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

which recovered possession Of the railway from
washington 70 Annapolis Junction and made
practicable the reOpening Of communications.
They also formed the advance guard OF the
force which first crossed the Potomac into VIZ
ginia, and captured the city Of Alexandrta.
these were the troops which insured the
regular Inauguration, on the steps OF the Capl~
tOl, Of the constitutionally elected President.
I firmly believe that, without them, Mr.. Lincoln
would never have been tnaugurated believe
that tumultS would have been created during
which he would have been killed, and that We
should have found ourselves engaged In
struggle, without preparation, and without o
recognized head at the Capital In this may
be mistaken, of course, as any other man may
be mistaken: but it was then my opinion, when
I had many sources Of information at my come
mand and 1t remains my opinion now, when.
after the lapse Of 20 years and somewhat
large experience, look back in cool blO0d
upon those days Of political madness. q"
GRTo illustrate the state Of uncertainty IN
which we were at that time concerning
men, I may here state that the lieutenant
colonel military secretary Of the general-tns
chief, who that afternoon recorded the CON.
illusions of the general in conference, and who
afterward wrote out for me the instructions
regarding the disposition of troops, resigned his
commission that very night and departed for
the South, where he joined the Confederate
Army.
During the night Of the Sd Of March notice
was brought me that an attempt would be
made TO blow up the platform On which the
Presidetn would stand to take the oath Of ONCE.
I Immediately placed men under the steps, and
at daybreak o trusted battalion Of District
troops (if remember rightly, It was the Ma
al n
semicircle ct the foot Of the great stairway and
prevented all entrance from without.
at the appointed hour Mr.. Buchanan was
escorted to Williards Hotel, which he entered
There found q number Of mounted 'marshals
of the day. and posted there around the Gaze
riage within the cavalry guard. The two PFesi~
dents were saluted by the troops IS they cane
out of the hotel and took their places in the
carriage. The procession started. During the
march to the Capitol I rode near the carriage
and BY an apparently clumsy use Of my spurs
managed to keep the horses Of the cavalry in
an uneasy state, 50 that it would have been
very difncult for even very good rifle shot to
get an aim at one of the inmates Of the carriage
between the dancing horses.
AFTER the inaugural ceremony the President
and the ex-President were escorted In the same
order to the white House. Arrived there Mr..
Buchanan walked to the door with Mr.. Lincoln,
good morning. The infantry escort formed in
line from the gate Of the White House to the
house Of Mr. Ould whittier Mr.. Buchanan
drove. and the cavalry escorted his carriage.
The infantry line presented arms to the ex-
President as he passed and the cavalry escort
saluted az he left the carriage and entered the
house. Mr.. Buchanan turned on the steps,
gracefully acknowledged the salute and disap-
peared The District Of Columbia volunteers
had given to President Lincoln his first military
salute and to Mr.. Buchanan his last"
NATURALLY one would ask who were these
men who left their homes and their busis
ness to protect the Nations Capital, who IN
many cases with but their blankets to protecs
themselves with did guard duty at the bridges
across the Potomac, guarded the roads leading
Continued On Thmteestk PaQe