Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-12

where leaving Lieut.. Col. Farnham IN COM
mand of the regiment, he marched up the
street with one>company-not to the ran
| road depot, but to- the Marsnali a H,Siee
both he and Jackson, the owner OF the
| hotel, lost their lives. This was not tae
only eontretemps, for Commander >. :.
Rowan of our navy, who was lying on
| Alexandria with the gunboat Pawnee, on
seeing a steamer load of troops coming
down, had sent ashore and demanded the
surrender of the city-'or he would lay the
town in ashes.
Mayor Displays Shrewdness.
The mayor of the city, my good old
friend, Lewis Mackenzie, received the sum-
mons shrewdly. gained two or three hours
delay and thereby time for a lot of officers
and stores to be gotten off for Manassas py
rail- I could hear the locomotives pumng
out and in as the lst Michigan. with its
cavalry and artillery. plodded along the
road-Stoneman ahead, confronting troop
of confederate horse that soon spied US
and slowly fell back, keeping safe dis
lance off,
ssWithout firing shot, except at long
range. my command entered the city. BY
good luck l had taken the lead, with the
guide Owen and an advance guaru WINE
Capt Stoneman swung around 70 the rear
of the town. On approaching King street
Owen reported a troop of confederate cav
airy. We halted and ordered up the TWO
field pieces. wheeled one OF them arouna
ND to Them shouted: Surrender or III
blow you to H.! / hope the recording
angel wiped out the bad words, although
| / doubt it, why should she If a female OF
spirit? / think it was the only cuss WORD
l exploded during the war;
1.-THE secession troop seemed paralyzed
Most of them were in the saddle. while
other stood stock-still with one foot In
he Stir hit the cantaiQ rode FORWARD,
saluted and rendered me his sword. Your
name, SIR 1 demanded. Capt. Ball.
Ball. l repeated to myself, family
connection of George Washington's now In
rebellionp / treated him as courteously
as could, bidding him keep his sword, but
turning him and his troop into the old
Alexandra pen, which stood nearby LOT
| had no time to spare at the moment. My
| orders were for the Orange and Alexandria
depot.
"And yet was detained. A soldier came
running out from the Marshall House with
the shocking news that Col. Ellsworth was
killed. One company that he had brought
with him was left standing, waiting orders,
and this company 1 placed in charge of
the slave pen and Capt. Balls people. /
had no time now for further investigation
on our way to the depot.
II deeply mourned the loss Of such gal
Ellsworth. He had bright prospects of
good services to his country and glory to
himself. But how could he have rushed to
such fate or fallen into such trap? The
secret Of his eager haste to reach Alex
andria was to be the first to secure rebel
nag and that before my troops could ar
rive on the spot, for the flag question had
been discussed among the boys OF both
regiments in Washington.
Needless to say, the news OF Ellsworth's
tragic fate fell on the north with shock
scarcely less than was the subsequent news
OF our disaster at Bull Run. My telegram
to Gen. Mansfield. Alexandra Is ours, but
Ellsworth Is killed. spread like wildfire, but
in the excitement of the occasion my own
small part in the taking of the first city
south Of the Potomac very naturally was
overlooked except in my native state.
Found the Retreating Army.
1--WE broke up the railroad depot and
tracks and burned couple of small bridges
We advanced as far as Clouds Mills, be-
yond which we found the retreating enemy
doing the same thing. I left strong
guard with cavalry outposts at the mills,
and rode back to King street and down to
the wharf, followed through the now peace
full city by a single orderly. And. fearing
lest the zouaves might break out and sack
the city in revenge for the loss of their
leader, ] ordered Lieut.. Col. Farnham,
commanding, to march the regiment out to
inspect them. But to my utter surprise
little or no Indignation was expressed. much
less threats. And some OF the men COM
planned Of too much fancy drill. Sure
enough, on inspecting the ranks I found
that some of the zouaves scarcely knew how
to load and fire. Perhaps the fault lay with
the company officers.
ION proceeding uptown again I shook
hands with his honor the mayor, Lewis
Mackenzie, an old friend. who told me of
the truce as he called it, with Lieut. Row
an. and as the hour named had not expired
he claimed that neither hostilities nor
military possession could fairly be the
thing BY the way, 1t must be mentioned
that neither Capt. Ball nor Gen. Bonham.
commanding the confederate department of
Alexandria, nor Gen. Lee, commanding the
confederate army, made any such claim.
I replied to the mayor: I cannot recognize
your right to bind the military, but you
may be assured that nothing shall be done
by myself further than to make provision
for the security of life and property In city
where I have already so many friends and
acauaintances. And how are the Masons, the
Fairfaxes, Bonhams and other old friends?
Besides my dear sir, We have restored. you
and your people to the Union And in my
secret thoughts believed the old gentle