ds of these latter drilling more or less openly,
with much fifing and drumming and flaunting of Secession flags, there
were thousands of Home Guards meeting and training with greatest secresy
in old foundries, breweries, and halls, with pickets out to prevent
surprise, sawdust on the floors to drown the sound of their feet, and
blankets at the windows to arrest the light and the words of command.
The drill hall was only approached at night, and singly or by twos or
threes, to avoid attracting attention. Most of these Home Guards were
Germans, and a large proportion had had military training in Europe. The
great problem with them, as with the Minute Men, was to get arms, and
both sides watched the Arsenal with its 60,000 rifles and 1,500,000
cartridges with sharp covetousness.

45

The Governor of Illinois loaned the Home Guards a few arms, but it was
expected that these would be repaid with interest from the stores of the
Arsenal.

The appointment of Maj. Hagner to the command of the Arsenal was
satisfactory to the Secessionists, but there was naturally a good deal
of interest as to the bias of Capt. Thomas W. Sweeny. One day a man
presented himself at the west gate of the Arsenal and asked to see Capt.
Sweeny. Sweeny went to the gate and recognized an old acquaintance, St.
George Croghan, the son of that Lieut. Croghan who had so brilliantly
defended Fort Stephenson, at Lower Sandusky, in the War of 1812, and
who afterwards was for many years Inspector-General of the United
States Army. Croghan's grandfather had been a gallant officer in the
Revolution. It was a cold day, and Croghan wore a citizen's overcoat.
On their way to the quarters, the guards properly saluted Sweeny as they
passed. Said Croghan, "Sweeny, don't you think those sentinels ought to
salute me--my rank is higher than yours?" at the same time throwing open
his overcoat and revealing the uniform of a rebel field officer.

"Not to such as that, by heavens!" responded Sweeny; and added: "If that
is your business, you can have nothing to do with me. You had better not
let my men see you with that thing on."

Croghan assured him his business in calling was one of sincere
friendship; but he would remark while on the subject, that Sweeny had
better find it convenient to get out of there, and very soon, too.

"Why?" asked Sweeny.

Replied Croghan: "Because we intend to take it."

46

Sweeny in great excitement exclaimed: "Never! As sure as my n