The Washington times., 1903-03-15

y these days OF peace. when the
only strife is the strife of the
stock market. and the ticker and
the telephone are the weapons OF of
tense. the old forts OF Washington are
almost forgotten The navy yard. the
marine barracks. and Fort Myer are
the only posts near the Capital today,
and none OF these can rightly be termed
n fort Nevertheless, there have been
two occasions when forts were badly
needed around Washington. once during
the British invasion in the war OF 1872
and again during the war between the
States. On both occasions it was found
that the city was practically at the
mercy OF the enemy. and IL an enemy
were landed tomorrow in this country.
washington would be in the same de-
fenseless state
Napoleon always made the objective
point OF his campaign the enemy's capi-
tai, and since his day that has been the
plan followed by all strategists. "on
to Washington was the cry that went
ND from Confederate throats in the
very beginning OF the civil war. They
felt that could they but take Washing
ton they would hold the key Of the sit
uation. And it was Grants dogged at
tack on Richmond. ;he capital of the
Confederacy. that finally ended the war.
Yet when the flag was hauled down al
Sumter. there was nothing TO prevent
an enemy from sailing up the Potomac
10 the very doors OF this city. or ap-
preaching tt by any OF the numerous
turnpikes that lead into e.
The First Defenses.
This condition did not last long. And
In little more than a month. Gen. J. G.
Mansfield. the chief officer Of engineers.
located forts for the protection OF the
two approaches from the south. Fort
Corcoran. which commanded the old
Aqueduct Bridge: Forts Albany and Run
son. near the Virginia end OF the Long
Bridge. and Fort Ellsworth. on the high
hill west OF Alexandria These works
were begun May %. 1861. The two months
.eat OF the Union forces at Bull Run.
after which disaster the construction OF
aefenses was begun in earnest.
A commission was formed OF the best
engineers in the army. Generals Totten.
Meigs. Barry and Cullum united with
General Barnard TO consider the neces-
Hty OF completing the four forts named
and establishing a general system Of
MA
for an entire Gordon OF forts and rife
pits. which Tapped each other like links
In a chaiu for a distance OF thirty
seven miles. There were 1o6 forts and
batteries. Contrabands. laborors. and
soldiers were put at work on thirty-five
miles 81 rihe-pit construction. When
he plan OF the four engineers was final
ly compIeted-which was hardly before
General Early attacked Fort Stevens In
iss4-washington rested secure in the
midst OF a district guarded against at
tack from any quarter.
To comprehend the theory on which
this system was based IL IS necessary.
Of course. to study the topography OF the
defended territory. Washington city was
then small Il was built largely on low
lands at the iuncture OF the Anacostia
and Potomac Rivers. Before II. like the
two arms Of the letter "A" were two
converging ricges-one reaching roughly
from the Little Falls OF the Potomac TO
Alexandria, the other following the
Anacostia from the eastern corner OF the
District Of Columbia TO a point a little
aortS OF Alexandria on the opposite side
pf the river. Back Of the city. following
old Boundary Street. was the cross bar
Of the "A" IN the form OF plateau. and
his plateau stretched backward 10 an
other row OF hills ir a hollow triangle
With Georgetown on the west slightly
elevated anc correspondingly more ex-
posed
The Means of Approach.
Eight channels OF approach were
opeu-the old rosd from Bladensburg;
the seventh Street Pike. from Montgom-
cry county, the road from Rockville.