Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-22
Historic Fighting Grounds of
Civil War Will Be Mecca for
6. A, R. Veterans.
HUNDREDS WILL VISIT
FAMOUS FORT STEVENS
There It Was That President Lin
coin Defied Danger and Wit
messed Defense of Washington.

Visits to the historic battlefields OF
the civil war which are within a radius
of seventy-five miles of Washington
are expected to be taken by large
number of the veterans who attend the
national encampment of the 6. A. X. In
this city September 81 to October 2
The most important battles of the
great struggle of 1S61-65 were fought
within seventy-fve miles of Washing
ton. In no section of the United States
are so many battlefelds to be found.
Correspondence received by the
committee which is hard at work maxi
ing arrangements for the entertain
ment of the veterans during their stay
in Washington indicates that many of
them plan to visit these ~battlefields;
some for the purpose of looking over
the ground where they once fought,
while others are anxious to view the
scenes where their comrades in arms
fought to defend the Union. Many of
the veterans will be accompanied on
their.-side trips by their wives, chill
drcn and grandchildren. They will de-
scribe to them the scenes enacted on
those fields fifty. or more years ago.
Platform About Bowlder.
Hundreds of veterans are expected to
WISH Fort stevens dt bTlSHtWOOu,
where President Lincoln stood under
fire and witnessed the defense of
Washington. A force of men now is
engaged in putting the old fortifica-
rcre in the best of trim. Re-
concrete platform was built
huge bowlder where Presi-
on is said to have stood, and
eps leading up to the bowlder
lie telling of the battlefieIds
-shington, prepared for the
committee of the citizens G.
Committee by Capt. ]. Walter
Il. national historian of the
d Spanish War Veterans, is, in
-. +. as follows:
Included in the list of nearby combats
ing, December 10, 1852 the great battle
of Charlottesville, May and 4, 1853,
including the lively action at Salem
Church; Mine Run, fought in December
Wilderness and at Spotsylvania from
May to May 20. 1854. These battle
grounds are all within sixty miles of
Washington.
Antietam. Nd, where September H..
1862. Was recorded the bloodiest day in
American history, is about seventy miles
west from Washington. A few miles east
OF Antietam are South mountain and
Crampton's Gap, where bitter battles
were fought three days before. Antietam
Harpers Ferry, the scene of the surrender
of Gen. Miles Union army two days be-
fore Antietam, is less than sixty miles
from Washington.
Cockpit Of the Shenandoah.
Winchester. described by Col. John Nc
Eiroy as the cockpit of the Shenandoa h
valley" around which were fought some
fifty battles and skirmishes. including the
great engagement of the Oqueauon, is
hn,
National Capital. Gettysburg, the turn
ing point of the civil war, is seventy miles
from Washington, in straight line
Inside the seventy-mile radius were in
Vulnerable other battles and slxirmishes
including such hotIy contested engage
Runs, Bristow Station and Chantilly
AT the very gates of Washington, in
It's picturesque suburbs, also remain the
time-worn defenses of Fort Stevens. the
upon Washington in July. 1864.
Already plans are in effect for an
excursion Friday, October 1, by trolley
to Fairfax Court House, and thence by
automobiles and other vehicles to the
battlefield Of Chantilly on Little River
pike.
Generals Killed on Scene.
Interesting ceremonies will be held
at the dedication of monuments on the
field of Chantilly, where two major
generals of the Union Army, Phil
kearny and Isaac L. Stevens, were both
killed within five minutes and within
five rods of each other.
The farm on which this action oc-
CURED is owned by Capt. Ballard, an
ex-Confederate soldies who has do
mated the land for the memorial tab
let's which will indicate the spots where
Maj. Gen. kearny and Maj. Gen. Ste
vens fell. These tablets will be dedi-
Gated at noon, October l, and 1t is ex-
pected many of the G. A. r. visitors
from Washington will attend the exer-
cises, which will be in charge of COM
mitttee of veterans from Gen. kearny's
native state. New Jersey-Charles F.
Hopkins of Boonton. Theodore Allston
of Newark and John w. Bodine of
Camden, who were members of Kear-
ny's old brigade.
Manassas. the scene of the two bat
from Washington. The first battle was
fought July y, 1861, and the second
thirteen months later. August %, 29
and 80. 1862. The preliminary fighting
Blackburn ford on Bull Run creek
where the very first clash between the
Army of the Potomac and the Army OF
Northern Virginia occurred July 49,
commanded the Union forces. while
Gen. Beauregard commanded those OF
the Confederacy.
Another interesting incident of the
G. A. r. encampment will be the fact
that six surviving officers of those who
were present at the surrender at APP
pomattox will visit the Surrender house
at the close of the encampment to be
photographed in a group on that his
toric ground.
Fields Near Manassas.
The two battlefields of Bristow Sta
ton, tour miles south of Manassas, is
also an interesting locality near the
capital. One of the fights occurred in
1862 just before the second battle OF
Bull Run. The other in 1853, when
Gen Meade commanded the Union
army. Arrangements have been made
for railroad excursions to the Ma
nassas fields September 80.
Lieut.. George c. Round of Manassas
who served in the Signal Corps of the
Union army during the war, is making
arrangements for the reception anG
entertainment of veterans and other
encampment visitors who may wish te
r