The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-20
REGULAR ARMY
INSURES PEACE
In Times of Riot, Declares Ma
jor General
RECALL OF INSTANCES
Trying Times In Pittsburg and BaIti-
more Strikes of 1877 Are Re-
called by Chief of the
Guards Cobaugh
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD

continued, that an incident occurred
which shows clearly the spirit and conse-
quently the effectiveness of the regular
army in suppressing riots. Troops had
been ordered into the city. The police
and militia were powerless. Regular
soldiers who had been living hard life
on the plains, having frequent brushes
with the hostile Indians, and as tough
looking a set of men as one can i'm
agine, were ordered to the stockyard dis
trict From the moment of their arrival
there was no more rioting. Although the
regulars were handful compared with
the numbers of police and militia which
had proved ineffective in handling the
rioters, the respect and dread in which
the regular troops were held was typ
flied by the exclamation of one of the
mob when the regulars disentrained:'
Those fellows haven't any flowers in
their guns he shouted.
For a week the regulars We're kept
close to their temporary quarters in the
danger zone, but there was no sign of
trouble. Then the soldiers We're given
a little liberty. (You know a soldier
likes his drink.) One old private, a man
with 80 years of experience in soldering,
who was off on several hours leave, fell
in with number of the strikers. He
made a hit with them. They bought him
numerous drinks and the soldier and
strikers became very chummy.
AT last one of the strikers took the
old soldier to one side and confldentially
said: eYouse is one of us, amt youse@
Yep, you bet your boots the soldier
replied.
"'well, being it's so, youse wouldn't
fire on us, would youse?' he queried. The
old campaigner was pensive. He thought
hard, before answering, then replied:
We'll, that would depend on what the
captain said.
The recent request of the treasury de-
partment fearful that the mob of strik-
ers might gain the upper hand In Phila-
delphia during the street car strike and
that the United States mint in that city
might suffer, that the war department
have ready a guard Of regulars to rush
into the city for the defense of the mint
should occasion require, prompted Chief
of the Guards Cobaugh of the treasury
department to recount his expensive
campaign in the bitter railroad strike of
1871
"Pittsburg was in the hands of the
mob" said Chief Cobaugh 1.-THE police
had been dispersed, the militia disarmed
and driven from the city. A guard or
regulars from Fort McHenry, near Bal
timore, was ordered to Pittsburg to
guard the federal building. Eighty men,
seasoned from service on the plains, and
1ol l,,y n
the detail They arrived at the out
skirts of the city. There they olsen
trained, the railroads not daring to run
trains into the city. The regulars were
surprised to find militiamen encamped
on the city borders. The militia ofncers
explained to the lieutenant the condi-
lions existing in the city, telling him that
it would be dangerous to attempt to take
his men to the public building.
II have my orders and am going SAID
the lieutenant, ''but If conditions are as
serious as YOU picture, 1 will only take
the men who volunteer. He lined up MS
company and told all those who did not
care to run the risk to step two PAGES
10 the rear. Not a man moved.
well. it looks as If they are all gong
with me-" said the officer and bidding
the militiamen good-by the little band or
regulars started for the federal building
FIVE miles away.
'sThere was no trouble of serious
nature. although flying bricks were en-
countered several times when small par
ties of rioters were overtaken. The real
showdown came two miles from the red
eral building. A mob of 10000 was en-
countered The way was blocked Inc
lieutenant went forward, explained the
reason for the presence of his men in the
city and announced his intention to pass
This was denied.
He fell back, ordered his men to LOAD,
aim and fire. Thirty of the mob fell DEAD
and the thousands ran for safety.
The march was continued until about
half n mile from the objective point
another mob was found blocking the
streets. Again there was a parley De-
tween the mob leaders and the neuten-
ant. Again the lieutenant announced that
he was in Pittsburg solely for the pur-
pose Of guarding the federal building ana
said he was anxious TO avolu trouoie
Again the mob refused
There was another order to load, aim
and fire and with the instant death of
two score of the mob the way was
cleared The regulars marched on unmo-
Tested to the federal building.
That night the militia entered the city
upurganized, for the backbone OF tne H.
oting had been broken by the strenuous
methods of the regulars. Order was
quickly restored and soon the Pittspurg
striker became only an unpleasant MEM
DRY.
1t was during these railroad riots that
ofacials in Washington became so
alarmed that every clerk in the treas
urv department who had seen service
during the war was furnished with "a re-
v,olver. or riot gun. 1t had been reported
mai the rioters from Baltimore qor
pittsburg was not the only city where
the mobs had secured controD Intended
marching on Washington for the purpose
of footing the treasury.
SIGNALS were decided upon and the
clerks organized into several companies.
eact company having designated place
Ia assemble and definite work OF defend-
ing the vaults and the building assigned
to n Arrangements for special SIG
Mailing system with Fort Meyer the
military post across the Potomac river,
in Virginia. were made and the troopers
at that post were TO gallop into wash
ington to assist In the defense upon the
appearance of the rioters from Balti-
more.e
Fortunately the riot was suppressed IN
Baltimore the mob failing to march on
Washington, but there Is still in the
guard room of the treasury a souveni:
OF the trying days in the shape of
number OF rotguns. which have never
hnoo f34od ana vrbfch the Officials In