Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

During the early days OF the military
occupation of Washington half a century
ago the public buildings
TROOPS IN were utilized for the housing
r.-;A., of the troops pending the
o"PA'0A erection OF barracks. In The
Star Of May 8, 1861. is the following de-
scription of scenes In the Capitol:
I'VE visited the quarters Of Col. ellis
worth's Zouave Regiment In the Capitol
on Saturday and found the boys in undis-
puted' possession Of the rotunda and the
new and old House Of Representatives.
In the rotunda the scene was a novel one,
The mattresses are arranged around the
walls. some rolled up and others spread
out with tho men off duty sitting or lying
on them. smoking. reading. sleeping or
playing cards. In the old House Of Rep
resentatves pieces of carpet are spread
down for beds, while knapsacks and car
pet bags serve for pillows, and the
soldiers generally were sleeping. In the
new House Of Representatives the scene
beggars description. The members seats
were filled with Zouaves. taking things As
comfortably as the members themselves
generally do-some with their legs on the
desks. asleep. others reading, others writ
ing TO friends at home. others blowing
with boss In the Speakers chair, clerks
at the desk. reporters in the reporters
gallery and spectators i'm the spectators
gallery. all in uniform. We must do
them the credit. however. Of saying that
there was less disorder and bad feeling
than generally attends the transaction OF
business in that hall.
The arcades under tho fagway on the
west side Of the building are used Tor
cooking and the smoke may he seen
pouring out Of holes in the grassy slope
When rations are to be served the men
pass in single file In the area along the
series of arches each with tin plate and
tin cup. At the first archway two slices
Of freshly baked bread are handed to
each man: at the next arch his allow ance
of meat. and at the next his coffee or
soup. as the case may he. IT takes from
TWO to three hours to serve the whole and
here. too. the men show less impati thence
than might he expected. The 9Th Massa-
chusettS Regiment is still quartered IN
the Senate wing OF the Capitol. and is
perfectly at home. A hospital has been
fitted up in the old Capitol building and
the sick are carefully nursed and receive
every attention. The connecting CORR.
doris are still stocked with -four, although
great deal has been served out"
There was necessarily some confusion
in the disposal Of the thousands Of troops
pouring into Washington
Quarter1ng but. judging from the fol-
c.1l: lowing printed in The Star
'' OF May s. 1901, no more
than was to have been expected in the
circumstances:
Solicitous citizens. rather than the
troops themselves. are complaining around
us at what they assume to be the I'M
necessary delay OF hours at times occur
ring In providing the various detachments
OF troops with quarters as they ar
rive here. Their nervousness in that con-
nection is uncalled for. we apprehend, as
1t IS very certain that so large an army
arriving so suddenly In city Of the size
OF Washington was never before SO soon
provided with quarters and provisioned.
The delays OF few hours that do occur
now and then are rarely chargeable upon
the officers OF the quartermasters depart
ment. under whose general superintend-
ence such matters are now managed here.
The case Of the 5000 New jersey troops.
all Of whom came into Washington with
in the space Of twenty-four hours. H.
Illustrates what we mean. An officer was
dispatched ahead Of them to see that
their quarters, etc, should be ready on
their arrival. They were duly enga 9ed
and the duty of conducting them to their
quarters was devolved on their own OFF,
Ger In question, who. being inexperienced.
we take It, was not ready to lead them
to their quarters on their arrival. Nine
tenths of the arriving regimental quarter
masters and commissaries are wholly
without experience in the duties Of their
several positions. Hence the confusion
that has so far marked the arrival and
departure Of the troops also at and from
New York, Perrysville and Annapolis A
very little time only is requisite to cor
rect these evils. The officers of the
quartermaster's department here are
rapidly perfecting their arrangements,
and ere the end Of this week will have
everything in such order around them as
that the inexperience of arriving regi-
mental staff officers will no longer cause
embarrassments Yesterday nearly every
work preparing proper cooking facilities
In all the buildings so far rented for
quarters and others to be put up in
other such buildings as fast as they may
be rented
Almost Immediately after the organiza-
ect Of moving the capital
Confederate from Montgomery to
Capital. IN rhe Star A %, MAJ o
1851. is an extract from a Montgomery
letter in the Charleston Courier. stating
that it was the expectation at the then
seat of government that the capital would
be moved from this dog city as a cor
respondent calls it. to Richmond. There
was much dissatisfaction with MontgOm-
cry.
X
In The Star OF May II. 1861, is an an
nouncement of the passage by the Con-
federate congress Of an
Declaration act declaring war be-
of War. fsdarac, and ,na n,n.. n
ment Of the United States, excepting the