Forty years before he became the visionary builder of downtown Los Angeles’ Angels Flight funicular, James Ward Eddy found himself in the nation’s capital when the Civil War began and on the front lines vastly outnumbered protecting the capital and the president.
Found via two sources within the archives of newspapers.com’s archives, reprinted and transcribed below:
August 24, 1907 edition of the Los Angeles Express
SERVED WITH FRONTIER GUARD
J.W. Eddy of Los Angeles Recalls Exciting Times When He Aided the Defense of the Capital and of Lincoln
After reading in the Express of the endeavors of Dr. T.D. Bancroft to compile a history and roster of the “Frontier Guard,” who did such heroic service in scaring the confederates away from Washington during the early days of the Civil War, J.W. Eddy, well-known because of his connection with the Angels Flight, has volunteered information that may be of some assistance to Dr. Bancroft.
“I was in Washington in April 1861, having gone there from Batavia, Ill.,” said Mr. Eddy. “Attorney-General Bates had just offered me the federal judgeship in New Mexico, Kansas had just been admitted to the Union and the capital was filled with Kansans, many of whom I knew.
“It was April 14, I believe, that Fort Sumter was fired upon, and the Kansans, with Senator James H. Lane as their leader, held a meeting to decide how to protect the capital. They formed a company and elected Jim Lane captain. They tendered their services to President Lincoln, who invited them to camp in the east room of the White House.
“Another meeting was held the next night to form another company, of which Judge Tipton of Wisconsin was elected captain. The two companies were combined into a battalion which was called the ‘Frontier Guard.” Cassius M. Clay became the major.
“Although not part of the regular government troops, the battalion was given arms by the government and it set to work to guard the capital at night and to attend to its regular business during the day.
“One night we devoted to the war department, another to the Potomac Bridge, and another to Anacostia Bridge and others to various parts of the city. When we guarded the Anacostia Bridge, Cassius M. Clay personally was in command as it was rumored that an invasion was to be attempted.
“As there were only 110 of us, we would have had little chance with a rebel horde, but we made much noise and the confederates heard that we were thousands where we were only tens.
Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers and the Sixth Massachusetts was the first to start for Washington. At Baltimore it was assaulted and all communication was cut off from Washington. Then, while we watched and waited, we heard that the Seventh New York was coming by way of the sea, but until its actual arrival we had no communication with the world.
“For many days I watched for the approach of the Seventh from the top of a building, with my eyes ever-gazing down the Potomac. Finally it came and when the boys swept down Pennsylvania Avenue they looked to us like ten times their number, which was only 1,000.
“After that more and more troops came, until within two weeks, not less than 15,000 were in the city. The the “Frontier Guards” tendered their resignation to Lincoln, saying that as the troops had arrived, there was nothing left for the guards to do.
“Our resignation was accepted by the president, who invited us to the east room of the White House, where he shook hands with each, thanked us for what we had done and wished us Godspeed.
“Our discharges were signed by Senator Lane and contained also the facsimile signatures of Lincoln and Secretary of War Cameron. I unfortunately lost mine, which has been a source of great regret to me. The reason for Lane signing them all was that Clay probably was away at the time.
“One night I was stationed on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, where I was told to leave my arms when I was relieved at midnight. I went to the east room to do this, and, being, tired, I threw myself down upon a sofa there. It probably was more or less a presumptuous action.
“In the morning, hwever, I awoke to find my coveredby the army overcoat of General Hunter, then in command of the United States Army.
“Soon after being mustered out of the “Frontier Guards,” I returned to Batavia, where I spoke at a public meeting that was held in my honor.
June 3, 1915 edition of the Eagle Rock Sentinel
BEAUTIFUL UNION MEMORIAL SERVICE
Col. J.W. Eddy Gives a Fine Reminiscent Address on Lincoln
A beautiful tribute was paid to the old soldiers, the great Emancipation and to Col. Eddy at the union memorial services held last Sunday evening in the Presbytarian Church. The building was attractively decorated with large flags and flowers of like color. The church was packed with the old soldiers, with personal friends of the chief speaker and with members of the different churches.
At 7:45 the services began with the pastor, Dr. Creswell, in charge. An opening hymn was followed by a fervent prayer by Dr. Martin Post. The scripture lesson was read by Rev. Mr. Connaway. The choir sang an anthem, “O Come Let Us Worship,” with Mrs. C.G. Steward singing the solo obligato parts. A brief by happy tale was made by Dr. Creswell on the coming together of the churches on this occasion, and urged unity of spirit and action among Christian people.
An attractive feature of the evening was the reading of Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech by Mrs. Blonda Banks Colborn.
After the singing of a hymn anthem, “God of Our Fathers,” by the choir, and the introduction of the speaker, a happy incident happened. At the suggestion of Dr. Creswell, a Chataqua Salute was given in honor of Col. Eddy who was 83 years old Sunday.
[Ed. note: The Chautauqua Salute, originated by Bishop Vincent in 1877 at the Chautauqua Institute in New York State, when he suddenly realized that a deaf-mute lecturer could not hear the applause of the thousands in attendance. Vincent suggested that the audience wave white handkerchiefs, an activity since known as “the blooming of the white lilies.”]
It was an intensely interesting address. It was unusually so because Col. Eddy gave whant no orator every had or could give, the personal experiences and observations of himself in Washington during the first month of the rebellion. With his usual good tact, he did not tray to make a patriotic address. He gave a brief reference to Lincoln’s nomination and election to the presidency and of the trip to Washington. The speaker then told of his going to that city and calling on the president and there meeting Senator Grimes of Iowa and Senator John Sherman of Ohio. He was there at the time word came of the firing on Fort Sumter; was one of the first 150 to enlist in a company hurriedly formed to act as personal bodyguard to the president and do some skirmish work in Washington. He told of seeing the Secretary of the Treasury open the bids for the first war loan and the exultant cry that came from the assembled crowd. He told of the announcement of the coming of troops from Massachusetts and New York. Those were the days known in Washington as “shut-in days,” when all communication with the rest of the country was practically shut off.
Col. Eddy’s address was intensely interesting and instructive and those who failed to attend this service were the losers thereby.
AND THERE’S A BOOK ON THE SUBJECT
Until reading that 1907 article I had never heard the term “Frontier Guard.” Based on the 1915 article, I’d just presumed Eddy had enlisted in the army. So of course I googled the term, which led me to a glowing review of a 2016 book on the largely forgotten subject by James P. Muehlberger: “The 116: The True Story of Abraham Lincoln’s Lost Guard.”
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