Evening star., 1901-06-27
GEN.EARL YSREPULSE
Proposed Memorial at Fort
Stevens.
MOVEMENT FOR new BATTLE PARK
Peril of the Capital in 1864 Re-
called.
PAPER BY WILLIAM V. cox

improvement of the park system OF the
Ditrict VIM. V. Cox. chairman OF the his
torical committee of the Brightwood Citi-
zens Association, has prepared an article
reviewing the assault made on the defenses
of Washington by a confederate force COM
manded by Gen. JubaI A Early. and the
engagement at Fort Stevens, July IL and
T. 1854. The paper has been published as
Senate document for the use of the Sem
ate committee on the District of Columbia
under the caption of Document No. 4 of the
park improvement series of papers, issued
in connection with the expert inquiry now
progressing under the auspices Of that COM
mttee.
The authors object in the preparation of
the paper was to promote and maintain in
| terest in the proposition to preserve the
site of Fort Stevens and it's supporting
works as a national park. Mr.. Cox has ap-
pended the plats drawn by Capt. Henry B.
LOCKER for the use of the Fort Stevens-Iin-
coin National Park Association. The first
of these is plat of proposed reservation
at Fort Stevens battlefield" The second is
plat of proposed reservation to pre-
serve former defenses of Washington near
Brightwood." and the third is plat of
proposed reervation at Fort Totten, near
Brightwood.'
The Defenses of Washington.
observation that when Fort Sumter was
fired on. April II. 1861, Washington was as
defenseless as it was in August. 1914, when
1t was captured by the British. in two
and a half years, however" continues Mr.
Cox, "the city was protected by a magnifi-
cent system Of forts and batteries. sixty
eight In number. each fianking the other
| and spread out around the city for a dis
| tance Of thirty-seven miles. Eighteen of
these forts were located in the northern
part Of the District between the Potomac
and Anacostia river. In addition to these
forts there We're between Forts Sumner
and Lincoln four batteries Of heavy artil-
lery and fourteen batteries Of light artil-
lery containing in all CAB guns seventy-five
mortars, and together forming what Gen.
Barnard describes as a connected system
of fortifications. by which every point at
intervals of 500 to 1000 yards was occupied
by an enclosed field fort, every important
approach or depression OF ground unseen
from the forts was swept by battery OF
field guns and the whole connected by
rifle trenches, which were In fact lines Of
infantry parapet, furnishing employment
for two ranks Of men and affording covered
communications along the line. while the
roads were open wherever necessary so
that troops and artillery could be moved
rapidly from one point of the immense
periphery to another, or under cover from
point to point along the line.
Establishment at Fort Stevens.
I'm those days, as now" relates Mr. Cox,
1.-The 7th street pike. or Brightwood ave-
nue. the leading thoroughfare to and
from Washington, and at a point five
miles from the Capitol, where the Gordon
of defenses crossed this road. at a height
Of 321 feet above mean tide. fort was
built in October. 1861, and named 'Massa-
chusetts,' in honor of the old bay state.
THE fort, being found inadequate for it's
| important purpose. it was enlarged In 1862
and 1863, and on April l Of that year the
name was changed to Fort Stevens. in
memory of Brig. Gen. Isaac ingalls, Ste
vens. who had just lost his lift at Chan
tilly, Va.
The ramparts Of Fort Stevens extended
from point about fifty feet north of the
present Brghtwood school house in a
northern direction for the distance of about
16e feet. outside measurement. then In
general northwest direction for the dis
tance Of 40 feet. then northwest at
more acute angle ninety feet then nearly
west for the distance OF 90 feet, then
southwest about eighty feet. and then south
about ia feet. with a perimeter Of 1.125
feet, inside measurement The two ends
on the south were connected by a stock
ade. The entrance was from that side and
block house about half way between the
entrance and the west end of the fort
magazines. one where Emory Chapel now
stands and the other to the west where
the depression is still visible The house
or Elizabeth Thomas, who is still alive
was torn down and the cellar enlarged for
this magazine. A bombproof about 80
feet in length extended northwest and
southeast parallel to the stockade and
about fifty feet from it. A fagstafr stood
on the top Of the magazine on the east
side of the fort Around the entire fort
was an abatis.
The fort. described as a powerful and
satisfactory work. was protected by rifle
trenches-those on the northwest side are
still standing and in good preservation"
Various commands. writes Mr.. Cox. were
encamped in and about the fort. The 7th
Massachusetts Infantry was encamped for
some time on the White farm on the west
side of Rrightwood avenue; the 10th Mas
sachuSetts was at the Lay farm; the Both
New York on the east side of Brightwood
avenue, opposite the Brightwood Hotel: a
Rhode Island regiment lay on the Ray
farm by Piney branch; a Maine battery
was little further to the west, and Bat
terry L, 1st Ohio Artillery was to the east
of Fort Stevens. Among those men who
saw service at Fort Stevens were George
K. Nash, present governor of Ohio then
private in an Ohio regiment. and Marcus
A. Hanna, now a United States senator
but then a lieutenant in an Ohio command
In the depression to the south of the fort
barracks and officers quarters had been