The Washington herald., 1914-07-11

VI
| cept in drill. Returns Of troops at II.
| SapltAl shows that the whole line of
works on the north side OF the Potomac
were held by only 1884 artillery and
hsis IO-day Infantry. To swell the list
OF defenders the Government clerks were
oeihs mustered in. under Quartermaster
ten Montgomery C. Meigs.
AS Gen. Early studied the works before
Nun Nun ne saw hle of blue-coated soldiers,
which his practical eye Identified as vet
Grams, march into q fort comma ndinR the
road Assuming that re-enforcements
from Grants army had arrived, he
aeemed II unwise to order an attack
before making a careful reconnaissance.
IN thts occupation the Confederate gen.
eral spent the afternoon. The troops he
mad seen were go dismounted cavalry
men VINO had been hurried into the works
10 ho'd them until Grants men came up.
Grant Rushes AId.
Whether Early could have carried the
Iort II he had attacked is a question for
irultless speculation. His own reports
Indicate that he believed he could not
mat the works were so strong that a
Few men on the alert could hold them
against many Washingtons main reli-
ance for defense was then. indeed, in its
works, there being fifty-three forts and
twenty-five batteries, mounting s4s 1uns
and 70 mortars. in a perimeter Of n
| miles. Even this strength had an eIe-
nent OF weakness. for a total Of AZ on
works.
For this reason the city looked for re-
lief to the troops that were comi,T fror,
Grant That these might come too late
nad been the great fear of the day in
Washingten I'll
The reason for their delay in arriving
was strange one. A story toId h,, a
SoiIeuerate deserter coming into the
Eederai lines at Petersburg had kept Gen.
Grant IN doubt for two days, when Gen.
was In the Shenandoah Valley, as
10 Earlys whereabouts The deserfer
declared Early had returned to Lees
army by process OF deduction Grant
hAu arrived at the conclusion that tba
oeserter was not telling the truth No
prisoners had been taken at Petersbnry
from Early's command. From this Grant
reasoned that Early was not in his front
HIN that 'le reports OF his marching into
Maryland were correct
Grant had acted at once nv datachina
the Sixth Corps from the forces heSnrs
petersburg. and ordering II to Washing
Ton ny water. The Nineteenth Corns
Which mad arrived at Fort Monroe. from
New Orleans, was also ordered TO the
Capital. ''o
\ Timely Arrival.
The anxiety of the officials at Wash
ington while waiting these reinforce
nents was great. On the morning CT
July II, as reports came in of the ap-
proach of the ConfederateS the Assist
ant Secretary Of the Navy, Capt. Gusta-
Nus V. Fox, privately ordered a steamer
prepared at the navy yard for the use
OF the President in case of emergency.
At noon Grants transports began to
arrive at the Seventh street wharf, bear
ing the Sixth Corps. Gen. II. @. Wright,
and the Nineteenth Corps, Gen. William
II. Emory.
scene of great enthusiasm was now
enacted. Lincoln was there to meet the
boys" Cheers for him rose in great roar
ing waves as he was recognized. After
the President had greeted Gen. Wright.
Getty's division of the Sixth Corps
swung into step and with music and n.y.
ing banners started to march across the
city.
The first orders were to proceed to
the Chain Bridge across the Potomac,
but while the command was still in the
city the orders were changed and the
command PASSED up Fourteenth street en-
route to Fort Stevens.
At 4:io Gen. Wright reported to Gen.
C. c. AuguT, commanding the forces in
the city, that his men were at the front.
A few minutes later they were filing
into the works on either side of the
Seventh street road.
All danger of Washington being taken
by the Confederates was now ever; but
Early was determined not to retire from
before the city without testing the
strength of its defenders.
ToInorrow-LincoIn Under Fire.
ICepzsishk, aAl