The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-08-07
WASHINGTON FORTS.
Eneircling the National Capital with
a Gordon Of Earthworks.

The bombardment of Fort Sumter, April 12
and Ii, 1861, gave to the people of the United
States the first unmistakable signal of actual
hoStilities From that date until the arrival of
the Massachusetts, and New York volunteers
the National Capital was held by precarious
tenure. That it remained in possession of the
National Government at all is due TO the patri-
otto efforts of the Hon. Joseph Holt Acting
Secretary of War, and Winfield Scott, General
of the Army, who were obliged to transcend
their authority to undo the traitorous machina-
tions of John b. Floyd, who had but recently
laid down the portfolio of War under President
Buchanan, to take up the sword of brigadier
in the Confederate service.
The defensive arrangements of that period
consisted rather in improvised expedients such
as obstructing bridges roads, etc., than in forti
fcations. No sooner, however, was possession
of the Capital assured, than the occupation of
the nights commanding it on the southern
shore of the Potomac became indispensable,
not only as defensive, but as an offensive
measure. The nearness of Alexandria also de-
manded that that point should be included in
this occupation. The necessity of maintaining
possession of the National Capital was of far
greater Importance in the civil war than in
war with foreign country.
In the latter, supposing the people to be
united and patriotic, the loss of the Capital
would involve simply the necessity of remov-
ing the archives to place of safety, where the
Seat of Government might be established; but
in the war of the rebellion it was felt that no
greater calamity could befall the country
than that the Stars and Stripes floating from
the donna of the Capitol should be hauled down
by the Confederates, and the stars and bars be
hoisted in its stead. 1t was believed that in
such case plausible pretext would be offered
to foreign powers-who would rejoice at the
dismembermentof of this Nation-to recognize
the insurgents.
The proximity of the Capital to the northern
line of the territory claimed by the Confed-
acy was therefore constant embarrassment
to the Government, requiring during the earlier
years of the rebellion the maintenance of
vast force for its protection and erection of de-
fensive works of great magnitude, garnished
by artillery of powerful caliber
The city of Richmond, Va. on the contrary,
to which no especial prestige belonged as
national capital, required little expenditure Of
men and munitions of war in its defense.
TYPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES.
The City of Washington is built upon the
point or angle formed by the junction of the
Anacostia or Eastern Branch with the Potomac,
and, as laid out its site extends along each of
these streams somewhat more than three miles.
The rear or landward boundaries are nearly
parallel to the general direction of the water
or river fronts. From along its landward
margins the surface commences to swell into
hills. reaching an altitude of 300 to 450 feet.
One of the principal thoroughfares from Wash
ington, passing through Georgetown, follows
the crest of the ridge to Tenlytown, where it
divides into the Rockville and the River and
the Brookville Roads, the latter of which
crosses the country and unites with the Sew
enth Street Road. leading to Brookville, Md.
Several other roads lead westward along the
front of The Potomac from Georgetown.
Between Rock Creek on the northwest and
Anacostia on the east, two principal thorough
fares lead into Maryland--the Seventh-street
Road and the Baltimore & Washington Turn
pike.
The Anacostia was spanned by two bridges,
from which roads led into the country, ascend
ing the ridge on the opposite bank in several
directions, while one follows the stream TO
Bladensburg. The river, spanned by the Chain
Bridge three miles above Georgetown, the
Aqueduct Bridge, and the Long Bridge at the
foot of Fourteenth street, is narrow above
Georgetown, and about mile in width oppo-
site the city.
Looking across the river from the grounds
south of the Executive Mansion, the ridge
known as Arlington Hights, on which, at a
distance of about two miles, stands the palatial
residence of Col. Robert E. Lee, Of the lst e.
s. Cav, extends in a general eastern direction
from point opposite Georgetown, interrupted
Ny EOui mile nun 10 du0IlDg CTeek, at the
confluence of which is the City of Alexandria
Further southwark the country continues to
increase in elevation, though not without oc-
casonal depressions, such as impart to the to-
pography of region the features which gov
ern the choice of position, whether for line of
battle or for a chain of defensive works
-Four miles west of Arlington is a cluster Of
commanding nights, lying between Four Mile
Run and a tributary of Hunting Creek, which
lid h-yC NIL
to his advance upon the Confederate forces
near Bull Run, July q, 1851. Soon after the
retreat of his army to Washington this point
was occupied asan advanced position by Beaure-
CARDS troops On their withdrawal in the fol-
lowing October it was taken possession of and
fortified by Gen. Mcclellan the works called
Forts Ramsay and Buffalo and one on Munson's
Hill, connected by trenches and batteries, and
the ground afterwards held, though not
properly speaking. forming part of the de-
fenses Of Washington.
BEGINNING OF OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS.
The crossing of the Potomac took place on
the night of the 25d of May, 1861, in three col
umns: one, under command of Mai Wood
18th u S. Inf, by the Aqueduct Bridge; another,
under Col. Heintzelman, 18th q. S. Inf, by the
Long Bridge, and another, under Col. Ellsworth
LIST n. Y. Zouayes, by water to Alexandria
Capts. ii. G. Wright, Woodbury. and Alexander.
and Lieuts. Cross and Prince, of the Engineers
accompanied the expedition. An ample sup
ply Of intrenching tools were carried along,
and by daylight work was begun at Forts
Runyan and Corcoran. At Alexandria large
Fashioned earthwork was laid out by Capt.
Wright and named in honor Of the heroic Els
worth, who fell in the discharge Of duty in the
very dawn of the rebellion. These works were
quickly followed south of the Potomac by a
chain of works extending from Four Mile Run
to Alexandria. The principal forts wore named
Albany, Craig Tiliinghast Cass, Woodbury..
De Kalb, Cameron, Scott and Richardson The
defense of Alexandria and connection with the
general line demanded the occupation of the
nights. A mile in advance of Fort Ellsworth.
upon which the Theological Seminary is stu
ated, and about the 1st of September work was
commenced upon Forts Worth and Ward and
the line continued thence to Forts Richardson
and Craig by the construction of Forts Rev
nolds and Barnard. Fort Lyon was built on
the hight south of Hunting Creek overlooking
| Fort Ellsworth, during the months ofSeptember
and October, by Gen. Newton, then attached as
Engineer TO the staff of Gen. franklin.
Meantime works were in process of con-
struetion to secure the roads north of the Poto-
mac. Forts Reno and Gaines on the nights of
Tenlytown, commanding the three roads above
mentioned; Fort Stevens, on the Seventh
street Road; Forts Totten and SIocum, still
| farther towards the east between that point
and the Baltimore and Potomac Turnpike.
which was commanded by Fort Lincoln, sup
| ported later by the intervening works of Forts