Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-13
ing of the house of Gov. Letcher of Virginia by


For about five days the rebel army in Mary
land was on the rampage, appearing in de-
tached parties Unexpectedly in distant places.
| The Gunpowder Greek bridge east Of Balti-
more, was burnt. Baltimore was in fright
and valuable records and bank property were
| put on board steamers in the harbor for safety
Gen. VIM. b. Franklin of the Union army,
| travelling on sick leave in citizens dress, was
captured by o confederate officer, who boarded
| the train and recognized the general. He es-
capped from bis captors in the night, and, meet
| ing friendly farmer in the neighborhood, was
secreted, furnished with food, and soon con-
veyed to Baltimore and the care of friendly
| people in that city.
Thus the radius keptu their carnival Of bra
| vado and caused more sensation and aroused q
more intense spirit of resentment and resistance
in MY Maryland" than had been felt at any pre-
vious time. Baltimore was getting her back
| up" Recruiting parties paraded the streets
with fife and drum, the alarm bells were rung,
| and thousands of Maryland citizens rallied for
| the defense of the city. Up to the 9th no pre-
| else knowledge of the numbers of the invading
| force could be ascertained. Various reports
| estimated them anywhere from 20, 900 to 45, 900.
Had the rebel commander purposely continued
| to mystify the government and the newspapers
| as to the magnitude of his force he could not
have better succeeded, for at the above date q
condition of perplexing uncertainty existed in
all quarters. On that morning great metro
politan journal headed it's principal article on
the situation as follows: Everything as clear
as mud-nobody hurt-everybody scared-two
states quaking before a band Of horse thieves"
THE BATTLE OF MoNooAcy.
On that day Gen. Lew Wallace with about
1000 men, consisting of the Maryland home
brigade, a few companies of 100-days' men,
Alexander's battery, number Of detachments
from different commands, braced up by Lick
etts division (veterans) of the sixth corps,
Army of the Potomac (Which Grant had
| thoughtfully sent him at Baltmore) march,
ing rapidly westward in search of an enemy,
found him near Frederick $4,000 strong, and
fought him ali day, but finally retreated from
the field before the oyerpowering numbers Of
| the enemy. The fight is known as the Battle
of Monocacy." The forces of Early. elated by
victory, pushed on toward Washington, and on
the 10th dashed into Rockville and proceeded
to clean out stores and stables. force Of
cavalry raided Jamestown, seized horses,
cattle, sheep and hogs and drove them into
Virginia. According TO current reports they
plnndered Unfortunately. If anything the
''secesh" suffered more than the unionists, who
drove off or secreted their stock while the others
trusting to the magnanimity of their southern
brethren left their herds quietly pasturing and
were compelled to see them gobbled up by
their friends and driven off to Dixie. These
were incidents only of the advance on the capt.
tai. In thirty hours after the fight with
Wallace on the Monocacy, the rebel pickets
were posted in Blair's woods, within sight of
the defenses of Washington and directly OPP
poslte Forts Stevens and De Russey By this
time the newspapers had begun to wake up to
the significance of the situation in MARYLAND
and concluded that 1.-The country was full of
rebels" leading journal thus sums up the
apparent objects of the raid:
First. Plunder, especially horses and cattle.
Second. To compel Grant to let go his hold
on Richmond.
WASHINGTON PANIC STRICKEN.
1t was now Washington's turn to catch the
prevailing panic. The clerks in the War de-
partment were armed and drilled in front of
Lafayette square. Brig. Gen. NJ c. Meigs had
organized and drilled brigade of quarter
masters men in 1853, which had disbanded
during his absence in the Chattanooga cam
palgn. He recognized it in "a hours, and
with 1000 men reported for duty to Gen Alex
Med. McCook at his camp at Piney Branch.
Twenty-elght hundred convalescents from the
hospitals, under Col Rice, with few artillery
men. also reported for the defense to Gen. Nc
Cook, and were placed in the rifle pits and
placed i'll reserve behind the fort The morn
ing of the 18th dawnsd clear and sultry. The
day became very hot as the sun assembled.
A regiment OF veteran reserves-the
18th, Lieut.. Col. Carlisle Boyd command
ing-responded to the long roll at day
break, and marched from rendezvous of
distribution, beyond the Arlington hills.
through the city, out 14th street, and occupied
the outworks from Fort Stevens to De Russey
during the day. Many were overcome by the
heat and tainted by the way. They bivouacked
In the rear OF Fort Stevens that night. Rebel
sharpshoOters from houses and trees off toward
Silver Spring and behind barricades of rails
were picking off our gunners, and the huge
guns OF the forts were returning the compli-
ments with shrieking shell. burning the houses
OF citizens on and near the 18th street road,
and demolishing the barricades. President
Lincoln. standing on the fort to witness the
skirmishing. was a conspicuous target for
whistling minnie balls, and was compelled to
evacuate the fort by his alarmed attendants.
At one time rebel skirmishers advanced within
Few rods OF Fort Stevens and were shelled
out, and the orchard in which they were
secreted was Immediately cut down.
VETERANS TO THE RESCUE.
The day waned slowly. At little past noon
Major Gen. III. G. Wright, commanding the
sixth corps, Army of the Potomac, reported to
Gen McCook. His veterans. with part of the
nineteenth army corps. were landing at the 7th-
street wharf and tramping out 7th street to the
front. About o'clock p. IN. the head of the
invincible column came into sight As the
bronzed warriors, marshalled by the brave
leaders of countless assaults upon the armies
OF secessla, came over the hill of Brightwood
and strobe on to the field of contest, what
cheers rent the air and what hope and courage
thrilled the hearts Of the walters for help To
behold that famous corps, few hours from
CITY Point and Petersburg, quietly file around
the angle of Fort Stevens and deplov as Skin
mishers, advancing across the extended space.
was refreshing to see.
At p. m. a brigade of the sixth corps at
tackled the enemyy skirmish line and, after a
sharp fight, drove the enemy a mile and a half.
gaining many desired points, In that short
contest $50 Union soldiers and officers were
killed and wounded, according to reports of
the battle. On the It'll street road, about half
a mile from Brighwood, is a neat national
cemetery, adorned with beautiful trees and
flowers, where lie the remains Of about forty of
the gallant men who gave their lives on that
heid In defense OF the beloved capital OF their
country.
THE SITE OF FORT STEVENS
has, for nearly twenty years past, been crowned
by handsome stone church, to the erection of
which Gov. Shepherd largely contributed, and
| now near by stands beautiful and spacious
school house. 1t stands on the precise spot
| where, on the evening of July IL. 1864, the
weary, anxious participants in the first DAYS
conflict hailed the arrival of the grand old
corps sent by Grant to the beleaguered city.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS
The rebel troops were active and bold in
| their encounters with the inhabitants. MANY
amusing anecdotes are related of events that
happened during their stay near Washington.
| A young cavalry officer of Whites cavalry.
| whose home was near the MARYLAND aericul-
tural college, attended a merry party of his old
friends and danced all night during the few
| days in that state
| rebel force appeared near RlsSensbnr1