History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
The proceeds of the musical entertainment at City Hall, May 30, 1880, were applied to the renovation of the three hundred and nine Confederate graves, and paying for the foundation of a monument, etc., to the forty " unknown" Confederate dead. The " Confederate Memorial Association" co-operated with the ladies throughout.
The officers of the " Confederate Memorial Association" for 1881 are:
President, Nicholas Owings; Vice-President, L. Victor Baughman; Secretary, Wm. Nash Young; Managers, K. Brown Henderson, James McSherry, Frederick J. Nelson, Q. F. Clingan, Wm. Nash Young, Peter Sahm, A. P. Works, F. C. Knott, Henry Williams, John W. Brosius, Charles Ritter, Nicholas Owings, A. L. Boteler, Wm. T. Besant, F. Marion Faubel.
On June 2, 1881, the monument was unveiled. Preparations had been made upon an extensive scale for the entertainment of guests, but as the day was rainy the programme was carried out under unfavorable conditions.
At 10.30 o'clock a special arrived from Baltimore, bearing large delegations from the Murray Confederate Association and the Society of the Army and Navy of the Confederate States in Maryland, under the command of Capt. McHenry Howard and Gen. Bradley T. Johnson, and led by Charle's Band. The Winchester Rifles, Linganore Guards, and other organizations came in on earlier trains. At 2.30 o'clock the ceremonies were opened.
The oration delivered by Hon. James A. Buchanan, of Baltimore, at the City Hall, was well received. The monument was unveiled at Mount Olivet Cemetery by Miss Owings, daughter of Capt. Owings; Miss Gambrill, daughter of James H. Gambrill; Miss Quynn, daughter of the late Allen Quynn; and Miss Clingan, daughter of G. F. Clingan.
The statue is of Carrara marble, and was made in Italy, the base being granite; height of monument fifteen feet from the ground, and cost fourteen hundred dollars, Mr. Batterson being the contractor.
Ladies' Relief Association. — During the war of 1861-65 the ladies of Frederick organized the " Ladies' Relief Association," with Mrs. Gideon Bantz as president, for lending aid to the medical officers of the Federal forces quartered near the city in their treatment of sick and disabled soldiers, by preparing such delicacies as are most relished by invalids. It originated in a call published in the Examiner of Aug. 21, 1861, and on October 21st fifty ladies met and organized. Seven committees were appointed, who had each the duty of securing the articles required for the sick on a specified day of the week. They visited the hospitals in the morning, and saw that the articles furnished were properly disposed of. After the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, in September, 1862, Gettysburg, in July, 1863, and Monocacy, in July, 1864, with thousands of wounded soldiers here and in the neighborhood, this association performed an immense labor, and its deeds of good were engraved on many a suffering heart.
Various other Societies. — Eastern Star Grange, No. 5, was organized several years ago, and its Master is George William Smith, and its Secretary, James A. Brown. " The Mechanical Library" and " Young Men's Christian Association," both instituted years ago, are in a flourishing condition. The Knights of Honor have a good lodge. No. 603.
Protestant Episcopal Orphan Asylum. — This elegant structure was erected in 1840, by the aid of fairs and the public donations for that purpose, the lot on which the building is located having been presented for this object by Mrs. Eleanor Potts. The building cost nearly five thousand dollars, and for a short period after its erection was occupied by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company as their office. The office of this company was removed in 1840 from the city of Washington to Frederick, which from its central position was the most proper location. Great credit is due to the ladies of the Episcopal Church for the energy and patience displayed in the establishment of this institution, which for two decades has been doing a noble work.
CHAPTER XXX. PROMINENT INSTITUTIONS AND EVENTS.
The Barracks, for many years one of the features of Frederick, were built during the Revolutionary war, and in the midst of a fine, green lot, beautifully located on an eminence overlooking the whole of Monocacy, or Frederick Valley. The city is spread out below it, the spires of its numerous churches and its more lofty edifices meeting the eye on the one side, while the rich and luxuriant fields of one of the most productive valleys in the world may be seen on the other. The Barracks were used as a place of confinement for prisoners taken with Burgoyne at Saratoga, and next for the Hessians who were captured at Yorktown. Numerous huts were erected in addition to the Barracks, all of which were removed before 1840. The Barracks were next occupied by the French prisoners of " L'Insurgent," captured by the " Constellation' during the quasi-war with France. While the Hessians were there some of the more intelligent became enamored with the beauty and the advantages of the country, and made their escape, so that they were left behind when their fellow-prisoners were marched off, and from this stock descended a numerous and vigorous progeny.
The Barracks were long partly occupied by the State armorer, and the rooms rented out to tenants. On the Barracks Hill lay the old cannon, which had been famous among the boys from time immemorial. It was brought here to celebrate the peace of 1783, and was used in 1841 as the " Great Baby Waker" by Dertzabaugh, and for the celebration of the Fourth of July and other popular rejoicings. This piece of ordnance was among the first cannon cast in Maryland during the Revolutionary war, and was an eighteen-pounder. It was cast at Mount Aetna Furnace, six miles north of Hagerstown. From 1868 for three or four years the State Deaf and Dumb Asylum occupied the Barracks buildings, until their present institution was erected on the Barracks grounds.
From 1840 and for several years afterwards a portion of the Barracks (which belonged to the State) were used by special permission of the Legislature by Messrs. Jenks & Ramsburg as a cocoonery. They had a white mulberry orchard, consisting of ten acres, in an adjoining lot. The State granted them the use of the Barracks buildings to test the experiment of silk-culture, then creating so much discussion throughout the country. W. D. Jenks began operations and planted his trees in 1837. Feb. 28, 1840, the reels were put up. During the year sewing silk was made equal to that of foreign manufacture. After the flyer was in operation, gold-stripe vesting was manufactured in considerable quantities.
The Old Town-Clock. — In perusing the musty records of Frederick we find that the solemn tones of the town-clock first pealed forth in 1807. It was constructed by that faithful chronicler of local incidents in early days and " goodly artisan," Frederick Heisley. According to a contemporary description, it was " a noble piece of mechanism, and doth greatly excite the curiosity of our town-folk." What interesting scenes the old clock must have witnessed during the seventy-four long years of its existence! It is a seven-day time-piece, and has been wound up by John Fessler and his son nearly ever since its erection. • Washington and Lafayette in Frederick. — Gen. Washington first visited Frederick Town in April, 1755, as one of Gen. Braddock's aides, and again in 1791, when on his way from Mount Vernon to Philadelphia, at that time the seat of the national government. During his second visit he was formally received and entertained by the people of Frederick. On reaching the hill near the farm now owned by Henry Scholl he was met by a company of horsemen from Frederick, headed by Maj. Mountjoy Bayley, chief marshal, and comprising many of the most influential and respectable citizens of the county. The President was conducted up to Barracks Hill, through the town and up Market Street to Brother's tavern, and then to Rich Hill, the residence of Governor Thomas Johnson. There was a brilliant illumination in honor of the event. The following is the correspondence which passed between Gen. Washington and a committee of citizens of Frederick County. Referring to this correspondence, the Rights of Man, published in Frederick Town in 1791, said, —
"This illustrious character during his short stay in Frederick Town, in this State, was treated with marks of high respect and great affection by the respectable citizens of this flourishing town. Previous to his departure, which public business obliged him to hasten, the following address (drawn in great haste) was presented to him, to which he was pleased to return an answer exhibiting as usual fresh proofs of his greatness and goodness."
The correspondence is as follows: