Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-11


| one would ever spell his name correctly. 1t
goes at almost anything from ''Nevins' to
! "Nevles, but rarely. very rarely. Neyius Mr..
Nevus in the last New Jersey legislature welded
the gavel az president Of the senate, and how
ever you spell his name the above is his pic
ture.
THE BATTLE OF FORT STEVENS.
Gas we came through Washington" said
Lieut.. Nevius, early on the morning of the
18th of July, 1864, we met the soldiers and citi-
zens moving back from the forts. Out eth
street to Fort Stevens we went on the trot. At
Fort Stevens the most prominent feature was
the whizzing OF rebel sharpshooters bullets
and the angular form of Abraham Lincoln.
The defenders at the fort consisted of one hun
bred day men and clerks. 1t was about IL
clock when we moved out OF the earthwOrks,
dismounted. We formed a skirmish line and
deployed down through the slashed tim
Der, receiving and returning the fire of
the rebel sharpshooters. Pretty soon struck
rebel skirmish line and the fun began. About
2 o'clock in the afternoon was wounded in the
arm. but put compress on 1t and stuck it out.
L told the boys around if they were captured
to say they were the skirn.ish line of the sixth
corps, which was believed, and it seems that
Early did take us for regiment of infantry be-
longing to the sixth corps.
PRESIDENT LINCOLN WATCHED THE MOVEMENTS.
During the afternoon tainted twice and at
length was compelled to &C to the rear. Lin
coin watched every incident of that fight and
shook hands with me as ] came up"
Mr. Nevius was promoted for his gallantry
on the 18th.
Had it not been for the twenty-fifth regi-
ment on he lJth the sixth corps would have
found no Washington to fight for on the 18TH"
concluded Lieut.. NeviUs.
''nergt. Richie was the first man to fall as
We moved out, said Hiram Breideubach of
Philadelphia, and helped to carry him back
to the fort. We passed close by President
Lincoln and he stopped us and told US to take
good care of that poor fellow"
THEY SAVED THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Capt s. E. Chamber!in of Savannah, the
vice president Of the association, is an inter-
esting figure at the reunion. Said Capt.
Chamberlin: ''H any one could find out what
especial deed they would have performed
during the war undoubtedly the choice would
have been to have saved the capital. This
deed the twentv-fifth New York cavalry GER
tainly performed. L. cannot be gotten away
from, and We nave it i'll Iubal Early's own
words that on the 18th of July, 1854 for one
whole afternoon the twenty-fifth regiment
checked the advance of Early and
corps did not reach Washington ON
fight its fight until the 18th of July. 1t was lit
tie more than presidential that the event &C.
CURED it did. The twenty-fiftb regiment
left City Point on the It'll day of July, went by
transport to Baltimore reaching there on the
9Th The regiment, although it knew nothing
of it, lay in Baltimore while the fight at Monoc-
acy was going On the afternoon of the 10th
We were hurried on to Washington. We reached
Fort Stevens early in the morning of tho Ilth
and found some volunteers there exchanging
shots with the rebel sharpshooters who were
close up on the earthworks About noon the
order was given to move out and dislodge the
sharpshooters. The regiment deployed and
moved down the hill. The effect of this move
ment can be gathered from Gen. Early's own
testimony in the Southern Magazine, where he
relates his attack on Washington.
EARIY's OWN ACCOUNT.
Thinking that Washington was only de-
Tended by. recruits and citizens he had, saws
Gen. Early, ordered Rhodes division forward
to make the assault. As the division was COM
ing up, however, on the 18th, Early and
Rhodes riding ahead, a regiment was seen de-
pioying down the slope with extreme accuracy.
According TO Gen. Early Gen. Rhodes remarked.
''fhoss are not To-day men. They are old
soldiers" Gen. Early then believed the sixth
and nineteenth corps had reached Washington
and instead of ordering an assault which
would have been easily successful halted and
advanced shirmish line.
NO, there can be no question about it. the
twenty fifth New York was all that saved Wash
ington from being burned that day.
SPLENDID FIGHTING RECORD.
The twenty fifth regiment has splendid rec
ord for fighting during the war and took part
in the following fights: White House Landing,
June 20, 1864; Fort Stevens. July IL. 1864; Hall
town, Va. August 26, 1861; Winchester, Va.
september i9, 1864; Luray, September "a
1864: Port Republic, September "a. 1884
Waynesboro, March 2. 1865; Summit Point,
August 20, 1864; Opequan, September 49, 1864;
Toms Brook, October 9, 1864. The regiment
was organized in the spring of 1864.