Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-06

~ .HoNE than nan century mas
IMMI passed since Abraham Lin
U\VII coin was inaugurated FRESH
SVS dent Of the United States. The
tragic and eventful years of his
life which followed his rise to the
highest position in the land and which
found their sorrowful climax in his
assassination have become part of the
dead and dim past.
only the scars on his spirit now re-
main visible to the national eye as it
reads between the lines and pages of
his history. OF the wounds themselves
few people are alive today who saw
them inflicted. who were present when
the period of greatest stress and suf
fering in the life of this noblest Presi-
dent began and eliminated.
And among these few are eight sur
viving members of the sfh Battalion of
District of Columbia civil War Nolun-
teers. These men. who served in the
company which acted as u bodysuard
for President Lincoln at his Inaugural
tion, are among the sturdiest of Wash
ington's oldest inhabitants and almost
all of them. with one or two exceptions.
continue to the present day to follow
the trades or professions in which they
were trained before the war.
The comradeship which existed be-
states is still maintained. and they con-
tinue to meet. though each year with
decreasing ranks. and recall together
the bygone days. the departed TRENDS
and toast one anotherS health
The president of this society of the
surviving Veterans OF the old body
guard battalion is William Reith. it's
iS 1pbn leFS A LOUIS
kettler serves secreta"-' and treas
urer and Ernst Rupert. Henry Rooms.
John Seller. Jacob karr and Charles
Hartman compose its membership
Every year new officers are Nlected so
that each of the veterans may have
their organization, which meets every
three months for the pleasant purpose
of talking over "old times.
The names of these men disclose the
fact that they are all of German ma
tionality. In fact. the membership OF
the original Sth Battalion was largely
German. President Lincoln referred to
them as his faithful Germans" imply
ing by his use of the word faithful
that they had continued to support the
federal government in spite of their
political views, which. in many cases
were strongly democratic and in OPP
position to those of the Presidents
party.
The Sth Battalion grew out of a com
pany known as the Washington Rifles.
or German Jaegers, which had been or
ganized in January, 1861. in what was
then the muddy town of Washington.
a National Capital barely worthy OF
the name. This company. however, was
very active in it's drilling, for many OF its
German members were well versed IN
the tactics of war, having received
military training during their boyhood
before they left their native country.
They held themselves ready for service
at any time in Sc of need.
On Washington's birthday. in 1851.
they recorded as having marched,
325 strong. with the balance of the
National Guard. about 2,0o0 strong.
through the streets of the city. display
ing with pride the fact that the gov
eminent had at least certain mill
case of necessity.
1t was this battalion-this company
Of volunteer Germans-not yet mus
tered into regular service as militia.
that made safe and possible the in
auguration of President Lincoln on
March 4, 1861. Grave and serious ami
mosities to Lincoln. it will be remem-
bered, were known to have existed in
many quarters. Threats of assassina-
tion were breathed at the time. His
entrance into the city for the inaugu-
raj ceremonies had to be made under
cover of secrecy. An urgent need for
guarding his life was apparent.
Together with 4 handful of regular
troops under Gen. Scott. the members
of the Washington Rifles--'the faith
full Germans'-were chosen by Lincoln
himself to be his personal guard at
the time of his Inauguration in a COM
munity not generally sympathetic.
Accordingly. on March 4, 1861, one
company of the battalion which con-
tanned three altogether was command
ed to guard the position where the
President took the oath of Office and
made the inaugural address. District