of Columbia volunteers IT cer-
tainly has not appreciated the difficult
ties surmounted in their organization.
Those volunteers were citizens of the
Federal District and therefore had not
since, the powerful stimulant of State
feeling. nor the powerful support of n
State Government, n States pride, a
State press to set forth and make much
of their services. They did their duty
quietly, and they did it we'll and faith
fully. Altho not mustered into the
service and placed on pay until after
the fatal day when the Flag was fired
upon at Sumter, yet they rendered
great service before that time in CIV
ing confidence to the Union men, to
members of the National Legislature,
and also to the President in the knowl-
edge that there was at least a small
force at his disposition ready to re-
spond at any moment to his call. It'll
should also be remembered of them
that the first troops mustered into the
service were 16 companies of these
volunteers; and that, during the dark
days when Washington was cut off from
communication with the North, when
railway bridges were burned and
tracks torn up when the Potomac was
blockaded, these troops were the only
reliance of the Government for guard
ing the public Departments, for pre-
serving order and for holding the
bridges and other outposts; that these
were the troops which recovered pos
session OF the railway from Washing
ton to Annapolis Junction and made
pTactlcaple the reOpenlnS or cOrnmunl-
cations. They also formed the advance
guard of the force which first crossed
the Potomac into Virginia and captured
the city of Alexandria.
Moreover, these were the troopsl
which insured the regular Inauguration
on the steps of the Capitol of the con-
President firmly
believe that without them Mr. Lincoln
would never have been inaugurated. II
,belieYe that tumults would have been
created, during which he would have
been killed, and that we should have
found ourselves engaged in struggle, |
without preparation, and without al
recognized head at the Capital. In this
I may be mistaken, of course, as anv
other man may be mistaken; but it
was thsn my opinion, when 1 had many
sources of information at my COM
mand. and it remains my opinion now,
when, after the lapse of many years
and a somewhat long experience, I
look back in cool blood upon those
days of political madness"
(To be continued.}