Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-29
FIFTY YEARS Ago
IN THE STAR

While every effort was bent in 1861 TO
organize an effective fighting force, the
religious aspect of the
Government civil war was not neg
lected. In The Star OF
O1dplaiAS. October II. 1861, is a
paragraph telling of meeting OF chap
iains In this city:
There was a meeting of government
chaplains in active service at Trinity
Church on Saturday morning last. BY
general desire Bishop McIlvaine of the
diocese of Ohio, who was present, was
called to preside. Rev. DIR. Butler, pastor
of Trinity Church, stated the object of
the meeting. The bishop was formerly
chaplain AT West Point Military Academy
and has had other experience in military
and naval matters. Mr.. Ballantyne. SUI
perintendent of the Bible and Tract So
ciety was appointed secretary. Several
reso utions were introduced. touching the
important work of army and navy chap
lains. fully discussed and adopted. Steps
were taken to secure several objects that
experience has shown to be necessary to
the proper discharge of the important
duties of the chapla;n's office 4 COM
mittee consisting of Bishop Mcllvaine,
Rev. Mr.. Jamison chaplain Of the I'd
Rhode Island Regiment: Rev. Mr. CaIpen-
ter. chaplain of the District of Columbia
Volunteers: Rev. Mr.. Neale. 1st Mime
sofa; Rev. Mr.. Merrill. New Yorks :s5th
and Rev. {. W. Denison. cha plain of the
general hospital ut Fort Monroe was
appointed to wait on the Secretaries of
War and Navy and make certain propo-
sitions of value to the public service
:: (;
The situation in the Potomac below
and much difficulty was en-
River countered in getting boats
r with supplies for the govern
ment and the local markets
up to the city wharves. In The Star of
October %, 1861, for example, is this
budget of river news gathered at the
| navy yard
THE Harriet Lane came up from In
dian Head and anchored i'm the stream OPP
posite the yard at about o'clock this
morning. 1t is not known that any vessel
bound up passed the batteries last night.
and none passed down: one or two
schooners would have made the attempt.
but were restrained by the flotilla at In
dian Head. One schooner. the master of
which seemed too anxious to proceed, was
fleet An Irishman was brought up on
the Harriet Lane who was caught last
ni"ht attempting to cross from the Mary
land to the Virginia shore. His account
| of himself was so confused and unsatis-
| factory that it was deemed proper tn
take him into custody. 1t is reported
that the battery at Matthias point has
been greatly strengthened, and that there
+, are now eighteen heavy guns mounted at
! that point. 1t is asserted by some river
ttnf hnfu Arr, nd
guam bay the Confederates have num-
/ Der of seine boats and long boats In the
creeks, and that they have probably
| built a number of launches. but no evil
dence of this state of things has been
1 presented. The reports that number of
vessels bound down had been seized by
the Confederates are without foundation
| On Monday. October ~ 1861, the battle
of Balls Bluff was fought near Leesburg
Va, in the course OF
Col. Bakers which Col. Edward D.
/ r, Baker. commanding q
| 1uAeAoA. brigade, comprising the
| right wing of the Union forces under Gen
Stone, was killed Col. Baker was at tn
time United States senator from Oregon
/ and his death occasioned widespread sor-
row His body was brought to Washing
ton and was buried October a with the
highest military honors in Congressional
cemetery. In The Star of that date is
printed an account of the funeral. the
| first of many Of the same character to be
| witnessed BIZ the people of the capita
| during the war. The services We're held
| at the residence of Gen. J. w. Webb. nj
! the corner of 1ith and II streets. and
| We're conducted by Rev. Byron Sunder-
/ land of the t'our-a nd-a half Street Pres
| h,-fa President Lincoln Mrs
| Lincoln, Secretaries Seward. Chase. Cam
| eron. Welles, Smith and Bates. Gen Scott
| and other distinguished civilians and Off
GERS were present.
| Tire Distric; ial on judiciary Square
was not regarded as d particularly secure
! place of detention, sever
Jail Break al escapes having been
effected. zone plan to
1lustidtou. break Jail. however. was
frustrated half a century ago. as told as
follows in The Star of October 70 1851:
This morning the guards at the county
iail discovered bold effort of prisoners
in their charge 10 escape from the jail,
which might have proved successful in
another ni"ht The two brothers True.
who are in prison awaiting trial on the
charge of completely in the fraud per
petrated upon the banking house OF l.
johnson & Co. months ago and EraStuS
Johnson the masters mate. who was ar
rested for obtainin money from the navy
agent upon forged papers week ago.
with several other prisoners, occupied a
room in the east wing and second story
of the prison. The room is furnished
with IL water can, which sits near the
wall and the dampnesS has discolored the
wall behind the can The effort was made
at this spot and by gradually removing
the plaster and bricks they had worked a
hole through to a single brick Through
this hole they could have access to the
passage in which is window facing
north The design was doubtless to re-
move the bars of the window. and by
means of their blankets descend to the
northern yard and escape over the wall.
They carefully replaced the bricks and
plaster after each nights operation. so
that the surface had the appearance of
the discoIored wall. But this morning
one of the guards happened to notice
something peculiar about the look of the
wall and discovered the hole. The pris-
oners were Immediately secured with
irons which will prevent any similar eff
forts on their part
SHORT CUTS TO FAME.
She couldn't sinE. she couldn't dance,
I She couldn't act .ittl. t.t.
But il she only hai chansc
She knew thar snr Won make hit.
| She peStert, hooking .geitS and
Gave managers grand long chase.