Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-10
CAMP IN FRANKLIN SQUARE
WARTIME REMINIscENCE OF
PARK RECALLED.
Former Private Soldier Gives Look
ing-Backward Glimpses of Some
of Washington's Beauty Spots.

Written for The Star.
Like all good Westinghouse. I am
reading with much interest the articles
appearing at intervals in The Star giving
sketches of the development of different
localities III this city and incidents con-
Meeting them with the great historic pc
riod. the actors in which are so rapidly
passing. 1t is good work and of increas-
ing value, and it is we'll that it should
be done soon. before the opportunity is
gone. and that il be extended in scope to
include the outlying regions-the camps,
hospitals and Notifications about the city.
For reasons that will readily appear.
none of these letters has appealed to me
so feelingly as a recent one upon Frank
lin Square. and that l did not Immediate
ly call attention to an omission that ii
seemed we'll worth while to supply in the
interest of a more complete record was
due wholly to the modesty so characteris-
tic of the old soldier. But the fact that
the bulletins put up at the square for the
information of visitors as to its past uses
have been incomplete in this same re-
spect impels ME to supply information
that appears not to be available at the
source that is drawn on for such occa-
SiOnS.
1t is perfectly natural that the occu-
pancy of Franklin Square as a camping
ground by the 10Th New York militia. Col.
Butterfield commanding. should be espe
cially NOTED and remembered. for 1t was
the first such use of the ground and at
time was felt to be perilous. l would not
detract in the least from their claim upon
the regard and grateful remembrance of
the citizens of Washington. but there is
place for the record that in the early
days of July. 1861. the 9th New York
Volunteers. Col H. w. NSlocum in COM
mand. took possession of the camp that
had been vacated by the 18th New York
militia. and occupied 1T for about ten
days. when 1t took up the line of march
down 14th street. by the undignified stub
then jutting up into the great cattle yard
for the supply of the army, and giving
no promise to the eye of the grandeur and
grace of the Washington Monument as
now so apparent.
On to Bull Run Field.
The regiment then went across the Long
bridge and on to Centerville and Bull
Run. on which latter field the regiment
was hotly engaged on the extreme right.
losing heavily including the colonel by
wounds and by promotion TO high COM
mand. Leaving its position on the field
by authority. with no knowledge of dis
aster. the regiment was later broken up
and demoraliZed at the Stone bridge. and
had full experience of the never-to-be-
forgotten retreat to Washington. where
it took possession of its former quarters
and remained for several months until it
again crossed INTO ' lTSln!d ana LOOK part
in the heavy work of constructing Forts
Ellsworth and Lyon in the defenSeS of
Alexandria, and in picket duty over
gions now largely reached by our trolley
lines. and made an honorable name for
two years in all the operations of the
Army of the Potomac.
There must be still left among us many
of the people who used to line the streets
facing the square to witness the guard
mountings and dress parades and to lis
ticularly among the children of that day
must the memory remain. for the camp
was a source of rfailing interest to
them.
The guard lines crossed 18th and X
streets because the ground now Occupied
by the Franklin School building and the
corner diagonally opposite was included
within the camp. 1t is we'll that some of
the houses that then fronted the square
still remain to help bring conviction. to
the mind that the charming and restful
park that so delights us can be devel-
opment of the hard-beaten and dusty
camp ground with its rows extending
north and south. of ugly little barracks
and It's encrcling trees. then far from
their present generous dimensions. as the
writer can testify, for their shelter was
insufficient in many trying hour of
fierce beating sun and driving rain when
doing our trick" of guard duty. l have
no more vivid remembrance of downpour-
ing rain than l have in connection with
those very trees. 1t is a great pity that
so many of them are gone.
The shanty which / occupied with the
bugler and a drummer and others we
called 1.-THE old mill" 1t stood not far
from the spot over which at this writing
is upreared a mass of white bloom that is
we'll worth going far to see, and that
many watch intently for at the first
opening of spring. What a delightful
spot to have camp in now! May its
"reminiscences of war ever be in the far
past. Z. E. SEWELL
Private Company G, 9th n. Y. Vols