Existing comment:
Harper's Weekly report "The Murder of Ellsworth":
Early in the morning of May 24, 1861, the day after Virginians voted to secede from the Union, several thousand Northern troops crossed into Virginia from Washington to occupy Alexandria and its environs. As the commander of the New York Fire Zouaves, Colonel Ellsworth ferried his regiment across the Potomac River and reached the city wharf at dawn. Upon seeing a large Confederate flag flying over the Marshall House on King Street, Ellsworth hastened to the hotel with a small detail of men and made his way to the rooftop, where he commandeered the flag. He was descending the staircase with his men while rolling up the prize banner when the innkeeper, James W. Jackson, emerged from the shadows and fired a double-barreled shotgun at Ellsworth, killing him instantly. Jackson was himself fatally shot and bayoneted to death by Corporal Francis E. Brownell.
Unidentified artist, published June 15, 1861 |