Vignette 8: Old Style Voter Suppression
On June 1st 1857, Colonel Archibald Henderson received a note from the mayor of Washington DC asking for help in keeping the polls open during that day's election. Henderson was the Commandant of the US Marine Corps, and at the time the only commander of troops garrisoned within Washington DC. A trainload of "pug-uglies" had been brought down from Baltimore by the "Know Nothings" who were intent on suppressing voter turnout that day.
The 74 year old Henderson detailed a company from the Marine Barracks under the command of Captain Jacob Zeilin to assist the DC police. Striding out into the streets wearing a black civilian suit and carrying a gold headed cane, Henderson found the rabble of pug-uglies armed with various small arms and a brass cannon at the corner of 5th and K streets. Realizing that some of the vandals were positioning the brass cannon to fire at the Marines, Henderson stepped in front of the cannon, leaned against the muzzle, and said, "You'd better think twice before you fire this piece at Marines."
One of the drunken pug-uglies raised a pistol, pointing it at Henderson. A Marine stepped forward, knocking the pistol to the ground. Captain Zeilin gave the order to "make ready." As Henderson marched the now disarmed pug-ugly off to jail, other pug-uglies opened sporadic fire on the Marines. Zeilin ordered his men to fire, and a single volley dispersed the pug-uglies. Deciding that they had no interest in the odds they were facing, the pug-uglies went back to the train station and thence back to Baltimore. The election proceeded without any more major incidents.
Eighteen months later, on January 6th 1859, Archibald Henderson died while still on active duty. Jacob Zeilin would go on to become the seventh Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1864.
The 74 year old Henderson detailed a company from the Marine Barracks under the command of Captain Jacob Zeilin to assist the DC police. Striding out into the streets wearing a black civilian suit and carrying a gold headed cane, Henderson found the rabble of pug-uglies armed with various small arms and a brass cannon at the corner of 5th and K streets. Realizing that some of the vandals were positioning the brass cannon to fire at the Marines, Henderson stepped in front of the cannon, leaned against the muzzle, and said, "You'd better think twice before you fire this piece at Marines."
One of the drunken pug-uglies raised a pistol, pointing it at Henderson. A Marine stepped forward, knocking the pistol to the ground. Captain Zeilin gave the order to "make ready." As Henderson marched the now disarmed pug-ugly off to jail, other pug-uglies opened sporadic fire on the Marines. Zeilin ordered his men to fire, and a single volley dispersed the pug-uglies. Deciding that they had no interest in the odds they were facing, the pug-uglies went back to the train station and thence back to Baltimore. The election proceeded without any more major incidents.
Eighteen months later, on January 6th 1859, Archibald Henderson died while still on active duty. Jacob Zeilin would go on to become the seventh Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1864.