The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-31
A FITTING TRIBUTE PAID
Memorial Day Exercises at Battle
Ground National Cemetery.
Decoration of the Graves of the
Forty Soldiers Who Fell While
Fighting to Snrc. Washington
From EarIy's Forces-Gcn. Thomas
VI. Vincent the Orator of the Day.

| the Battle Ground National Cemetery, on
Brightwood Road, proved particularly in
teresting. The woods where ragged the
tide of battle till Early's army was re-
| pulsed. after its vain endeavor to capture
the Capital, were visited by hundreds of
| citizens, who paid tribute to the forty
brave men who fell in defence of Wash
| ington.
Particular interest attaches to the spot
for not only did it mark a crisis in the
| history of the war, but it is likewise
memorable because there President Lin
coin appeared on the scene of battle
The ceremonies yesterday were under
| the general management of the Grand
| Army of the Republic, but the citizens of
Brightwood, who have been active in pre-
serving the battlefield, were untiring in
their assistance. The little cemetery, low
under the care of the nation, lies about a
| quarter of mile north of old Fort
| Stevens, and marks directly the charge
| OF Wrights cavalry. which turned the
tide of battle in favor of the Union. The
| place is prettily fenced with UNCOVERED
| stone and there is a quaint lodge in the
| middle of it for the use of visitors and
| the cemetery superintendent. The men
| who fell in defence of the place are buried
in circle around lofty staff on which
yesterday Old Glory hoated at half-mast.
The programme was lengthy one. 1t
was opened by the firing Of the national
salute of twenty guns by Battery A,
District Guards Light Artillery. Then
Chairman w. V. Cox was introduced. He
in turn presented Gen. Thomas NJ. Vim
nh, inia k,,t, r.,
Adjutant Generals office during the stir
ring times of the war. From his intimate
knowledge of the circumstances surround
ing the raid of Early on the Capital-Gen-
eral Vincent visited the battlefield on the
following day and ordered the removal of
the seventy wounded men to the city-he
was able TO give graphic description of
the events leading up TO it
General vinccnts Address.
TO understand fully the events of July
ii and Il, 1864 on this field in front Of
Fort Stevens brief retrospect is neces-
sary.'' he said. After the battle of New
Market on May To- 1864. Major General
Hunter, at Cedar Greek, assumed command
OF the Department of West Virginia. and
the Lynchburg expedition assumed promi-
nence. Hunter started with about $500
men of all arms. and after uniting with
Crook and AveGill his force was about
le,UJU men Lieut. Gen. Jubal Early's force
OF the Army of Northern Virginia moved
from Gaines Mill to Lynchburg to defend
mat place from Hunters meditated at
tack. Early also mean. to strike Hunters
force in the rear and TO destroy it II pos
sible. His plan was to move then down
the Shenandoah Valley and to cross the
Potomac at Leesburg, or at or above
harpers Ferry. There he would be able
TO threaten Washington. Early said: Gen
eraI Lee DID not expect me to be able to
enter Washington. His ordcrs were
merely to threaten the city, and when
suggested to him the idea of capturing it,
he said it would be impossible
Hunter failed in his attack on Lynch
burg. and, owing TO bis lack of ammun-
ton, he retired from the place and fell
back into West Virginia. He was pur-
sued By Early's force for three days
about sixty miles-untii Hunter reached
the mountains en- route from Salem and
Lewisburg. On June % the pursuit
ceased.
General Lee had directed Early. after
disposlng OF Hunter, to return to Lees
army or TO carry out the original plan of
an expedition across the Potomac. Early
determined TO take the responsibility for
march. after detailing portions of his
corps to destroy the railroad bridge owe,
the south branch Of the Potomac and all
bridges On the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
way between that point and Martinsburg.
July he was at Winchester, and there
received orders to destroy the Baltimore
and Ohio Railway and the Chesapeake and
OHIO Canal as far as possible. July tbs
Union forces evacuated Martinsburg, ana
during the night retreated across the
Potomac to Shepherdstown. on Marylann
Heights. During the night of July the
Union forces evacuated Harper's Ferry.
burning the Potomac Railway and the
pontoon bridges 1t was not until the 9Th
that General Grant was positive that Early
was not i'll front of Richmond.
July and Early's troops crossed the
Potomac at Shepherdstown, where a de-
taehment advanced toward Maryland
Heights. when the Union forces there took
position in the works
Early. accordingly, started on the morn
ing of July S to move through the threv,
gaps of the South Mountain. The trains
an! the rear guard had started the nigh,
before from Harper's Ferry after burning
the railway works. Early had been In.
formed that an effort would be made 10
release the prisoners at Point Lookout,
and he IVES directed to take steps to unite
them TO his command.
EARLY AbnnGons Hone
The battle of the MOnacacy was fought
on the 9Th. and on the 10th the victorious
Confederate army moved at daylight and
bivouacked that afternoon near Rockville
Thence by daylight on the llth the move
ment was resumed. Early. riding ahead on
the Seventh Street pike, arrived in sight
nF For
wien he d. V rel that the for. was feebly
manned Thereupon he ordered his ad-
vance division to form line as rapidly as
possible, throw out skirmishers and move
into the works, If 1t could be done. But
before the division could be brought up.
a column of United States troops entered
the works. threw out skirmishers 10 the
front, and opened an artillery fire upon tho
Confederates. The attempted surprise was
thus defeated and it became necessary for
Early TO reconnOitre, which consumed the
remainder of the day. The result was
that he determined to make an assault
upon the work at daylight the morning OF
the 18th. That morning, as soon as it was
light enough TO see. Early rode to the
front and found the parapet lined with
troops. After this discovery to use
Early's words, L had reluctantly to give
up all hopes of cap uring Washington. after
! had arrived in sight OF the dome OF the
Capitol and had given the Federal au-
thorites terrible fright
The Sixth Corps lad arrived on the
evening Of the 1lth, and Major General
McCook. in command of the entire line OF
defence, deemed it absolutely necessary
that the immediate front should be pick
eted by experienced men. Accordingly he |
directed Major General Wright 10 furnish
a force 800 strong for picket duty during |
the night constant skirmshing being kept |
up between the lines until after dark on
the 18th. Troops from that corps also.
at p. m on the 18th, made the successful |