Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-13
THE CAPITAL IN PERIL.
EARLT'S RAID UPON WASHINGTON,
The Twenty-6fth Anniversary Of
the Fight at Fort Stevens.

From the commencement Of the overt seces
sion of the states afterward forming the con-
federate government in 1s6O-'s1, so long a. the
leaders of the confederacy entertained any
hopes Of success in the field against the national
armies, the capture of Washington was one of
the cherished purposes Of the South.
The advance of a large force northward in a
direct line toward the national capital early in
1861, with another large armed body in the
Shenandoah valley, and the fact that other
forces were strongly holding different strategic
points on the south side Of the Potomac during
the summer and autumn Of that year, justified
the United States government in apprehending
an attack on the capital at any favorable
opportunity. A large force was collected
and drilled at Washington in consequence, and
defensive works were constructed as a well-ad-
vised precaution against any formidable move
ment of the enemy in this direction.
The movement and disposition of troops dur
ing the war were planned in such q manner
that the seat of the government should never
be exposed to any contingency OF capture or
harm Ii cannot be forgotten that President
Lincoln, at particular time during the penin-
sular campaign of So, demonstrated with Gen
Mcclellan against the withdrawal from in front
of Washington of large number of troops for
reinforcing his army, because it would en-
danger the safety of the capital
work of interest concerning the defenses
of Washington, by Gen. ]. G. Barnard, con-
tains much information calculated to dispel the
mysteries and Misunderstanding prevalent in
war times. Gen. Barnard says: ''Sensitiveness
combination and important movement of troops
IN the Virginia theater. When in March,
1862, il was proposed to change the line Of
operations after johnson retreated from Ma
nassas TO the peninsula between the James and
York rivers, a council of corps commanders to
lub a
tain conditions as indispensable to their ap-
proval, one of which was:
THAT the force to be left to cover Washing
ton shall be such as to give entire feeling of Sc
curity for its safety from menace
Not content with this general statement,
1t was made more explicit by addendum:
N. B.-That with the forts the right
bank of the Potomac fully garrisoned and those
front of the Virginia line of $4,000 men would
suffice. (keyes, Heintzelman. McDowell)
"A total of $4,000 for defenses of the city
would suffice (Sumner.)"
The official report of Gen. W. F. Barry chief
OF artillery and engineers. to Gen. Mcclellan
requisite garrison to securely hold the de-
lenses, all other forces being supposed to be
operating In distant theaters, would be 40 900.
"Popes army: says Gen. Barnard, 'in 1862
was interposed between Washington and the
rebel forces, yet a raid upon the capital was
by no means an impossibility, and there
was far from being an entire feeling of security
within the lines. Influx Of new regiments filled
the armies with raw troops, and Pope's defeat
brought back the entire Army Of the Potomoc
to this vicinity and made it available for de-
Tense" But the marchings and skirmishing
and bloody pitched battles OF Northern Vir-
ginia and Antietam and Gettysburg passed
without any further alarm to the government
until 1864.
THE CAPITAL IN DANGER.
To- tho%x- .,,.k a
present week. the government and the country
at large were thrown into panic of apprehen-
sion for the safety of the capital by the sudden
and unexpected invasion of the state of Mary
land by large confederate army led BY Gems
Early and Breckenridge.
This advent of a formidable army of veteran
confederate troops found Washington in a con-
dition of decided peril The city was indeed
surrounded by Gordon of immense fortifica-
tions, mounted with heavy guns and well thanked
by smaller batteries and earth works. But
with all the stupendous works for the defense
OF the capital, frowning with their ornaments
OF cannon, and with all their supplies of ammu-
milton. they were but pitifully garrisoned OF
the 10000 men all told in the department of
Washington, there were but two companies of
trained United States artillerymen. About
1O.OoO were raw, undisciplined and unskilled
volunteers, and a large portion of the other
lO.OOO were regiments of veteran reserved
corps. composed of wounded and diseased men
on duty IN Washington and Alexandria as pro-
vost guards or doing light duty at the govern
ment departments, store houses and hospitals.
A small brigade of Massachusetts, and New York
cavalry numbering 800, stationed at Falls Church
and Anandale. and about 100 cavalrymen, doing
duty IN Washington and on the south side Of
the river, were the extent Of that description
of available fighters. There was" SAYS Gen.
barnard, but single relief Of gunners for all
the guns, and scarcely one-ffth enough in
fantry to man the parapets The lines could
have offered no resistance other than artillery
TO the passage of hostile columns The forts were
lnsufiiciently manned for resisting assault"
TEMPTING OBJECT OF ATTACK.
In the beginning Of the memorable son to
Richmond" campaign Of 1864 Gen. Grant had
drawn from the defenses Of Washington every
available organization Of troops to the Army of
the Potomac, including all experienced and
highly efheient artillery regiments constituting
garrison defense. The result in June and July
o. was that the capital presented tempting OBJ
1ect OF attack. That fact makes clear the motives
which prompted Early's march and the alarm
ing demonstrations for the capture of the
federal capital.
EARLY's MARCH.
The archives of the confederacy in possession
Of our government show that Early's march for
the invasion Of Maryland and his subsequent
operations were ordered by Gen. Lee az early
as June IL, one month before the raid upon the
capital was discontinued and the retreat of his
demoralized force commenced toward the yir-
ginla mountains. The plan was to Cooperate
with Breckinrldge for striking Hunters army
and Its possible destruction. Hunter went
toward the Ohio river, leaving the Shenandoah
valley unobstructed, and Early marched
along down the valley. Rumors that he was
approaching Martinsburg startled Baltimore
on July 3. The next day the people
OF western Maryland and Pennsvlyania
were well alarmed. The enemy inflicted con-
siderable damage to the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad and to the Chesapeake and Ohio canal.
burned a number Of canal boats and captured
the teams Of the boatmen. The governors of
Maryland and Pennsylvania called ont a large
contingent of To-day men to repel the in
vaders. Whatever information the government
may have possessed regarding the movements
and evident purposes OF Early, the people gen.
orally. and. even the vigilant ne wspapers seem
TO have been very destitute Of any clue to the
probable designs. The object was pronounced
mystery, the general opinion, however, being
that il was
MARAUDING EXPEDITION
rather than a military invasion for purposes OF
conquest" The enemy's operations sustaine d
tins opinion, as a sample dispatch fro m the in
vaded section said: Every horse is taken on
line Of march. and scouting parties steal them
whether owned by friend or foe" Robbery
and destruction seemed to be the principal OBJ
1ect, as appeared by telegraphic and other re-
ports from the up river counties. At Point OF
Rocks IL was reported that Mrs. Dixon, a Union