Evening star., 1915-06-27
SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON D. G., 81

Washington Light Infantry. under COM
mand of Capts. Towers and Powell.
respectively, Sunday night. April II.
these boats were taken around to the
navy yard to be armed and equipped for
service on the Potomac river and its
tributaries
The steamboat St Nicholas was seized
at her wharf at the foot of 10th street
and Company A. National Guard, Capt
Lloyd. was put aboard, She, too. was
taken to the navy yard very soon after
her seizure. About this time also we're
taken over the Potomac river boats
George Page and the Thomas Collyer. All
these boats, some of them old at the time
of their seizure. figured prominently in
the work of the Potomac fiotilla-
The boats were taken over by the
United States because they were need
ed by the navy in keeping open the
navigation of the Potomac river. hin
dering the passage of contraband goods
and preventing as far as was possible
the transmission of intelligence from
the north into the Confederate lines by
the Confederate agents in Maryland.
Another boat that played its part IN
the annals of those times was the
James Guy. and it would appear that
this steamboat had been used by the
Virginia secessionists before being cap
tured by the Federals.
Two other boats conspicuous in the
work of the Potomac fotilla were the
Pawnee and the Anacostia, but the
Rambler believes that they were in the
service of the navy before the breaking
out of the war.
In Hibbons history of the Washington
navy yard will be found the following
paragraph, which is illuminating as
to the situation at the yard in the early
months of 1861:
ION the 22nd of April. 1861, Commander
Dahlgren received orders from the Secretary or
the Navy, Gideon Welles. 10 assume temporarily
the command of the Washington navy yard.
1t very dreary. diseouTaging ana mos
memorable period in n, our hisoFy & and eeeaas T ns
turned upon sumter and the American nag by
Americans on American soil had klndled
tremendous storm of indignation throughout the
free states and inausurated a civil war that
for years to assume proportions unparalleled
The capital of the na ton. shut in by Mary
land and Virginia on either side. states both
in sympathy with the rebellion, under fhe
domination of the enemies OF the federal gov
eminent and the President and his cabinet were
its aims and hatred Of The President elect and
the sentiment of union which he represented in
fectsd every department Of the general govern
to the extent that scarcely clerk remained
loyal TO his trust ,.,,,..-- -..--,
10 the command Of this yard We're considered
SO great that all officers below the rank of
captain made ineligible to the office Of
coinmandant by direct act of Congress. But
now. when civil war had upon and 1t
became necessary to hold Tie navy yard with
blockade of the Potomac river. involving
duties and responsibilities OF the most compi
Gated and embarrassing nature. necessity re-
quired prompt action and John A. hallgren. al
though ranking only commander. appoint
ed 10 the temporary command of the yard"
Commander Dahlgren had been de-
tailed to the yard as head of the
ordnance construction while Capt Bu-
chanan was commandant. Capt. Bu
chanan resigned in April. 1861, to enter
the naval service of the Confederate
States.
AS early as January, 1861. there had
been rumors that a mob would at
tempt to take possession Of the navy
yard for the purpose of securing arms
and ammunition to be used in prevent
ing the Inauguration of Lincoln as
President Capt Buchanan. then the
commandant of the yard, directed
Commander Dahlgren to prepare for
the defense of the yard all the avala-
BILE howitzers, and he also issued this
order:
This yard shall rot be surrendered to any
person or persons except by order Of the Hon.
of attack | shall require all the othcers
and others under my command to defend II t.
the last extremity; and If We are overp'wereJ
by numbers the armory and the magazine must
be blown up.
Commander Dahlgren caused the re-