Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-03
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

a AAAS
After the battle OF Bull Run It was an
easy matter to spread wild reports of the
imminence of fight in the
Rum0rs Of vicinity Of Washington.
r;rh+;. Everybody was on edge
rlgntlng. for another big engage
ment. but that the Union forces were
better prepared for such an encounter is
suggested by the following paragraph in
The Star OF August %. 1861:
AT II o'clock am. yesterday q coun-
tryman came into one of the camps on
the other side of the river and spread a
report alleging the approach Of Beaure-
CARDS army In considerable force. The
troops there were very generally turned
out and prepared to receive the enemy.
and information was promptly sent to
headquarters. resulting in the instant
summoning of all officers to their posts
who were at church or elsewhere not i'm
mediately with their respective COM
mands. The occurrence is worthy Of
notice in SO far as demonstrating the
great improvement in the condition of
the army on this side of the Potomac
ago four times the number Of officers, in
proportion to the force now here, would
have been found absent from their posts,
and 1t would have been found impossible
to hunt them up speedily. Now. how
ever, no officer leaves his post except
with written leave and after taking
due care to leave directions where he Is
to be found instantly, If required.
do oct fro n o..
ons loaded with tents that had never
been INHALED reached this city from the
column of Maj. Gen. Banks. Their ap-
pearance on Pennsylvania avenue gave
rise to stories representing the army OF
Gen. B. as being in full and hasty re-
treat on Washington. Secessionists. of
course. started them, and glibly rolled
them over their tongues to all who
would listen to them. The truth is there
had been forwarded to Gen. Banks a
been used, and they were accordingly
forwarded by him to this point
Early in the war numerous women were
engaged in spying in the interest of the
Confederacy. as, indeed. later
Woman they were employed by the
c.: Federal government for the
1PAe'' same purpose. Many of these
spies were arrested by authorities at
Washington, and a great cutlery arose in
some quarters against this so-called in
dignity. The Star Of August 81 1861.
said:
From the moment Secretary of War
Walker proclaimed crusade for the cap
ture of Washington. and the Richmond
organs of the oligarchy proclaimed that
when captured it was designed to raze 1t
to the ground, women have been the most
active agents of the Jeff Davis rebellion
in our midst. They have not only re-
ceived and concealed spies and been the
bearers Of traitorous correspondence. con-
cealed under their clothes, but they have
been themselves the writer's of most of
such corresponding that has gone hence
to Richmond and Manassas. The natural
indisposition Of gentlemen to adopt harsh
measures toward any of the other sex
secured them an immunity until very re-
Gently that rendered all the efforts OF the
military and civil authorities to keep their
war plans from the enemy entirely futile.
1t at length became apparent that women
actively engaged in aiding and abetting
the military operations of the oligarchy
must be dealt with precisely as men so
engaged should be. under the penalty of
the failure Of the war for the restoration
of the Union.~ The authorities are now
therefore taking due care that women as
we'll as men shall be restrained from
active treachery against the Union"
The rumors of a Confederate advance,
mentioned above persisted. despite of
fetal denials. and in
Confederate Dictated a measure of
public Impotence
Maneuvers. with the inaction of
the Federal forces. In The Star of
August IS, 1861, is comment on the
situation as follows:
washington is full of rumors Of the
near approach of a battle on the other
side of the river. The circumstances
on which they are based amount to
little more than the gradual advance OF
the scouting outposts of Beauregard $
army to points almost within range OF
the guns of the Notifications of the
United States, which, however. have not
been attempted to be held by the enemy
so far for more than sufficient time in
which to make recOnnolSSances. II Is
by no means improbable that If the
enemy persevere in making such recon-
noissances a considerable affair of out
posts may come off within possibly twen-
ty-four hours somewhere not more than
four or five miles distant In direct line
from the capital, as such collisions al
most invariably grow out of such adj
yances. We state the fact that our fell
low-citizens may at once know. II hear
ing the boom of artillery over the river,
lust what it amounts to.
"P S.-Some desutory firing is said to
have been heard across the river between
and 8 O'Clock this afternoon.
The next day The Star printed an ex-
PLANTATION of this firing. which was not
extensive and had no serious intention or
effect.
Never had such a volume of freight
been received in Washington as came in
during the early weeks OF
Subsistence the war. In The Star OF
August %. 1851, is a de-
Uepot. scription Of the subsistence
depot located at the western wharves,
where twenty large storehouses had
been erected, with workmen busy put
ting IN others to meet the demand for
storage room:
These buildings are filled up at the
rate of one or two a day, while a vast
amount Of barreled beef. pork, etc. in
long tiers Is protected by boards laid
over the top. This place Is the receiving
depot for the rations of the troops here,
together with oats, hay and other ap-
nurtenances of military operations.
There are here over 3.OOO.OOO rations. OF
which there are $1,000 barrels of flour,
9O0O barrels Of beef. 1900 barrels OF
pork, 100000 pounds of coffee. 100000
bounds of sugar and 100000 pounds of
bread, with hominy, crackers. vinegar.
candles, soap. etc, in proportion. Seven
large iron boilers are kept busy boiling