Evening star., 1946-01-06
BY John Clagett Proctor

Dy JUllll OAoSSIU lOCGOE
Washington has many historic places
many historic sites and buildings
and will still have standing many old
structures when residents now living
will have long since passed on. But
regardless of the number of old houses
dwellings and buildings which may be
standing now, the antiquarian hates to
see any removed, though he may be
told that it is in the interest of progress.
The latest historic building to be re-
moved is the old Army building at the
southwest corner of Seventeenth and
F. streets, the building now being occu-
pied by a State Department office,
where it is said will be erected in the
near future an apartment-hotel
Home of Nathan Towson
Indeed. this building is much older
than some would suspect, having been
built for his home by Nathan Towson.
who was residing there in 1927 when
he was the Paymaster General of the
Army, and who continued to reside
there until his death July 20, 1854. Ac-
cording to the Army list Gen. Towson
was born in Maryland, and became
captain in the I'd Artillery, March
y, 1872, and was made Paymaster Gen.
eral of the Army in 1919. He rendered
conspicuous service in the War of 1912
and for his meritorious conduct in the
War with Mexico he was brevetted a
major general in 1848.
For the Inauguration of Andrew Jack
son, March 4, 1929, Gen Towson was
appointed marshal of the day, and when
the Washington Monument Society was
organized in 1888, he became an original
member of the Board of Managers.
After the death of Gen. Towson, in
1854. the building was rented by the
Government and occupied by branch
of the War Department, and here Win
field Scott, designated as Commander
in Chiefaof the Army" had his head
quarters for some time prior to the
Civil Wax and until his retirement No.
vember !, 1861. During the early part
of this year, however, when war was
in the making, and many believed that
an attempt would be made on the day
Of Lincoln's Inauguration for secession
lists to obtain possession of the Govern
ment, great precautions necessarily had
to be taken to prevent such a hap
pening.
Gen. Lees RESIGNATION
At this time Gen. Scott was being as
sisted by Col. Charles P. Stone of the
Regular Army who had been organizing
the military of the District of Columbia,
and all the orders were issued from this
old building, now about to be removed
Indeed, according to The Star OF
40 years ago, 'it was here in the
spring of 1861 that Col. Robert E Lee
was summoned by Gen. Scott and asked
point blank whether he intended to re-
sign from the Union Army, with other
officers who proposed to take part with
their respective States in the cause of
secession or to remain in the service of
the United States.
THE future commander of the Con-
federate Army made no reply, where
upon old Chapultepec' came directly
to the point, saying:
"T suppose you will go with the rest
II you purpose to resign, it is proper
you should do so at once. Your present
attitude is an equivocal one
General Col. Lee then answered,
the property belonging to my children,
all that they possess, lies in Virginia.
They will be ruined if they do not go
with their State. I cannot raise my
hand against my children
Gen. Scott signifled that he had
nothing further to say. Col. Lee, with
a respectful bow, withdrew, and the
next morning rendered his resignation,
which was accepted five days after
ward.
"It was in this building that the
early plans Of the Union in the Civil
War were discussed, and many of the
orders to the commanders in the field
were sent from here. Upon Gen. SCOTS
resignation from his command to go
to West Point, Gen. Mcclellan, his
successor, had his headquarters in the
building for time
Gen. Grants Headquarters
Gen. Henry w. Halleck also occupied
this building when he was commander
in chief of the Army and when Gen.
U. S. Grant came here after the sur
render at Appomattox he also made
this building his headquarters for sew
eral years, and it was in writing to
Gen. Halleck, when occupying this place,
as Chief of Staff of the Army, that
on May Ii, 1864, Grant coined that
immortal phrase: "I propose to
fight it out on this line if it takes
all summer"
When Gen. Grant died, July %, 1885
The Star, in referring to this building
said:
Chief Engineer Snyder, the superin-
tendent of the State, War and Navy De-
partment, borrowed flag from the War
Department and had Rigger Crowley
place in position some halyards for
the old flagstaff on the little building
on the southwest corner of Seventeenth
and F streets, which was at one time
Gen. Grants headquarters, now used
by the clerks of the second auditor;
Office. In few minutes flag foated
at half-mast from the former head
quarters of the great chieftain."