Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-08-14
G7||zz.z5 WAR
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9TH CORPS AT FORT STEVENS
Member of 3rd Vermont Relates Some
Personal Experiences-Notable
Witnessed Fighting.

The article published recently in
| regard TO placing a large stone at
| Fort Stevens as a memorial to the
battle of July u, 1864, calls to mind
some personal experiences there. AS
a member of the old Vermont brigade
| had been all through the strenuous
campaign from the Wilderness TO
Petersburg, and was several weeks OR
that line, when on July 8 we had Or
ders to move to City Point. This we.
found to include the whole Sixth
Corps, or at least what had not al
ready gone We marched IN the night
distance of about fourteen miles.
then took transportation to Washing
ton, arriving on the 18th, writes
George A. Harrington Of Company A.
Bird Vermont. of Elgin, ILL.,, in the Ma
tional Tribune.
General Early had been sent into
Maryland to create a scare. so as to.
compel General Grant to weaken his
line in front of Petersburg, and this
force had already arrived at the line
Of forts around Washington. AS we
marched through the city the citizens
were much relieved. As we passed up
Seventh street we were welcomed in
truly friendly manner. and the
Greek cross never looked so good be-
fore to any people
General Gordon has said: con July
II, 1864, the second day after the bat
tie of Monocacy, we were at the de-
lenses of Washington. We were
nearer to the national capital than
any armed Confederates had ever
been, and nearer to it than and fed.
eral army had been to Richmond
myself rode to a point on those
bTeastWOrks at which there was no
force in sight. The unprotected space
was broad enough for the easy passage
of Early's army without resistance
Undoubtedly we could have marched
into Washington, but in the counciIl
of war called by General Early there
was not a dissenting opinion as to the
mpolicy of entering the city"
After the Sixth Corps had taken a
position and had time to get ready a.
strong line was moved forward short
ly after o'clock, July II, and al
sharp fight took place, in which the
Union loss was $50 and the loss on
the other side was about the same-E
1t is said that this battle took placel
In the presence of more distinguish
ed group of spectators than witnessed
any other action of the war Presi-I
dent and Mrs. Lincoln, Secretary STAN
ton and other members of the cabinet
and several ladies came out to Fort
Stevens during the afternoon to see,
some actual fighting, and Mr. Lincolnt
remained during the action. CHANGED
to be in the line a few rods to the
left of Fort Stevens, and knew when
Mr.. Lincoln was there, but | did not
see him. We were all busy watching
the effects of the large shells from
the fort and expecting to be ordered
forward at any moment.
This battle was the first of the CAM
paign in the Shenandoah valley,
which eliminated at Cedar Greek un-f
der Gen. Sheridan. After the work
was done in the valley we returned
to the lines in front of Petersburg.I
and well do ] remember the trip from
Harper's Ferry to Washington on a
cold winter night on a platform car.
In the morning we were covered with
about six inches of snow.