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report was that the troops were firing upon the citizens; and immediately the head of the attacked column appeared at the station.
The first inclination in Colonel Jones' mind was to form his men and march out into the square adjoining the station, which was now filled with an infuriated mob, and avenge his soldiers.
When he disclosed that intention to the railroad men, they besought him in the most anxious terms, “For God's sake not to do that.”
That did not chance his purpose; but at the same moment a telegram was put in his hand addressed to him from General Scott, in these words:--
Let there be no possible delay in your coming.
This to a soldier was an order; and whatever Colonel Jones' feelings or wishes may have been, he did not feel at liberty to disregard that order, especially as the master of transportation, a good, true, and loyal man, William P. Smith, said: “For God's sake, give the order for the cars to move; the mob is already trying to tear the tracks up in front of us. If you don't, no one of your men will leave here alive.”
Thereupon Colonel Jones gave the order.
The train started and went on a short distance.
Then it stopped, and the conductor informed the colonel that he could take the train no further toward Washington.
“Very well,” said Colonel Jones, “I paid for being carried there and shall go, and I have men that can run your engine and train as well as you can.”
The conductor started the train once more, and there was no further interference with the progress of the troops, although Mr. Smith had information, as he said to Colonel Jones, that the rebels were attempting to blow up the viaduct at the Relay House.
When the regiment arrived in Washington President Lincoln met it at the depot.
He shook Colonel Jones warmly by the hand, and said: “Thank God, you have come; for if you had not Washington would have been in the hands of the rebels before morning.”
Colonel Jones was afterwards in command of the Relay House, where I left him after the taking of Baltimore.
There he remained until his term of service expired.
Then he re-enlisted his regiment, as we shall see, and served with me during the Campaign of the Gulf, where his personal services as a commander were of the highest order.
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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