Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

tween the Eastern branch and the Poto-
mac and Oxon run. There was a0o:her
group OF defenses on the Virginia hiila
above Chain bridge, and also the river
forts, Battery Rodgers at the lower end
Of Alexandria. and Fort Foote on Rozier' s
bluff. southeast. in Maryland.
There were sixty Eight forts and armed
batteries connected by twenty miles of
infantry parapet for a double rank of
men. and this line was punctuated by
many unarmed neutrality-suspicious. al
ready selected and prepared into which
artillery, principally field batteries.
could be quickly placed. Thirty miles OF
military road, defiladed against any po-
sition which an enemy might occupy in
front. brought each link of the defense
system in easy communication with the
others. Soon after 1861, from a few has
tiy constructed works covering bridges
or important roads, there was developed
a fertilization system by which, accord
ing to Gen. j. G. Barnard. chief engineer
of the defenses of Washington, every
prominent point at intervals of 500 or a
thousand yards was occupied by an in
closed field fort, and every important ap-
proach or depression of ground unseen
from the forts swept by battery of field
guns, and the whole connected by the
trenches"
The hills around Washington are still
SCARED by mounds and bitches marking
the fort sites In only a few instances
have the works been completely RACED
by man. and in most of these instances
the site remains as farm land or is very
thinly covered by habitations. The north
line of 6efcnCeQ hoc al tod
by the expansion of the city than the
Arlington or Anacostia lines but the res
toration of these forts would be an easy
matter and not costly one.
Above the receiving reservoir Redoubts
Kirby, Cross and Davis. that were united
under the name of Fort Sumner, are
traceable. and the land, where not grown
up in woods. is under cultivation as farm
lands. Fort Simmons and Fort Mansfield,
which would be pierced by Massachu-
sets avenue If that highway were pro-
jected few hundred yards over the
District line. have been plowed over and
farm produce is raised on their sites.
The site of Fort Bayard, at the crossing
of the River road and the District line,
is unbult on. and Massachusetts avenue
just after crossing Nebraska avenue runs
through the tumbed heaps of earth
marking Fort Gaines. Some of Fort Reno
has been thinly built over and much of
its site is commons. De Russy stands in
Rock Creek Park and is safe. Fort Ste
vens Is partially preserved and privately
owned by a gentleman devoted to its &C
QUESTION and preservation as a govern
ment reservation. Slocum was leveled d.
rectly after the close of the war and
farmed, and has lately been embraced
within a suburban subdivision, but not
built on to any extent The ruins of Fort
Totten are grown over with woods just
east of the Rock Creek Church road and
above the Bladensburg road. Fort re-
mains are few till one reaches Fort Lin
coin and Battery Jameson. east of the
Bladensburg pike and overlooking the
Eastern branch.
OF the Anacostia line there are the re-
mains Of Forts Mahan, Chaplin, Meigs,
Dupont, Davis, Ricketts,, Stanton. Car
roll and Greble. Forts Baker, Wagner
and Snyder have disappeared. but the
sites could be acquired at a reasonable
cost.
The upper end of the Arlington lines
has suffered because of suburban growth,
but south Of the Columbia turnpike are
the ruins of Forts Albany, Richardson,
Scott, Barnard, Reynolds, Garesche, ELS
worth. Williams. Lyon, Weed, O'Rorke
and Willard. Fort Berry has disappear
ed. Fort Ward is being leveled this win
ter and Worth is maintained and is &C.
cupied by the villa of distinguished
Confederate ofncer. In the case of every
fort site it commands the widest view
obtainabfe In that locality. That is one
reason the fort was built there. These
hilltops and ridge crests would be ex-
tremely valuable as park land in addi-
ton to their historic significance. The
old defenses of Washington should be
saved and connected by boulevard. that
they might be conveniently reached. The
money cost would not be great, measured
against the sentiment and the utility of
the work.
A beginning has been made in this d.
rection. 1t was noted in The Star re-
Gently that surveys had been completed
and maps prepared for the acquisition by
the government of Forts Davis and Du-
pont and for the building of a connect
ing highway. Condemnation proceedings
will probably advance promptly. The &C
QUESTION of these fort ruins has been au
thorized by Congress and they will soon
be converted into public parks.