Death of Col. Ellsworth after hauling down the rebel flag, at the taking of Alexandria, Va., May 24th 1861
A Midnight March
Movement Upon Alexandria and the Virginia Heights
Brutal Assassination of Col. Ellsworth In Alexandria.
A Swift and Terrible Retribution
Last night was a stirring one indeed. Through the day and evening the reports of contemplated military movements kept the populace on the qui vive to which excitement fresh fuel was added on its being whispered that various Regiments had been ordered to prepare for immediate service; the words dropped also by Gen. Thomas at the Seventh Regiment camp that the storm was about to burst, indicated that a decisive move was to be taken. The general idea among the troops was that an advance was to be made into Virginia, but nobody seemed to be posted as to the exact purposes entertained at headquarters.
At 11 o’clock we pushed off for the Long Bridge to see what was developing thereabouts. We found the vigilant sentries of the Washington Light Infantry (Company A) posted some distance up Maryland avenue, and a portion of the same company stationed somewhat lower down. A squad of the infantry had also been detailed to a point near the monument, to keep an eye on any boats going out of the canal. Near the bridge and on the bridge were the Infantry, a company of Rhode Islanders, a Massachusetts company, a U. S. cavalry company, a company of U. S. artillery (two pieces), the Putnam Rifles, the Turner Rifles, National Rifles, Metropolitan Rifles, and Company F Union Volunteers; while Company E Washington Light Infantry (Captain Powell’s Zouaves) and the Constitutional Guards occupied the Virginia end of the bridge.
A full moon looked peacefully down, and perfect quiet reigned on all the neighboring shores. But this was to give place very speedily to more stirring movements.
Somewhat after midnight, Capt. Smead’s company, the National Rifles, and Capt Powell’s company were advanced across the bridge to the neighborhood of Roche’s Spring. Scouts were sent out in all directions, who managed to get past the line of the Virginia pickets. Somewhat later, the Virginia pickets, getting the alarm, set spurs to their horses and scurried down the road towards Alexandria in hot haste.
The Constitutional Guard, Capt. Degges, about 80 strong, were on duty over the bridge, Col. Stone of the D. C. Volunteers, went to them, and asked if they had any objection to go beyond the District, as they were very close to Alexandria. The men answered unanimously in favor of going anywhere; and they were accordingly advanced along the road, and through the country down as far as the four mile run. The Virginia piquet guard stationed near Roach’s spring, ran, and about an hour after the alarm bells were rung in Alexandria.
This morning, at 2 a. m., in pursuance of orders previously given and rumored over Washington, on which we were not at liberty to comment yesterday, although within our knowledge, a large body of U. S. troops crossed the Potomac from this city and its neighborhood Into Virginia. Ellsworth’s Zouaves, in two steamers, with the steamer James Guy as accompanying tender, left their camp on the Eastern Branch, and made directly for Alexandria by water. The Michigan Regiment under Col. Wilcox, accompanied by a detachment of U. S. cavalry, and two pieces of Sherman’s battery, under command of Lt. Ransom, proceeded by way of the Long Bridge direct for Alexandria.
The Seventh New York Regiment halted under orders at Hugh’s Tavern, at the Virginia end of the Long Bridge; the Second New Jersey Regiment is at Roach’s Spring, half a mile from the end of the Bridge; the New York Twenty fifth and one Cavalry company, and the New York Twelfth, and the Third and Fourth New Jersey Regiments proceeded to the right after crossing the Bridge, for the occupation of the Heights of Arlington. They were joined by other troops which crossed at the Georgetown Aqueduct.
At 4 o’clock a.m.., at about the same moment the Zouaves landed at Alexandria from the steamers, and the troops before named who proceeded by the bridge reached that town. As the steamers drew up near the wharf armed boats left the Pawnee, whose crews leaped upon the wharves just before the Zouaves reached terra firma. The crews of the Pawnee’s boats were fired upon by the few disunion sentries as the boats left the steamship, by way of giving the alarm, when these sentries instantly fled back Into the town as fast as their legs could carry them. Their fire was answered by impromptu shots from some of the Zouaves on the decks of the steamers bearing them. Immediately on landing Col. Ellsworth marched the Zouaves up into the center of the town, no resistance to their progress whatever being offered.
Thus quiet possession was taken of that part of Alexandria in the name of the United States by the portion of the troops immediately commanded by Col. Ellsworth.
Those commanded by Col. Wilcox, at about the same moment, as explained above, marched into the town by the extension of the Washington turnpike, the cavalry and artillery marching in two or three streets below. The destination of both these detachments was the depot of the Orange and Alexandria railroad, which they instantly seized. They also found near by, at Burch & Cook’s negro pen, a disunion company of cavalry, commanded by Capt. Ball, (thirty-five men and as many horses,) who were made prisoners, not having heard the alarm of the firing of the sentries below.
Everything found at the depot in the way of rolling stock, etc.. is of course in the hands of the Government troops holding it.
Proceeding up town, Col. Ellsworth saw a Secession flag waving over the Marshall House, kept by James Jackson, a well known secessionist. Instantly entering the house, with four or five of his men, Col. Ellsworth proceeded to the house-top, tore down the flag, and trampled it under foot.
In descending the stairs the party were encountered by the keeper of the house, double-barrel gun in hand. He raised the gun to shoot the foremost Zouave, who knocked aside his aim, when Jackson instantly turned it upon Col. Ellsworth, and firing, discharged the load of one barrel into the heart of that gallant officer, who fell dead upon the stairs. Jackson as quickly snapped the other barrel at a Zouave standing next to Col. Ellsworth, where private Brownell, another of the Zouaves, accompanying Ellsworth to take down the flag, discharged the contents of his musket into Jackson’s brain, bayoneting his body as he fell, pinning it to the steps. There it laid up to 9 a.m., under a guard of Zouaves, who will permit no one to remove it.
The news of the assassination of Col. E. E. Ellsworth reached this city at an early hour this morning, and created much excitement here, though not at first believed generally. At a later hour it was confirmed, and at ten o’clock the tolling of the bell of the Franklin Fire Co., announced the confirmation, and orders were given to half-mast the flag of the Company.
At four o’clock this morning a large number of government wagons went across the Long Bridge loaded with picks, shovels, and all manner of tools of that description, and accompanied with a full corps of carpenters and workmen. The U. S. forces are now busily engaged throwing up fortifications on the heights on the Virginia shore, commencing at day break.
The Evening Star, Washington City (DC)
Col. E. E. Ellsworth
Situated across the Potomac River from Washington, Alexandria was an important location for control of access to the capital. The day after Virginia’s ratification of secession, federal troops crossed the river and seized the city. One of the units was the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (the “Fire Zouaves”), commanded by Col. Elmer Ellsworth. Ellsworth was a lawyer who had studied and practiced law under Lincoln in Illinois, and the two were close friends. He was the first Union officer killed during the war.