Connecticut western news., 1914-06-18
20 HEAvEIS AT FORT STEVENS
Incidents of the Activities of Litchfield
 County Regiment.

Fifty years ago on July 9, the Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery, the Litchfield County Regiment, was de- tached from that portion of the Army of the Potomac occupying the trenches before Petersburgh, Va, and directed to proceed with all possible speed to the defense of the city of Washington, at that time threatened with inva sion by rebel Gen. Early and an army of 90, 900 men.
 Gen. Early reached the outskirts of the nations capital on the afternoon of July II, and made an attack upon Ft. Stevens. This fort, one of the defenses of Washington, is located we'll within the limits of the District of Columbia, and but few miles from the Capitol and other government buildings. The dome of the Capital was plainly visi- ble.
 On the day that Early appeared in front of the fort it was but feebly manned, and until the arrival of that portion of the Sixth Corps comprising the Second Heavies and other troops, it was manned by available citizens, the Police and Fire Departments of the city, veterans of the Reserve Corps, convalescents from the various hos pitals, and the military organizations ill he various government departments. Had Early made an attack in force on that day he would have had little difficulty in entering the city and col lecting tribute from the Treasury and from private citizens, as was done at Frederick, Md, few days before, but for some reason, probably to allow his men to sack the camp of the convales- cents which was located outside the fort and was abandoned on the approach of the rebels, the attack was postponed until the next morning, July 12.
 On the morning of that day, how ever, his signal officer, posted in the top of tall tree, reported to him that what appeared to be body of seasoned troops was approaching tine fort from the water front of the city. This was a section of the Sixth Corps which had been rushed from City Point, Va, to aid in the protection of the Capitol City.
 These troops had landed at daybreak, at the foot of Seventh street and at once took up the march in the direction of the position occupied by the Con- federates. There had been no stop for breakfast and the surviving members of the regiment will remember how the citizens of Washington ran into the streets and passed them cups of coffee and sandwiches which they ate on the march. Upon their arrival at the fort, there was sharp engagement, not a long one but long enough to convince Gen. Early that he was not contending against sick men but seasoned troops. In his story of the battle, Gen. Early says: .e.r
 "I knew when I arrived in front of the works on the 11th, that they were ! but feebly manned and could be taken at once, but on consultation with my officers plan was agreed upon to attack the works at daylight the next morn- ing. In the morning a cloud of dust was observed in the rear of the works and soon company after company of veterans filed out of the fort to the right and left, skirmishers were thrown out in front and fire was opened upon us from a number of batteries, knew that there was nothing for me to do but to withdraw. He says he had been given to understand that friends of his cause in Washington would keep him informed as to the arrival of reinforce ments "But," he asid, Eff we had any friends in the city they failed to come out and give me any information. had, however, accomplished all that I had hoped to do. I had weakened the attack on Richmond, had marched my troops within sight of the Capitol Dome; and had given the federal gov ernment terrible fright"
 It was pleasing sight for the citi- zens of Washington and the govern ment officials to see these veterans from the front double-quicking up Seventh street, for they knew that the city had been saved from an invasion. A recent visit to Fit. Stevens shows that much of the outer works still remain Several of the up-and-down shanties erected by the Quartermaster's Corps on the in side of the fort still remain and have been turned into residences for colored 1 families. v .:. ,-..-.
 several years ago Gen. H. c. Wright who commanded the Sixth Corps, and an officer of the Second Heavies, visited the fort and marked the spot where President Lincoln had stood on the parapet andewatched the progress of the battle, Since then marker has been placed on the spot then located This marker is a huge boulder brought from the battlefield and quite likely shielded some rebel soldier during the battle.
 Soon after the war the government established Battle Cemetery on that portion of thefield occupied by the rebel ] picket line andhere lie buried the re- mains of A who lost their lives in the fight and were originally buried on the field.
 The stump of the tree that served | Early as a signal station and in which sharpshooters were stationed, still stands near the corner of one of the | h11i1dincrc of tba yVafor DaaJ