Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR


Cen Roger A. Pryor, ante-bellum
and during the civil war
Gen. Pryor's a distinguished confed-
r,n4r crate officer, was cap
tured on the picket line
in front of Richmond in November.
1854. and brought to Washington. In
The Star Of November 20. 1864, Is the
following description of him on his ap-
pearance in this city on that occasion
Pryor was brought up on the James
Brady. and was turned over to Col.
Ingraham to be disposed Of He is but
little changed in outer appearance, al
though his features are darker from
exposure. but those who are accus-
toned to seeing him on the Avenue in
this city and in the Hall of Repre-
sentatfves would have easily have rec
ognized him from his long, flowing
black hair. sharp, black eyes and bold
and defiant look. He was dressed in a
new suit Of Confederate gray cloth and
wore shawl or blanket, which he
drew tightly around him and in which
n ne sought ito to hide his face as he
although. after reaching the street and
before entering the carriage which
conveyed him to the provost marshars
omce. he looked anxiously around, APP
recognize any of his old friends in the
crowd that were pushing forward to
get glimpse at him. His hair almost
reached his shoulders. and upon his
hat. He had on a pair OF cayairy
boots. which came up to his knees.
into the legs Of which he had his
In The Star the other dav was nrint-
ed an item that survivors of the battle
Of Franklin, Tenn, were
Battle Of assembled at that city to
r.,,LI celebrate the fiftieth an
AH' niversary' of that fight.
which was rated at the time as an i'm
portant achievement, materially as
sisting Grants operations against
Richmond and relieving Sherman in his
march to the sea from fianking opera
ton by Hood. The news of this bat
tie. which was fought November 30,
1864, is printed in The Star of the next
day in the form of the following dis
patch to Mai. Gen. Thomas from Maj.
Gen. Schof1e1d:
1.-THE enemy made a heavy and per-
sistent attack with about two corps,
commencing at about this after
noon and lasting until after dark. He
was repulsed at all points with very
heavy loss, probably 5000 or 5000
than one-tenth that number. We cap
tured about 1000 men, including one
brigadier general"
From time to time soldiers who had
been mustered out of the service at the
expiration of their
Organization terms of enlistment
Of First Corps. to ''s await va "As develop
ments. until they had accumulated here
toward the close Of 1854 a considera Bile
number. In The Star of December 8,
1864, is the following news item with
reference to proposed organization
to include them in the service again:
THE order Of Secretary Stanton for
raising and organizing a new volun-
teer army corps under Gen. Winfield
Scott Hancock has ELECTED warm an
probation from all quarters. That CORPS
is TO consist of not less than 10000 in
fantry, to be enlisted for not less than
a year. and will be organized in the
District of Columbia under the auspices
of Maj. Gen. Hancock. If the thought
was happy on the part of Mr.. Stanton
to call together the thousands of men
who are eager to re-enter the service
of the country and to cut the red tape
which. unhappily too frequently woven
by local or state military organizations
has obstructed and tied up the opera
tions of the general government in the
raising of troops, it was fitting that
the man to muster and discipline the
first corps for SO this column is desig-
nated) should be Gen. Hancock.
1.-The inducements to make the list
Corps perfect in numbers and equip
ment without delay superabound. One
of the bravest, most sagaciouS, gener-
GUS and trustworthy of our army COM
manders has been selected to organize
it. There is short term of service
required of those who join the corps
There is an extra liberal bounty of $500,
payable on the recruit being mustered
into the service. The officers are to be
men who have been in. active service
for not less than two years. The men
who enlist will be accredited to the
districts in which they or their families
reside, and the soldier who retains his
arms to the end of his term is to be
permitted to retain them afterward as
ments could not we'll be offered, even
to veteran soldiers. and we look with
confidence to the completion of the
organization before the dawn of the
new year"
The Misunderstanding of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad between here and Bal
tfmore was re-
Line to Baltimore garded as re-
markable achieve
ment at this time
fifty years ago. The news of it is told
In The Star of December 5, 1864:
THE work Of laying the double-track
between this city and Baltimore has
been completed. The last rail was put
in place yesterday morning, and now
may rejoice in being dou-
bly, tied to Baltimore. The track in
some places needs ballasting. and the
new one will not be used for passenger
trains for a day or two. In the mean
time the repair trains are using the
new track, and will have it in stanch
order before it is turned over for gen.
eral use. This work was of greater