The Washington times., 1903-03-15
Ruins Of More Than Thirty
Miles Of Edrthworks Thrown Up Around
Washington and Held By Federal Troops
in the Dark Days Of the Civil War :. =.

which ran through Tenleytown; the
Chain Bridge. just south of the Little
Falls; the Aqueduct Bridge. which con-
nected Virginia and Georgetown: the
Long Bridge. which would admit an
enemy into the very heart of the city;
the Potomac River. which flowed from
both sides OF the city, and the oxon Hiu
Road. which opened way TO the Capt.
tai from all the Prince George district.
These avenues of approach all cut
through the Gordon OF hills. It was pos
sible then to guard them adequately by
means OF forts erected on outlying
heights. All but one offered two broad.
commanding hills. one on either side.
the exception being the Oxon Hill Road
which surmounted the ridge on the left
arm OF the a
Sixteen forts then suficed to guard
the main traveIways These were soon
constructed. To name them is to enum
crate the most important features OF this
system OF defending the city. Fort Lin
coin and Fort Thsyer guarded the
Bladensburg Pike; Fort Stevens and Fort
Slocum the Seventh Street Road: Fort
Reno and Fort Bayard the roads into
Montgomery county at the northwest
Fort Marcy and Forth Ethan Allen tba
approaches 10 the Chain Bridge. Fort
Corcorsn and Fort Bennett. the Aoue-
duct Bridge Fort Runyon and Fort Al
bany. the Long Bridge: Fort Foote and
Fort Sumner--the one far south of the
city and the other near the present
Glen Echo-the Potomac River: Fort
Greble and Fort Stanton. the roads from
Prince George county.
With the general key to the system
thus manifest in these channels OF an
proaeh 10 Washington. II should be easy
20 follow the circuit OF forts which con-
nected one channel 10 another. Nineteen
forts, four batteries armed with hea1g,
guns and twenty-three batteries Of field
guns. connected Fort Lincoln. Fort
Stevens. Fort Reno and Fort Sumner on
the plateau noEth OF the city Thirty-one
forts and sixteen supporting batteries
guarded the western shore OF the Poto-
mac. from Alexandria to the Chain
/ DaA-t3N- 4 HfAFN ADA - anu Out armed Dat
terry surmounted the ridge which forms
the left arm Of the "a" and stood guard
over all the approaches from the Mary
land districts on the south. The whole
is an aggregate OF sixty two forts and
forty batteries connected by a con-
| tinuous chain OF rife pits.
Built for Temporary Use.
These forts were built for the most
part OF earthen embankments. timber
construction. and some masonry. sur
rounded by trenches, aanked by abattis
of newly felled timber. and constructed
on the summit OF hills shorn Of their
timber and underground. They were de-
signed 10 last until the close OF the
war. an indeterminate period, 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.
Runyon. Ellsworth. Stanton. aud Baker
were constructions OF several hundred
/ feet in diameter. and proved admirable
training grounds for the artillerymen
7 Win WHpm Grant augmented MS fOrCeS
for the campaign before Richmond. But
they were not intended TO last many
years. and only one. Fort Foote, was
/ built 10 be permanent.
/ While they did last, however, they
formed a splendid defense. Every gate
way TO the city was covered with smooth
bores and mortars. Every foot OF ground
was prepared for the advantage OF the
7 Union soldier in case OF attack there.
/ Every commanding height frowned on
/ the ground below Il from the cover OF
parapets. Washington was encompassed
/ by notable constructions OF defense suf-
icient. as Early and his men learned
through practical experience. TO repulse
an enemy even when manned by con-
/ valescents and recruits.
Any contemporaneous map OF those
days indicates that this line OF defense
traversed an agricultural country. Tav-
erns are indicated here and there
Small towns are marked within what