Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-10
TO UNVE|L MONUMENT
Action by Survivors of Company
K, 15Oth Ohio Regiment.
ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLE
Fight at Fort Stevens Occurred Forty
Three Years Ago.
REVIEW OF THE ENGAGEMENT
Description of the Movement North by
Gen. Early-Interest of Presi-
dent Lincoln.
REVIEW OF THE ENGAGEMENT

The surviving comrades of Company X.
l5Oth Regiment of Ohio, 100 days men,"
who occupied the northern forts Of Wash
ington at the time of the battle of Fort
Stevens in 1864, have arranged to unveil
monument in Battle Ground cemetery
tomorrow. the forty-third anniversary of
the date of the battle. to commemorate the
fact that they were the occupants of Fort
Stevens at that time. They say they wish
particularly to recall that their comrade.
VIM. Z. Leach, was the first man to fall.
1t Is. explained that the early months Of
1864 were vastly significant in the late
civil war President Lincoln March 1 signed
a bill reviving the grade of lieutenant gen.
eral of the army.
At once Gen. Ulysses S. Grant was ap-
pointed to that position. In the same
month Grant appointed William Tecumseh
Sherman to the command of all the armies
between the Mississippi and the Allegheny
mountains, with orders to move against
Gen. Johnston in Georgia.
To Hammer Continually.
Gen. Grant announced to the northern
people his purpose to hammer continually
against the armed force of the enemy until
there should be nothing left to him but an
equal submission with the loyal section of
our country to the Constitution and laws
of the land"
Loyal citizens responded to such earnest
words. The awakened sentiment was,
I'VE must encourage and help Grant to a
vigorous campaign against the armies Of
the south"
The governors of Indiana, Illinois. Iowa
and Wisconsin responded to the call Of
Governor Brough of Ohio to meet at WASH
ington for consultation. They addressed to
the President of the United States the fol-
lowing proposal:
I'VE, the governors of our several states
offer to the President infantry troops for
the approaching campaign, as follows:
Ohio, 5000; Hines. 2ooo2; Wisconsin.
Among the 10000 men contributed by
Ohio, a regiment was mustered into United
States service at Cleveland May .. 1864
This regiment was sent, under Col. W. H.
Hayward. to occupy the thern fort,fica-
tons of the capital at Washington. 1t was
denominated the 10th o. V. NJ. The des-
tination was reached May Il. The regi-
ment was Immediately assigned to Forts
Lincoln, Thayer, Totten, S.ocum, Saratoga,
Bunker HILL Slemmer and Stevens.
Early Moves North.
About that time unlocked for turn oc-
CURED in the army movements Lee was
| finding himself closely pressed at Rich
send a force to attack the National capital.
June II, 1864. he ordered Gen. Jubal A.
Early to take a portion of the Confederate
| army and march against Union Gen. David
Hunter. and prevent his apparent plan to
enter Lynchburg, then occupied by the
Confederate Gen. ]. c. Breckenridge
After routing Hunter, Early was directed
to move down the Shenandoah valley to the
Potomac river. at a point near Harpers
md IND fnfA 20
move up to Washington city.
1t was said to be a daring. rapid and
until near the end. most successful move
ment
The distance was in direct line not less
than 325 miles His pursuit after Hunter
and other deviations from the main course
must have added much to this estimate.
Early started from Gaines Mills. on the
northern defenseS of Richmond, June -
1864 BY the 23d he had reached Lynch
burg. 100 miles to the west and was at
Buchanan his way north. BY July 9
he had passed from the James river to the
Potomac. more than 100 miles. over ground
nominally held by the enemy. On the 9Th
he had driven the Union Gen. Franz Sigel's
force from Martinsburg across the Potomac
to Maryland heights beyond and had
crossed the river himself before Grant was
sure he was not still fronting his own
forces at Richmond.
At the Monocacy
Early. July .. defeated Cen Lew Wallace
at the Monocacy river By daylight of the
10th his troops We're on the road to Wash
ington and before night, marching through
dust and heat. his veterans hivoua cked at
Rockville. ten miles from Fort Stevens.
This was startling and thoroughly alarming
to the north
Early had started from Gaines Mills at
Richmond with one purpose--the capture
of Washington. fastening up the Shenan-
doah valley he threw off Sheridan to the
right to go back to Richmond. and Hunter
to the left 1e-iHG TO the West Virginia
mountains. He left Sigel in his fastn asses
did not pursue Wallace to Baltimore as he
might have done. but pressed his poorly
Shod. Sun-stricken men to the very defenses
of the northern capital.
Ear;y had planned to reach the envrons Of
Washington Saturday evening. the 9th, in
s.e!d of Sunday. evening. the 10th. He
,'puli scarcely have failed to capture the
capital if the battle with Wallace had not
lost him a day
Conditions were most favorable to him.
The veteran soldiers had been Withdrawn
from the city to reinforce Grant at Pc. ers-
burg. Hunter. upon whom the Union relied
for the defense of Maryland and the Dis
trict of Columbia. was on long detour to
find men and ammunition. Pennsylvania
and New York state, well drained of SOL
diery were cut off from responding to the
cry of danger by the destruction of rail-
roads by Early's cavalry. Harpers Ferry,
Philadelphia. Harrisburg, New York city
and even Baltimore could not be reached by
rail from Washington.
Force Available.
The eight northern Notifications OF the
city had. all told about 1000 soldiers, and
they were newly enlisted To-day men.
Military force in the city consisted of re-
cruits under instruction. invalid corps, hos
pital guards and District militia. All COM
blned would have been a feeble resistance
to Eariy's 5000 veterans. There was panic
in Washington and Baltimore Gold went
up to the highest point reached during the
war.
Gen. Wallace on Sunday the 10th wired.
Il have been defeated. The enemy arc not
pursuing me. infer they are marching on
Washington"
Charles a. Dana next morning wired
Grant: washington and Baltimore are in
a state OF great excitement Both cities are
full of country people fleeing from the
enemy. Mills. workshops and factories of
every sort have been destroyed From
twenty-five to fifty miles of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad have been torn up
Gen. McCook reported Monday morning