Basil Duke, Colton Greene, and the other chafing young Captains had
matured a plot with the connivance of Gen. Frost, of the Militia,
probably somewhat at his instigation, which would brush aside the
network of intrigue which Claiborne Jackson and others were spinning,
bring matters to a focus, and in one blow crush Union sentiment, overawe
the timid, fasten the wavering, seize the Arsenal and launch Missouri
upon the tide of Secession with the Cotton States.

67

The police powers of the city of St. Louis had been taken away from
the Mayor, Frost had his Militia in readiness, the Irish were
properly worked up to a state of exasperation against the "infidel,
Sabbath-breaking Dutch," and hosts of Americans were in the same net
when on the day of Lincoln's inauguration the Secession flag was boldly
hoisted from the roof of the Berthold Mansion, in the most prominent
part of the city. At once excitement burned to fever heat. Incensed by
the wanton insult, the Germans and other Unconditional Union men raged
that the flag should be torn down, and crowds gathered around the
Berthold Mansion for that purpose. The house had, however, been
converted into an arsenal, with all the arms and ammunition that could
at that time be gathered, and filled with determined men under the
leadership of Duke, Greene and others, eager to precipitate a riot,
under the cover of which the Irish and Americans could be hurled against
the Germans, and the Arsenal seized.

Blair and the Committee of Safety saw the danger of this. Their
followers were not so ready for battle as the enemy was, and in
conjunction with the more conservative leaders of the other side they
succeeded in restraining their indignant friends from opening up a day
of blood which would have been forever memorable in the history of St.
Louis. Blair at once hastened back to Washington, and a few days
after the Inauguration secured from the new Secretary of War an order
assigning Capt. Lyon to the command of the Arsenal. This had to come
through Gen. Harney's hands, and in transmitting it he informed Capt.
Lyon:

You shall not exercise any control over the operations of the Ordnance
Department. The arrangements heretofore made for the accommodation of
the troops at the Arsenal and for the defense of the place will not be
disturbed without the sanction of the Commanding General.

58

This was to save Hagner's pride, as well as propitiate Gen. Harney's
Secession friends