Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-28
FIFTY YEARS AGO
In THE STAR

In THE STAR
On the 18th of September. 1868. Presi-
dent Lincoln issued a proclamation sus-
pending the writ of habeas
HabeaS corpus as a means OF enforc-
o.. ing the draft for the recruit
S~APuS' ment of the northern army
In its issue Of September p, 1863, The
Star prints the following regarding the
effect of this executive action:
1.-The Presidents proclamation suspend
Ing the writ Of habeas corpus has Gre
ated a sensation throughout the entire
country. Conscripts who INDUCED the
hope that disloyal judges would provide
a way of escape for them have deter
mined TO pay the Communication fee, fur
nish substitutes or respond in person to
the summons OF the provost marshal
Deserters who have been playing at hide
and-seek. or staying away from the army
under forged furloughs, realize the fact
that the government is in earnest and
are Fastening back to their camps. Just
before the issuing of the proclamation
some of the courts in New York and other
cities commenced the work of liberating
the conscr,ptS, and arrangements had
been made to embarraSs the government
by withholding men from the army, but
the suspension of the writ has spoiled
all their plans. Since the commencement
OF the rebellion one disloyal man. by
the use of his power given 10 him In the
writ of habeas corpus, has taken from
the ranks of our volunteers large num-
Der OF men. A few copperheads could III
few weeks undo the work done by the
draft and secure-H nat they no doubt
devoutly desire-the delay coveted by the
rebels"
When the first reports Of Rosecrans'
operations against Bragg near Chat
tanooga reached Wash
Chattanooga ington it was regarded
as assured that he was
o"AAP"A6n. about to achieve a ma
terial victory for the north. He had q
larger force and the advantage of posi-
ton The early reports Of the fighting
between these two armies induced the
belief in Washington that another
great Federal triumph had been scored.
AS the days went on, however. follow
ing the fighting, it became plain that
that on the contrary he had suffered a
repulse at the hands Of the unexpected
ly reinforced Confederates. In The Star
of September y, 1863, is this comment:
mo little anxiety is felt to hear the
result of the ting near Chattanooga.
Nothing has reached here up to this
time to cause apprehension that Rose
Grams is not fully master of the situa-
ton, despite the check met FOR a time
by single command of his army.
yl-Ii ma roh n Deen
obliged in that broken country, in in
dependent columns. We may be sure
that any blow dealt at Rosecrans that
did not fully annihilate him in the out
set will be returned with interest by
him. as all his past history has shown.
We are prepared to hear at any mo-
ment that he has severely punished
the adventurous enemy and that the
latter is in full retreat at Atlanta. the
vital necessity of holding that point
has doubtless occasioned this desperate
attempt of the Confederates to crush
the columns Of RosecranS and burnside
ere they could effect a juncture. The
sensational rumors affoat of a disaster
to Rosecrans in a renewed battle Sun
day are not entitled to credit. SO Tar
as we can ascertain
:. X
Subsequent dispatches from Chatta-
| nooga gave only small measure OF
solace to northern SYM
ROSecranS' pathizers, for it became
| o. plain that Rosecrans had
! 1osilion. been forced to retreat
to that city and was in reality in some
danger of further attack there a little
less than two months later Gen. Grant led
an Increased Federal force against the
Confederate army at Chattanooga $nq
fought the stubborn battle Of Lookout
mountain which resulted in the COM
plete defeat of the southern forces. In
The Star of September Is, 1858, is the
| following summary of the case:
various dispatches reached here las,
evening from Gen. Rosecrans. from the
tenor of which it seems most proDapie
| that the enemy will not dare to attack
him where his army is now posted. he
/ declares that his position can only Dc
aSsailed by regular siege, when IL II
we'll known the rebels are not prepared &c
/ undertake. in view of the fact that sc
| large reinforcements are rapidly hasten
/ ing to him. He announces his purpose
! soon to resume offensive operation. The
mass of the rebel infantry are III
Chattanooga Creek valley. A division
of rebel cavalry advanced yester-
day or the day before from Stevens Gap
threatening Union regiment that was
| guarding one of our signal stations
whereuDon the regiment in question re-
tired from It's Isolated ffOsltlOH III tHe
extreme front before it could be attacked
We know that Gen. Rosecrans expresses
| the earnest wish that Bragg will VEN
ture prompt attack upon him, but
is of opinion that the venture will not
be made IN simply compelling him e
retire eipht or ten miles to position
not to be assaiied except BY regular
siege the rebel concentrated dash upon
him has utterly failed OF its purpose
To make it the rebel authorities had TO
strip other equally important points of
necessary defenses."
In The Star of September PC, 1863, is
printed an abstract of the quarterly re-
port of Police Supt. Webb
Police some of whose observations
p4 are Of especial interest. He
ASepoAt strongly urged the early in
crease in the number of men available
for patrol purposes, pointing to the fact
that the individual beats We're In some
cases two miles long, rendering it prac-
tically impoSsible TO maintain an effective
supervision over the work of the force.
The following paragraph reSardlng sta
ton houses is interesting:
Relative to station houses, the atten-
ton of the board was again called to
their unfitness all Of them having been
condemned by the surgeons. The prisons
are announced disgrace to the District
and absolutely dangerous places in which
to confine rested parties in hot weather.
The condition of the different precincts
as to station houses is thus stated: In
the first. second and third nothing has
been done toward providing station