New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-27
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& From nresent appearances the chances are
thaB tas bir acht between tlia Aholi tipnists and
me southern patriots ill take place at, or near,
washington city AZ there may he some Of our |
readers Who have never visited the Federal
We propose to give some aceounto Of its position
and surroundings
Washington & situated on the north side of the
Potomac, about $50 miles from its month"; small
creek separates Washing ton from Georgetown, but
as both cities are closely built up to the line, they
are virtually one. Directly opposite Georgetown,
across the Potomac. are the Arlington Heights.
Arlington was the residence of the late George
Washington Parke Gusts, who died a few years
ago, Leaving The property to his son.in-law, Col.
Robert E. Lee, of the Second Cavalry. The heights
Of Arlington are, we suppose, about one hundred
feet above the usual water-mark of the Potomac
1t is celebrated for big spring of cool and deli
ceus water, and is much resorted to in the summer
time by picnic parties from Washington and
Georgetown.
The distance from Arlington across to George
| town is, we should say about one mile. From Ar
lingto to the White House it is two miles more,
and to the Capitol about three miles. Batteries on
| Arlington Heights might easily command the
Presidents House and shell Old Abe out, scarcely
allowing him time to put on that famous Scotch
cap and long military cloak wherewith he first
sneaked into his Capital.
But our forces can, if necessary, approach nearer
to Washington than Arlington. There is an island
4 i'll tile Potomac, called Masons Island, opposite
4 Georgetown, and lying nearest to the Virginia
i side, connecting with the main land by bridge.
We can easily get on that island and throw up bat
4 teres Georgetown is directly opposite, not much
i more than quarter of a mile distant. An aoue-
i duet, bringing the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
i across from Georgetown to the Virginia side,
serves also as bridge on which our troops could
Iscross if they wished to make an assault.
Guns of the heaviest calibre can be easily gotten
\ to Arlington Heights, and, without much trouble,
i to Masonis Island also. Two or three railroads,
4 connecting with Richmond and other points, run
! into Alexandria, which is six miles below Wash
4 ingtoa, on the Virginia side. From Alexandra,
H guns and munitions can be carried By the Ches-
apeake and Ohio canal directly up to Masons
IL Island.
u The Gapitol III not SO easily commanded. That
is mile lower down the river than the Presidents
II House, and opposite the Capitol the river is q mile
Y vide. Then the Capitol is more than mile from
4 the river. If we had batteries on the Virginia
II shore, opposite the Capitol, we might reach that
building, but we will very likely have considerable
u trouble in planting our batteries there. But we
u can plant batteries on Arlington Heights without
/ being in range of the enemy's guns, unless the
Abolitionsts cross the river and give US hand-to.
4 hand fight.
i Washington is defended against any hostile ap
4 proaeh, by way Of the river, by fertilization
i about twenty miles below, called Fort Washing.
ton. This fort is on the Maryland side, at bend
II in tile river, and commands the approaches both
!. above and below. Its regular garrison is four
I, hundred men, and it mounts eighty eight guns.
Tie Marylanders ought to storm and take this
Il fort without any delay. Then old Abe couldn't
II net any more troops to Washington at all.
II Besides this, there is an Arsenal at Greenleafs
Il Point, the lower end of Washington City, where
"a the Eastern Branch emptes into the Potomac.
Il This is an extensive arsenal, not only supplied
with small arms, hut big guns. Several guns that
a We have captured at Yorktown, Saratoga, Vera
Cruz, ETC., are there 1t will be curious if these
i guns, that we seized from foreign enemy, should
4 now be turned upon US BY the Abolitionsts. We
i almost believe that they would refuse to fire.
The report yesterday was that the Virginians
are concentrating large numbers, and establish
ing a military camp at Acquia Greek. The tele-
4 graph says that Acquia is twenty-four miles be-
4 low Washington. This shows how great a liar the
telegraph is, 1t is sixty miles from Washington,
instead, of tWenty-four 1t is the terminus Of a
railroad from Richmond, seventy miles of. The
yirginians can establish batteries there, and com
rland the channel Of the river. Having done that
they will then, after leaving enough soldiers tt
man the batteries, march across thirty miles t
the Orange and Alexandria road, which will pu
A them down within a mile of Arlington Heights.
III The Baltimore and Ohio railroad, connecting
Baltimore and Washington, having refused tc
transport Abolition troops, the idea now is t.
land them at Annapolis and march them across
I But the Marylanders are concentrating along the
\ road to dispute their passage. If the Virginans
then can stop troops from going up the Potomac
old he's supplies Of soldiers will be cut of. Il
n those he now has in Washington do not fight
better than they did in Baltimore, where they rur
like dogs before a crowd armed only with brick
bats and paving stones, Beauregard will have ar
easy job Of it in driving old Abe out. He hat
better don that cap and cloak at once, and run
while z times are goods That request Of Beau
regards, that the women and children be re
moved from Washington, looks like g business. 7