The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-05-03
WASHINGTON City.

teresting article on the topography Of the
country around Washing. on City. II will
be instructive to those not familiar with
the locations described, and which are ex-
pected 10 become 50 soon the theatre Of
stirring and bloody deeds.
From present appearances, says the
Crescent the chances are that the big fight
between the Abolitionists and the South
ern patriots will take place at, or near,
Washington city. As there may be some
OF our readers who have never visited the
Federal Capital, we propose to give some
account Of its position and surroundings
Washington is situated on the North
side Of the Potomac. about $50 miles
from is mouth. A small creek separates
Washington 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 few years ago,
leaving the property to his son-in-law, Col. |
Robert f. 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 cele-
brated fora big spring Of cool and de
lieious water, and is much resorted to in
the summer time by picnic parties from
| Washington and Georgetown.
The distance from Arlington across to
Georgetown is, we should say, about one
mile. From Arlington to the White
House il IS two miles or more, and to the
Capital 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 herewith he first sheaked into his
Capital.
But our forces can, if necessary, APP
proach nearer to Washington than Airing
ton. There is an island in the Potomac,
called Mason's Island, opposite George
town, and lying nearest the Virginia side,
connecting with the main land by bridge.
We can easily get on that island and
throw up batteries. Georgetown is di-
rectly opposite, not much more than
quarter of mile distant. An aqueduet,
bringing the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
across from Georgetown to the Virginia
side, serves as a bridge, On which our
troops could cross if they wished to make
an assault.
Guns Of the heaviest calibre can be
easily gotten to Arlington Heights, and,
without much trouble, to Mason's Island
also. Two or three railroads. connecting
with Richmond and other points, run into
Alexandra, which is six miles below
Washington on the Virginia side. From
Alexandria, guns and munitiore can be
carried by the chesapeake and Ohio
canal directly up TO Mason's Island.
The Capitol is not so easily command
ed. That is mile lower down the river
;; than the Presidents House. and oppo-
, site the Capitol the river is u mile wide.
Then the Capitol is more than a mile
from the river II We had batteries on
! the Virginia shore, opposite the Capitol.
we might reach that building, but we will
! ! very likely have considerable trouble in
planting our batteries there. But we can
plant batteries on Arlington Heights
without being in range Of the. enemy :
guns, unless the Abohtionists cross the
z river and give Us a hand-to- hand fight.
Washington is defended against any
p hostile approach, by way OF the river, by
a forufication about twenty miles below,
+ called Fort Washington. This fort is on
the Maryland SIDE at a bend in the river,
aud commands the appaoaches both above
Z and below Its regular garrison Is four
o hundred men. and it mounts eighty
guns. The Marylanders ought. to storm
and take this Tort withoutany delay. Then
Old Abe couldn't get any more troops to
b Washington at all.
Besides this, there is an arsenal at
d Greenleaf's Point, the lower end Of Wash.
4. ington City, where the Eastern Branch
empties into the Potomac. This is an ex
IS teusive arsenal, not only supplied with
IA small arms, but big guns. Several guns
that we have captured at Yoss town. sara
= toga, Vera Cruz. vtc., are there. Il WI
be curious if these guns, that we seized
from foreign enemy, should now %
II turned upon US by the Aboliiionists. We
~ almost believe that they would refuse t.
= fire.
The report yesterday was that the Vir
d ginians are concentrating in large mum
Of hers, and establishing amili'Hy camp a
g Acquia Creek The telegraph says thai
-, Acquia is twenly-fopr miles below Wash
ington. This shows how great liar th'
Re telegraph is. It Is sixty miles from
Washington. instead OF twenB-iour. 1
= is a terminus Of a railroad nom Rich
, mond, seventy miles oil. The Virginiant
can establish batteries there, and com
mand the channel of the river. Having
Is done that, they will then, after leaving
m enough soldiers to man the batteries
march acgoss thirty miles TO the Orang'
and Alelahdria road, which will put then
re down widths mile of Arlington Heights
s The Baltimore.and Ohio railroad, con
u meeting Baltimore and Washington, having
refused 70 transport Abolition troops, tn
az idea nov is to land them at Annapolis an'
IS march across. But the Marylanders ar,
rs concentrating along the road to disput,
"a their passage. 1.-THE Virginians then cal
stop troops from going up the Potomac
as Old Abe's supplies of soldiers viii be Gu
Us of. If those he now has in Wash
be ingtop do not fight better than they dix
sr- in Baltimore, where they run like dog
before acrowd armed only with briekbat
and paving stones, Beauregard will hNe al
~ easy jobof it in driving Old Alb out II,
IA. had better don that cap and cloak at once
and run while ''times are good" That re
IN quest Of Beauregard. that the wOmel
and children be removed from Washing
a. ton, looks like business"