Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-09

circuit Of forts which connected one chan
mel to another Nineteen forts, four bat
teries armed with heavy guns and twenty
three batteries of field guns, connected
Fort Lincoln. Fort Stevens. Fort Reno and
Fort Sumner on the plateau north of the
city. Thirty-one forts and sixteen support
Ing batteries guarded the western shore Of
the Potomac, from Alexandria to the Chain
terry surmounted the ridge which forms
the left arm Of the "a and stood guard
over all the approaches from the Maryland
districts on the south. The whole is an ag-
Sregate of sixty-twO forts and forty-four
batteries connected by a continuous chain
of rifle pits.
Built for Temporary Use.
These forts were built for the most part
of earthen entertainments, timber construc-
t1or and some masonry, surrounded by
trenches. fanked by abatis Of newly felled
timber, and constructed on the summit of
hills shorn of their timber and under
growth. They were designed to last until
the close of the year, an indeterminate Pc
r1od, but by general consent a short one.
1t Is not surprising, then. that forty years
have obliterated many of them. Some Of
the forts, notably Forts Lincoln, Slocum,
Stevens, Reno, Sumner, Ethan Allen. Run
yon, Ellsworth, Stanton and Baker. were
constructions of several hundred feet in
diameter, and proved admirable training
grounds for the artilIerymen with whom
Grant augmented his forces for the cam
pafgn before Richmond. But they were not
intended to last many years and only one,
Fort Foote, was built to be permanent.
While they did last, however. they formed
splendid defense. Every gateway to the
city was covered with smooth bores and
mertars. Every foot of ground was pre-
pared for the advantage of the Union SOL
der In case of attack there. Every COM
manding height frowned on the ground be-
low 1t from the cover of parapets. Wash
lngton was enCompassed by notable con-
structions of defense sufficient. Early and
his men learned through practical expert
ence, to repulse enemy even when
manned by convalescents and recruits.
ANY contemporaneous map of those DAYS
indicates that this line of defense traversed
an agricultural country. Taverns in
dicated here and there. Small towns
marked within what are now the city
limits. Roads lay here. there and every
where. Forts and rifle pits were mere in
cidents of the landscape far the eye
could discern, so open and extended was
the view The supplies for the artillery
men who manned them were sent by long
wagon trains over miles of dusty road
way Indeed many forts 50 far dis
tant from Washington that they formed
admirably rendezvous for great armies
Engulfed by New City.
The map of today seems to indicate that
these forts have been made particular tar
gets for the city's growth.
Fort Sumner and Fort Lincoln-the two
extreme points on the arm of the "A''-are
still well beyond the limits of the capital.
But the city has grown far past the inter
mediate constructions, Fort Stevens, Fort
Slocum and Fort Reno. The first named is
in the center of a new and important subur-
ban village-Brightwood An association
with that particular end in view has
dertaken to preserve the old fort from
further demolition and to convert 1t into
Nrr1. r.
sion provide that it and all the forts near
by shall be made a part of the grea ter
reservation which is to encircle the city.
Fort Reno is now at the edge of new and
fine distributing reservoir. Fort Sumner
owes its comparative degree of preserva-
ton to its location half a mile from any
country road, as nearly every other hill
side within easier reach of the city has
been completely altered. Fort Lincoln has
given way to the handsome buildings Of
the reform school maintained by the ma
! tional government.
Development has been slower on the
! ridge south of the Anacostia, but it has
| progressed sufficiently to involve the de-
molition of most of the works which pro-
tected the capital from attack on that side.
| Except where strong effort has been made
| to protect these forts north and east of
| the city, then, they have given way to
| suburban subdivision.
Across the Potomac the sites have been
noticably less injured. Fort Runyon is
now intersected by two lines of railroad.
and the track of an electric car line, so that
only a quarter of 1t still stands. golf
club has taken the location of Fort Ben
nett for the site of its club house, and laid
It's course over the ruins of Fort Strong
and Fort Morton. Fort Myer Heights in
cludes the sites Of Fort Cass and Fort
Whipple But most Of the other construc-
tons still be traced in their outlines
and in many instances. as at Fort Ethan
Allen. very substantial features of their
construction are plain to the eye. Fort
Foote was abandoned for many years. and
at the outbreak of the war with Spain
looked like a stage setting for redoubt
The need for defending the capital during
this latter conflict led to the temporary use
of the site then, and it was in some re-
spects made over for latter-day uses
OVER 100 FORTIFICATIoNS.