Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-19

ton OF cognomens. They were named indis-
crlminately after states. cities and individuals
There was Fort Massachusetts. Fort Buffalo,
Fort Pennsylvania. &C. But the construction
Of the defenses had not progressed very far
before the idea was conceived of giving them
the names of distinguished soldiers who lost
their lives in defense of the flag; and an order
was issued from the War Department in the
fa.l of 1851 carrying out this happy idea.
\ writer of THE STAR has recently explored
the encircllng region and examined the re-
mains of all o: the old forts.
To enable visiting comrades to reach these
interesting relics of the great war by the short
est and best routes The STAR will conduct
them thither, hoping to interest them the
while by the recital of facts and incidents con-
nected with the stirring life of thirty years ago
within the old walls. In relating the story of
the forts and batteries it is believed that their
mention i'll alphabetical order will meet with
more favor than il they were taken up as they
appear on the map, following the circuit of the
city.
FORT ALBANY.
This fort IL on the Georgetown and Ale1an-
dria road, immediately south of its junction
with the Columbia road 1t is about three
miles from the Capitol and half mile south Of
Arlington National cemetery. Mount Zion
Baptist Church, plain brick structure, and a
number of negro huts now occupy the old
works Forts Runyon and jackson stand to
the eastward, Forts Scott and Richardson to
the south. Forts Barry and Craig to the west
and Forts Mcpherson and Haggerty to the
north. This fort was one of the first con-
structed, being built Immediately after our men
took possession of the Virginia soil by Gen
Sandford's New York troops-the seventh.
twelfth aad twenty-ffth regiments, who passed
over the Long bridge with Runyon's New Jer-
seq brigade. and was named in honor of the
capital city of their state. The following Dis
trlct OF Columbia volunteers aided in the work:
Capt. Smeads National Rifles, Capt Powell's
zouaves (wLo drove the rebel pickets toward
AIaxandria) and Capt Degges' Constitutional
Guards. The work YVES conducted under the
supervision Of Capt b. S. Alexander Of the en-
glnoer corps. The armament Of the fort con-
sisted Of eighteen guns, as follows: Thirteen
Z4-pounder barbette, two 6-pounder field and
three i-pouncer howitzers. These were man
ned by ls3 gunners. The fort was garrisoned
and occupied by the following among other
organizations during the war: Detachments Of
the sixteenth Maine, fourteenth Massachusetts,
Oh. Al, hfty-sixth Pennsylvania, seSenth, one
hundred and fo-ty-sixth, one hundred and XIV
second and one hundred and sixty fourth Ohio
National Guard, fourth New York heavy artil-
lery, batteries and ID. fifth, and G, first United
States artillery.
An account Of Fort Alexander IL given in
connection with the description Of Fort Sum-
ner in this article.
FORT BAKER.
There is now scarcely anything left Of the
once proud structure, Fort Baker, which was
one of the largest and most COM
plete Of the forts within the defenses
Of Washington. its perimeter being nearly
500 yards. The old works were well pre-