Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-15

day to General Augur. in command of the
Department of Washington: The enemy is
advancing on my front with cavalry, ar
tillery and infantry Those were hours Of
deep anxiety to the nation. and too much
praise cannot be given General McCook and
the brave defenders of Washington in all
branches of the service. and the citizens
and department clerks for their work in
holding the capital until the arrival of the
9Th Corps.
Visiting the Scene of Battle.
1T has been the custom of General Nc
Cook in recent years to revisit the scenes
of those stormy days north of Washington
whenever he came to the city, and it has
been my pleasure to be invited to accom-
pany him on two occasions. The last time
was on May 10. the last Sunday he spent
in Washington. With him were Maj
Thomas Goodville, adjutant on General
Haskins' staff during the engagement;
James r. Garfield. head of the new bu-
reau of corporations; Gen. G. L. Gillespie
chief of engineers of the army; Capt. M.
w. Fowler. Capt Chauncey B. Baker and
Mrs. Baker. daughter of General McCook.
HE talked in most interesting and ami
mated way, and wildly described the
scenes of July. '6f, when Gen. Early came
near capturing Washington, and he ex-
planned the general plan and details of the
battle of nearly forty years ago. He spoke
of President Lincoln on the parapet near
zen. wright ana nlfnSeI, WdlCnlnS the
progress of the fight, and how reluctantly
Mr.. Lincoln came down from the exposed
position, after Surgeon Crawford was shot
while on the superior crest of the fort in
the rear of the President who then sat Inn
patiently ammunition pass box his
tall form reaching to the top of the earth
works. He wildly described the charge ex-
ecuted by Gen. BdwellS brigade that drove
the enemy from in front of Washington
never to return. He told how the boys in
blue cheered President Lincoln and dashed
into the fight, many to their death. He
praised Wright and Wheaton and all those
engaged in action.
Gen. McCook's Map of Neighborhood.
81 have a rough sketch plan of the north
west portion of Fort Stevens, which Gen.
McCook drew for me on the back of a per-
sonal letter, showing the positions occu-
pied by President Lincoln, Gen Wright and
himself, as well as DR.. Crawford He
marked the location of the guns, bomb
proofs and magazines. By an arrow he in
dicated the course of the bullet from the
confederate sharpshooters gun, which he
shows passed between President Lincoln
and Gen. Wright. Another arrow indicated
the route President Lincoln took to the
east of the fort where he sat on a pass
box during the preparation for the last
charge, and the position where he wit
messed that charge. Cen McCook also
wrote that the plan drawn by him was
correct according to his memory, and that
there was no doubt as to the events as de-
scribed
In Memory of the Fallen Soldiers.
"After visiting different parts of the field
with his party he went to Battle Ground
National cemetery and there he placed
few flowers on the graves of those who had
fallen under his eye. saying he would not
be there on Decoration day. After regis
tering at the lodge. he babe Supt. Corwin
goodbye, telling him to tenderly look after
the graves, that no Drawer men ever drew
swords or fired muskets than those who
fell fighting to save the nations capital.
1T will be interesting. to Westinghouse
at least, to read the following report by
Gen. McCook on the battle at Fort Stevens
dated July 25. 1864, and addressed to Lieut.
Col. Joseph H. Taylor. chief of staff, De-
partment of Washington.
Gen. McCook's Report.
Reporting in person at the War De-
partment on the morning, July 10, was d.
rected to report to Major General H w.
Halleck, U. s. army, who assigned me to
duty in the department of Washington, to
command a reserve camp to be located on
or near Piney Branch creek. about midway
between Washington and Fort Stevens on
the north. In company with Lieutenant
Colonel B. S. Alexander. u S. engineers, 1
at once proceeded to examine the ground
for the camp, also to make a hasty exam
nation of the Notifications on the north of
Washington. Returning at pm. and RS
ceiving my final instructions from Major
General c. c. Augur. commanding depart
ment. / proceeded to Piney branch, where
the I'd Regiment, District of Columbia Vol
unteers, Colonel Alexander. and the 9th
Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps, Lieuteu-
ant Colonel Johnston; Captain Gibbs (Ohio)
battery and Captain Bradbury's (Maine)
battery had already reported.
Monday morning discovered the fact that
the only trOODS the north of WaShinPtO
were the small garrisons in the forts, small
detachments of cavalry in the front and
the troops above mentioned. Hearing OF