The National tribune., 1894-03-01

North by his Sudden descent upon Washington
at what was conceived to be its most vulnera-
bic point
1t is needless now to go into details Of the
withdrawal of Esrly's army. There were, and
are still, military men North and South who
believed then, as now, that Early could have
taken Washington the first evening of his ar
rival; but Early himself asserted the contrary,
and gave as a reason the exhaustion of his COM
mand by reason of the intense heat, and the
clouds of dust that nearly stranged his soldiers
on the march. All that may have been the
work of Divine Providence.
But there was another incident connected
with that episode, which seemed like Divine
Intervention, aud had its great influence On the
day. Abraham Lincoln was himself present at
the main point of defense, to see the battle. he
said, but may be God had ordained his presence
there fo- purpose. Union soldiers saw him
on the parapet of Fort Stevens, and those who
did not see him knew he was there, for the
word was passed. So. when the Federals, I'M
der Wheaton. sailed forth to drive back the
enemy ahead, too near, and whose sharpshoot-
ers were picking off men on the forts, Abraham
Lincoln still waved his hat in sight, and his
soldiers fought like devils.
In vain was President Lincoln importuned
to cease his exposure to fire, until finally man
within three feet of him was shot down then,
for the country's sake, as he was urged, he re-
tired. But tho battle was then over, for Early's
main force had already begun to withdraw, and
next mornings sun over that field in front of
Fort Stevens shone only on the dead and
wounded left behind by Early. In his report
to Gen. Lee, Gen. Early, after discussing the
probable effects of his possible entry into the
city before the reinforcements arrived, declared
that " Washington can never be taken by
(Confederate) troops, unless when surprised
without troops to defend ie" Early doubtless
knew what he was saying. At all events, he
could not be suspected of timidity, for he had
already proved himself the intrepid victor
against the veteran forces of Wallace aud Rick
etts and had swung in a circle around the
Union Capital, levying gold, capturing thou
sand horses and driving his opponents out of
biz path.
1t was old Fort Stevens that had proved 8
wall to him; but, alas, so obiterated is that old
fertilization now ones eyes would hardly be
attracted by it, and no one looking at it would
dream that it had once been bulwark of
Washington.
And SO are all the forts around Washington
going fast to decay, come of them being already
leveled with the ground, while others arc little
more than fading hills. Some of them, it is
true, are on private property, but had the dis.
position existed to preserve them a way could
have been devised. Money has been freely ap-
propriated to park and label battlefeds of the
late war, and what field is more interesting
and important than that around the Capital?
1t will be said, of course, that in tho next
emergency it will be all the more easy to con-
struct defenses on lines already known that it
was in the late war. That is true, military
men concede, but at best it would take months
at least to do what required work of four years.
from 1861 to 1865. and what may happen during
that period of preparation would depend upon
conditions and circumstances more readily
contemplated now than in 1914. 1861 or 1861.
In time of war no defensive work can be as
well done as in peace. In 1868 we had to en-
ploy thousands OF civil workmen and also avail
ourselves of the labor of thousands of troops
but the forces were being constantly chan ged,
and, besides 1t required more courage TO work
with pick and shovel under fire than to shoulder
musket and fight in the ranks.
In conclusion, 1t has been suggested that il
would be practicable to garrison additional
posts around Washington even with the pres
ent limited military force. There are United
States troops now stationed In barracks in
several cities whose claims for garrisous, if not
obsolete, are not SO great as Washington's, and
now that the artillery and cavalry are located
in this vicinity, one infantry regiment might
well be stationed here, and SO posted as to man
and care for all the posts aud Notifications
around Washington which it may be desired to
preserve or establish