Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-13

90: Capt Nally's, aggregate 60; Capt Balbach's.
aggregate "a; Capt. GerhardS, aggregate "a;
Capt. ThistletonS, aggregate Ct; Capt. McKim'S.
aggregate IL: Capt. RutherfordS, aggregate 81.
Mustered in on the 10th, Capt. Carrington's.
o. Mustered IN on the 18th (tOday), detach-
mentS Of Capts Towers and Rutherford's COM
panieS, TO- Total GIT. OF the above, Capt.
Towers and Balbachs companies were two Of
those offered on the 10th, they both having
completed their organization since then. No
objections were made yesterday by any one to
taking the oath.
II have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
IRWIN MCDOWELL,
Assistant Adjutant General"
Perhaps the report Of Gen. Mcdowell did not
reach the public for long while after it was
written. but The Star ON the day before told
the people Of Washington of the unqualified
praise" due the sons Of the Capital City in en-
rolling for Federal military service. Here Is
. part of The Stars item:
The volunteers of the District Of Columbia
deserve unqualified praise for their noble action
yesterday and today in their countrys behalf.
When assembled yesterday morning on but an
hours notice, not q man Of them knew that
it was designed by the Government to ask them
to volunteer to enter the service. A large por-
ton Of them are men of property, and have
families, while to man they are all engaged
in business. In calling on them to volunteer,
they were not informed that 1t was to be for
three months only, nor were they certain that
it was the Governments design to keep them
at home. On the contrary, there was q belief
among not Q few of them that they were being
called on to serve wherever the country's exi-
gencies might require their presence OF course
none of them had made provisions for the
protection of their business and the comfort
Of their families. Yet on their countrys call
four ind To 10 tn kao Ais
charge of the patriots duty; and some of those
who did hesitate hesitated only because sud-
denly to leave their ordinary avocationS would
be likely to ruin them as business men, We
do not believe that on so sudden a CALL and
under such circumstances, so large q proper
ton of citizen soldiery ever before volunteered
for actual service. We therefore repeat our
declaration above, that they deserve mquali-
fled praise"
SOMEHOW or other people never think that
there is going to be war until it is right
upon them. This was the case in 1914 when
the British marched right to Washington, with
little opposition and again in 1861, although
South Carolina, in the more recent instance
had passed its ordinance of secession on No
vember II toward the close of the preceding
year, and still the city was almost entirely I'M
protected except for the District militia. There
were then few Federal troops within reach
there being available in the closing months of
1860 but 300 Marines at the Marine barracks,
and perhaps 100 enlisted men of ordnance at
the Washington Arsenal.
Gen Charles p Stone, who happened to be
in Washington during the Summer and Autumn
OF 1850. supervising the preparation of certain
maps. readily saw with his military training
the depIOrable conditions then existing here
Fortunately he was frequently thrown into the
company of Gen. Peter Force, who had passed
through every grade from sergeant to major
general in the military organizations of the
District, and it was in this way that he was
able to get at direct and firSt-hand informa-
ton, not only regarding our miltia-what little
there was then Of it-but as well the sentiment
toward the Government held by the rank and
Ole OF the citizens Of Washington which formed
upon him such o favorable impression that his
subsequent usefulness proved of inestimable