The National tribune., 1899-11-09
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
DENFENDING THE CAPITAL.
Lively Time Around Washington on the
Occasion of Early's Visit.

OSSosioA VA NY o AoAe'
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: 1t was
on July or 9, 1864 that Early had set his
mind on entering Washington, ID. c., and
to destroy all he could. He had met with
some success at Monocacy, Md, and had
made his way on to Washington by Rock
vile. At about Z o'clock a. m, July IL,
the advance columns of Early's force We're
seen coming south on Brightwood avenue
This caused great alarm to the small gar
rison at Fort Stevens and the other forts. The
people living near had moved goods and
stock into the city to keep Early'S men
from taking them. Everywhere things
were beginning to get little warm, and
anything in the shape of a man who car
ried a gun was of more value than all the
money in bank. Shoulder-straps We're
plenty, and orders were flying thick and
! fast, and the only cry was: IF we only
had men," Lucky for Washington, our
regiment-the 25th n. Y. Cav.-had been
the city from City Point, Va, on the night
of the 10th, and were ordered to Fort Ste
venS.
Boots and saddles" was sounded about
daylight, and orders We're given to march
to Pennsylvania Avenue and Seventh
street where we halted for further orders
1t was not long before the order was re-
ceived to march out Seventh street. Al
the Patent Office old men could be seen
passing up and down with old muSkets
over their shoulders, guarding the doors
AS we went up Seventh street me met eX'
cited folks coming into the city. Boy IKE
we would ask the frightened people Whal
was the trouble, and many of them would
throw up their hands and exclaim: Early
is comingl" AS We passed the other side OF
SchuetZen Park we met colOred people
with their families and household effects
We reached Fort Stevens about : O'Clock
a. m. There we found few men that,
think bploDppl to some 1OO-Ia regiment
as their clothing looked quite new and
fit pretty well. The writer stepped inside
the fo:t and found some old wornout Ser
geant trying to teach the new men how to
handle thn big guns.
We h. jcen at the fort but few min
utes whe.l the balls from the rebel sharp
shooters began to strike pretty close. Short
ly after our arrival at Fort Stevens car
riage drove up with a pair Of horses that
looked as if they We're giving out, and when
the carriage opened that great and noble
man, Abraham Lincoln, and his Secre-
tary of War stepped out, and shortly walked
over to where a group of officers stood.
These are the words he spoke to one of
them: Officer, what is your name, and
what is this commando
The officer replied: MY name is Nc
Pherson, and this command is the 25th
n. Y. Cav"
We'll, Captain" said Lincoln, ''our
Capital is in a critical condition, and upon
you and your good men depend the safety
OF the Capital; but should any of your COM
mand be captured, say nothing about the
situation of Washington, and if they ask
whose command you belong to, say the
advance of the Sixth Corps
Orders then were soon given to form a
skirmish line, and the 25th n. Y. Cav.
dismounted, formed the line, the right
| resting on Seventh street road, the line
running east and west AS we wound
| ha ct, nd marched
north we received a sharp volley from the
enemys first line of skirmishers. 1t did
| little harm, as we had orders to drop to the
ground, and the volley passed over all
except Serg't Tom Richardson, Co. b.
who was trying to execute some order, and
was killed in the first volley.
We slowly but surely advanced our line
| to Judge Blair's house, mile or more in
| front of Fort Stevens. The Blair house
is where Early ate his breakfast on the
morning of July IL, 1854, and the writer
ate his dinner at II a. m. off the same
had left
We kept up our firing until ) p. m, when
a portion of our line was relieved by the
Reserve Corps, and the balance relieved by
the Sixth Corps. We fell back to Fort
Stevens, where we had been but a short
time when word came that portion of the
Reserve Corps was getting cut to pieces.
i detail of men from the 18th \. Y.
Cav, under Capt. S. T.. Chamberlin, started
in the direction where it was said the Re
serve Corps men were, and through this
false rumor some of cur squad were wound
ed. The Sixth Corps had driven Early
back into the Shenandoah Valley.
We were ordered back to Camp Stone
man to be remounted, and were soon or
dered to join Gen. Geo. A. Clusters Bri-
gade in the Valley. The writer is pleased
to say that the old battle-ground has a
neat little cemetery, where some 40 o. 30
Of the comrades are buried, and which is
kept up by the Government. Much credit
is due to the Superintendent for the manner
in which he keeps it, and the pleasant
way he has in receiving visitors.-JOHN
III. WOLFF. 25th n. Y. Cav.