Washington (DC) militia

[M E Wolf]

Dear Gary and List Members;

I had hoped to just delete my personal message but, for some reason your inquiry into any scrap of information on the Washington City militia was.

Well--I found it! It is in the book: Under Both Flags-A Panorama of the Great Civil War by C. R. Graham and published in 1896. This book is 112 years old. On page 212; General Heratio C. King writes this:

Excerpt:
I was a private in the National Rifles-Washington, DC. A crack company of the city and best drilled. Schafer was its captain who had sympathy with the South. The War Department felt nervous about him and relieved him of his command. Individual members of the company were equally divied but to the credit of Pro-Southerners--refused to commit any overt act against the Union in their capacity as militia. Half the company known to be sound Union men were detailed sharpshooters along the Inaugural procession. My (King) station was on Wall's Opera House on Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 10th with 40 rounds of ammunition in the pouch.
End of Excerpt.

Summary: Name of militia was: National Rifles
Was connected to the War Department.
Handled President Lincoln's Inaugural detail.
Had sharpshooters.
Apparently had training and drills.
Under the command of a Captain.
Company strength.

I apologize for deleting the whole thread when my intention was just to delete my post specificly.

Sincerely,
M. E. Wolf

[ole]

There more militia groups in Washington City than the National Rifles. If anything, their loyalty was even more questionable than that of the National Rifles.

A deeper discussion might be available in David Detzer's "Dissonance."

ole

[samgrant]

Originally Posted by ole

There more militia groups in Washington City than the National Rifles. If anything, their loyalty was even more questionable than that of the National Rifles.

A deeper discussion might be available in David Detzer's "Dissonance."

ole

Also Reveille in Washington, 1860 - 1865 by Margaret Leech

and Freedom Rising: Washington in the Civil War by Ernest B. Furgurson

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[gary]

Thank you. I've read that there were some very good shooters but they belonged in questionable units.

What's interesting about the Presidential protection detail arranged by Charles Stone (who later was blamed for the Ball's Bluff fiasco) is that Stone took virtually all the measures the Secret Service would do today. He had the reviewing stand secured 24 hours beforehand to ensure that there would be no sabotage (or bomb). He had uniformed escort that moved back and forth, making the President an obscure target. He had police and soldiers lining the route to watch the crowd. He had undercover people watching the crowd. He had sharpshooters at certain vantage points to watch for lurking sharpshooters. Stone did a terrific job and then consider how Abe was treated the night he was assassinated. One soldier outside the door.

[samgrant]

Originally Posted by gary

Thank you. I've read that there were some very good shooters but they belonged in questionable units.

What's interesting about the Presidential protection detail arranged by Charles Stone (who later was blamed for the Ball's Bluff fiasco) is that Stone took virtually all the measures the Secret Service would do today. He had the reviewing stand secured 24 hours beforehand to ensure that there would be no sabotage (or bomb). He had uniformed escort that moved back and forth, making the President an obscure target. He had police and soldiers lining the route to watch the crowd. He had undercover people watching the crowd. He had sharpshooters at certain vantage points to watch for lurking sharpshooters. Stone did a terrific job and then consider how Abe was treated the night he was assassinated. One soldier outside the door.

I agree. Stone was an unrecognized early hero, but became a over-publicized early goat, unfairly in my opinion.

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