Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24
STRENUOUS WAR DAYS
LIEUT.. TERRELL'S EXPERIENCE
AS VETERAN GUARD.

After being absent from the National
capital for fifteen years, Lieut.. w. H.
Terrell of Atlantic City, N. J.. stopped
over here for couple of days on his way
to Boyds. Md. where he expects to take
advantage of well-earned vacation.
Lieut.. Terrell is in business at the IA
nous coast resort. is a member of the G.
A. R.. and at the time of the assassina-
ton of President Lincoln. was on duty
here as a member of the Veteran Relief
Guard.
Those were stirring times said the
lieutenant to Star reporter yesterday,
and the wonder of it all was the manner
the Veteran Relief Guard kept order in
the capital With 100000 soldiers encamped
on the surrounding hills, the local police
were powerleSS to keep order in the city.
and it was necessary to organize the VET
eran Relief Guard to keep the men within
bounds.
When they did get loose there was GER
tainly hubbub Perhaps the most stir
ring event of my life. with the possible eA-
ception of the battle of Fredericksburg,
was June 4, 1854, when Lieut.. p. S. Early
Of the 18th New York Cavalry became dis
orderly on Pennsylvania avenue. he had
been creating all kinds of a disturbance
and I received orders to arrest and place
him in the guardhouse
| took all the precautions 1 thought were
necessary. l located him down on the
avenue and in bringing him up TO the
guardhouse he make more than one Ell
fort to enter the saloons to secure more
liauor. Just as we got in front OF En-
rick's Hotel. where the Iyceum Iheater
and Harveys are now located: Eariy
broke away from me, and as he ola so ne
drew his pistol and shot me through the
neck. the ball entering near the jugular
,-ai,, md
brain.
Sergeant Comes to His Aid.
Sergt Whitney, "a member of the Vet
eran Relief Guard. who happened to ne IN
the vicinity at the time, wrested the P's-
toll from Early, and as the latter started
to run l regained my feet and shot al
him six times. three of the bullets taxing
effect Both Early and myself were coll
veyed to the Stone Hospital. which was
known as the prison hospital, where our
wounds were dressed. Later Early was
court -martialed and was sentenced 10 TWO
years at hard labor. l understand Eal.y
died about five or six years ago. heE''
met him after the incident.
NJ Terrell still has the collar through
which the bullets passed when ne was
shot it being a paper AFFAIR very nluch
in vogue at that time. ms. WIN man!
other mementos of those thrilnng Gays
MT. 1errell CneTlSueS dS diiiohe ii' ~'tO'o0
possessions.
II was at the battle of Fredericksburg
that Lieut.. Terrell had probably the hard-
est time of his life. At that time ne
was color sergeant and during the pa.tle
he was shot five times. but never gave
up until ordered to do so by his superior
officers HIS bravery came to the notice
of his colonel. Dennis Heenan. and the
latter. December IL, 1862. recommended
his promotion to be second lieutenant,
and this recommendation was later APP
proved by Gen Thomas Francis Meagher.
Mr. Terrell entered the battle OF Get
tysbu-g, but before the fight progressed
far he was compelled to give up, as he
had not entirely recovered from the
wounds he received at the battle of Fred
ercksburg.
When President Was Assassinated.
At the time President Lincoln was shot
Lieut. Terrell received one of the many
orders issued for the arrest of Booth,
but received it too late to be on the scene
when Booth was shot while hiding in a
barn.
Mr.. Terrell was also in the vicinity
when Payne stabbed Secretary Seward,
and he said that had Payne been escorted
through the streets in daylight he would
never have lived to stand trial for his
crime. The people were aroused to such
a pitch at that time that had they caught
sight of Payne he would have been lynch
ed on the spot
With g-eat pride Mr.. Terrell exhibited
all the orders he ever received while a
member of the V. r. G., his promotions
during his service with Uncle Sam, and
also the clipping from The Star of June
4, 1864. relative to the arrest and shoot
ing of Early and himself
The lieutenant is accompanied on his
trip by Mrs Terrell, and they expect to
spend the coming two weeks in Maryland
| with relatives. after which they will re-